While at Neungamme Concentration Camp we heard an amazing story of the power of an object to tie individuals together and transcend cultures. One object held a narrative of the bravery in a time of incredible horror. Our guide shared the story of Fritz Bringmann, a prisoner in Neuengamme arrested for high treason. He was caught … Continue reading Museum Monday: The Power of Objects to Tell Stories – #BLOG365 Day 267 #TOPStudyTour @TOPTeachGermany
Do You Know What a Trabi Is? – #BLOG365 Day 266 #TOPStudyTour @TOPTeachGermany
On day one of our Transatlantic Outreach Program #TOPStudyTour we were hit with the Trabi during a visit to the Point Alpha Memorial. I have to admit, I didn't know the Trabi by name when I first saw it. Sure, I had seen them in news footage. But, I didn't know anything about them. So, … Continue reading Do You Know What a Trabi Is? – #BLOG365 Day 266 #TOPStudyTour @TOPTeachGermany
100 to Go! – #BLOG365 Day 265
I am hitting the home stretch with #BLOG365. The 100 day home stretch. Seems like a lot of blog posts, but it's a fraction of what I have done. Although I am behind (still!), I think I can knock it out and still complete #BLOG365 on time. The other day George Couros posted this on … Continue reading 100 to Go! – #BLOG365 Day 265
It’s Easy to Forget… – #BLOG365 Day 264
It's easy to forgot I still have a child. He is mature. I am fairly sure he writes better than I did in high school and speaks better than I did in college. He is an old soul. Loves the Beatles and Elvis and Back to the Future. He'd rather read than play games. Would … Continue reading It’s Easy to Forget… – #BLOG365 Day 264
Museum Monday: Sidewalk Historical Interpretation – #BLOG365 Day 263 @TOPTeachGermany #TOPStudyTour
Over two weeks in Germany I saw countless historical markers, commemorating important events or pointing out places of interest. But, about halfway through my trip I started to notice that many of the signage looked more like museum interpretative panels than the typical historical markers we are used to seeing in the United States. Here's … Continue reading Museum Monday: Sidewalk Historical Interpretation – #BLOG365 Day 263 @TOPTeachGermany #TOPStudyTour
I Learned a Funny Thing or Two on My #TOPStudyTour – #BLOG365 Day 262 @TOPTeachGermany
I learned a funny thing or two in Germany on my TOP Study Tour... Asparagus is a big deal in Germany in the summer. Germans prefer the white variety that grows from April to June and you can find it on almost any seasonal menu. I look for my asparagus at home to have a … Continue reading I Learned a Funny Thing or Two on My #TOPStudyTour – #BLOG365 Day 262 @TOPTeachGermany
German Education Part One: Project-Based Learning – #BLOG365 Day 261 @TOPTeachGermany #TOPStudyTour #PBL #PBLChat
I have been holding off on posting about German education because I knew it would be a meaty post that required some time to flush out. So, this will be part one of a small series on German education. I can't do justice to the German education system in one blog post! Before I begin … Continue reading German Education Part One: Project-Based Learning – #BLOG365 Day 261 @TOPTeachGermany #TOPStudyTour #PBL #PBLChat
Windows of Tann – #BLOG365 Day 260 @TOPTeachGermany #TOPStudyTour
The first stop on my TOP Study Tour was Tann, Germany, a small city in Hesse nestled in the Rhon Mountains. There's not a ton to do in Tann, but it was the perfect first stop on our tour, small enough to navigate on our own and quintessentially German. In Tann I became obsessed with … Continue reading Windows of Tann – #BLOG365 Day 260 @TOPTeachGermany #TOPStudyTour
Media in Germany – #BLOG365 Day 259 @TOPTeachGermany #TOPStudyTour #sschat
Hamburg, Germany is a media hub. While we were there with the Transatlantic Outreach Program we visited ARD, Germany's largest public broadcaster. The organization has a budget of about 7 billion Euros, generated mostly through a license fee paid by all German residents, companies, and city governments. ARD relies very little on commercials. In fact, … Continue reading Media in Germany – #BLOG365 Day 259 @TOPTeachGermany #TOPStudyTour #sschat
Historical Memory: Part One – #BLOG365 Day 258 #TOPStudyTour @TOPTeachGermany
During my visit with the Transatlantic Outreach Program, we stumbled upon St. Nikolai Church Memorial during our first walk through Hamburg. The spire towered above the other buildings in Hamburg as the fifth highest church in the world. At first I thought it was under renovation, but as we got closer our guide explained that although … Continue reading Historical Memory: Part One – #BLOG365 Day 258 #TOPStudyTour @TOPTeachGermany
Jill Cross 