Monte Blanco AND First Day of Classes

I was so tired yesterday after my adventure that my blog just got pushed to the side, so tonight I will make it up for you guys and talk about both new experiences!

Monte Blanco

I bet you all did know I was a mountain climber, did you? Well this type of climbing I can do. Two different ski lifts and 300 stairs later I made it to the top of Mont Blanc in Courmayeur, Italy. 15,000ft and the highest point in Europe.. I couldn't believe my eyes. The view was breath taking. The climb was harder than expected due to the thin air and the cold weather, but what took me by surprise was at the top the weather was quite warm... I even saw some people almost sunbathing at the top.. not for me but it was warmer than the climb!

I do not really have much to say about the mountain because the site from the top is simply indescribable! I was simply speechless then and I am still speechless now!

THE DREADED FIRST DAY.....

Just like every student dreads the first day of classes.. not knowing what it would be like, not knowing who you will be friends with that year, or even what you will wear! Teacher dread the first day just as much.. what will we teach, how will our lesson go, will they understand me, and even worry about what the students will be like. 

Well today I had that nervous feeling times 10. I am in a entirely new culture and still trying to understand a new language...

But after all that worrying I had a completely amazing and perfect experience.

The schools are much different from those in the US and I was amazed at the ways these students were able to add art and music into everyday things and do it so well. All of the student spoke three different language, although not always perfectly, they spoke English, Italian, and French... which blew my mind. Can you even begin to imagine a world were every ten year old knew three different languages and were still learning more?

The students respected the teachers because all of the teachers made sure that they were treated as equals in their learning. They did not always give them the answer to the question, they maybe instead asked the student a question that would lead them to answer their own question. To me this may be the main difference to the ability levels in the students of the US and of Italy, The students were challenged to dig into their schemas and find their own answers, the teacher would help them put not quickly give the answer. They have a broader thought process than those of the students that the answer is given right away. 

The students took as much time asking questions and learning about me as I did trying to learn about them. They were very intuitive and wanted to know very interesting things about what our country looked like. The students found it to be profoundly hilarious that we didn't have any mountains where we were from. Mountains are something that they are very normal to them... and of course their mountain are nothing even close to what we would normal think of anyway.  

I got in with the students and did several art and reading activities in groups and we did a song and dance as a whole. So although we did work with the students this was more of an observation and getting a feel of their schooling day. I enjoyed my time working with the students and can not wait to do many more studies with them. I am loving learning more about the way they are learning in their schools.