Of course this UbD girl is bringing along some essential questions to ponder in Germany. As with any professional development experiences there are a variety of lenses through which I can see my learning. Working in curriculum there are lots of different lenses I can choose. It’s easy to get caught up in all the different content areas and grade levels I support and get lost in it all. The avenues I chose to investigate vary depending on my personal passions, the needs of the teachers and students I work with, or my needs as a professional.

To set focus I often use essential questions. Essential questions don’t have an expiration date. They can be used beyond one professional development for learning experience, one visit, one conversation. They are a vehicle for making connections.

So here are my essential questions for this trip;

– What makes a culture unique?

– What are the roles and responsibilities of a global citizen?

– Why should we learn from other cultures?

– How does the past influence the present?

– How can we encourage global understanding through education?

This is just a small sample of how I am going to focus my encounters with the German people I meet, their culture, and their values.

I am excited to add more to this list and answer these questions as I move through my #TOPStudyTour.