Well I cannot tell you how much the students and staff enjoyed the trip to Hungary. We are having the last of our meetings this morning and the students are saying their goodbyes. It has been a wonderful three years that the project has been running. It is amazing how close you can get to people over time even if you dont see them often.
The opportunity to see the different countries, experience the different cultures but most importantly the opportunity to work with people from Hungary, Germany, France and the UK has been a delightful experience.
This has been for me (Mr. Lawrence) a real growth period in terms of accepting new things and opening my mind to different aspects and people of the world. I am sad that the project is over but delighted that I had the opportunity to meet and work with some of the most interesting people from around the world. And for me, the world today is a better place for having these experiences.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Teaching other students about our culture
Wednesday 18th March: Morning Cultural Learning
As part of the cultural learning morning, students have been set the task of teaching the students from the other countries about the educational system in their home country. As you can see from the video posted below, the students did a fantastic job of informing the other Comenius students through the posters they created.
So when they return home be sure to Quiz them on the schooling systems of Hungary, France and Germany... they should be experts!
Cultural Learning
Wednesday 18th March: Morning
This morning we have been welcomed back into the host school here in Hungary and the students are learning more about the other countries involved with the Comenius project (France, Hungary and Germany) through a series of interactive games and learning tasks. One way that the students are developing their knowledge is through working in a group of students without any other student from SJB, so they certainly have to think creatively to be able to communicate successfully!
A minute ago students were being quizzed on the different countries and what their political and social systems are like. Does anyone know which parliament sits in the largest building? France, Hungary, Germany or Britain? Answer: Hungary (Mr Lawrence and I struggled with this one!)
Visit the site of our Hungarian host school to learn more about where we are working this week:
http://www.poganysuli.hu/
This morning we have been welcomed back into the host school here in Hungary and the students are learning more about the other countries involved with the Comenius project (France, Hungary and Germany) through a series of interactive games and learning tasks. One way that the students are developing their knowledge is through working in a group of students without any other student from SJB, so they certainly have to think creatively to be able to communicate successfully!
A minute ago students were being quizzed on the different countries and what their political and social systems are like. Does anyone know which parliament sits in the largest building? France, Hungary, Germany or Britain? Answer: Hungary (Mr Lawrence and I struggled with this one!)
Visit the site of our Hungarian host school to learn more about where we are working this week:
http://www.poganysuli.hu/
Hungary: Some Key Historical Facts
As we have been learning about Hungary we have picked up some interesting facts about the history of the country. We were especially interested in the most recent developments in the country from the First World War onwards. We hope you find them just as interesting:
1873 Pest, Buda and Obuda were unified forming Budapest as a major European city
1914 - 1918 First World War - Hungary fights on the losing side and the monarchy collapses
1938-1940 Southern Slovakia and Northern Transylvania were returned to Hungary
September 1939 World War II starts
1944 The Nazis occupy Hungary
1945 The Allies of World War II defeat Germany
1945 The Soviet Union liberated then occupy Hungary
1956 Hungarian revolution against Stalinism and Soviet Union was defeated
1990 The Soviet Union army leaves Hungary and a Hungarian democracy is set up
City Tour Bus of Budapest
Tuesday 17th March afternoon/evening - City Tour Bus of Budapest
Having absorbed lots of information about the Hungarian Parliament and trying to appreciate what it would be like to live in a country that less than 30 years ago was not a demoncracy we headed off downtown to catch a tour bus. As we bundled onto the bus all students were glad to find a comfortable and warm seat awaiting them, where they could plug into the tour guide audio recording and look at all of the cultural buildings, statues and park land that Budapest has to offer. Now don't fall asleep Mr Lawrence or Zak...
Whilst we were there Emese, the Hungarian teacher, asked some of our students what they have learnt from all of the cultural experiences they have had so far on this exchange. Watch the video below to hear what they had to say .....
One of the most impressive sites on this tour had to be the National Library where all of the books ever published in Hungary are kept in prestine condition. We also learnt how you are not allowed to take the books out like a Library our students are used to but they are only for reference. But with the beauty of the building you would be very happy to spend your time in the Library reading any book of your choice.
It seems strange that in a country so different to ours, there are so many similarities... one we noticed walking along the street was on the magazine stands. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes may not live in Hungary but they certainly make the news and the front covers of magazines. In a Media learning moment, students commented on how such favorites as Glamour, Cosmo and Hello had been translated into Hunagarian and were ready to buy at every street corner. And that is not to mention the McDonalds and Burger Kings that shine out on every second block.
The video below show how wonderful the city looks at night.
That's all for now from a very exhausted Miss Harper, Mr Lawrence and all the Comenius SJB students. See you tomorrow for more of our adventures ...
Having absorbed lots of information about the Hungarian Parliament and trying to appreciate what it would be like to live in a country that less than 30 years ago was not a demoncracy we headed off downtown to catch a tour bus. As we bundled onto the bus all students were glad to find a comfortable and warm seat awaiting them, where they could plug into the tour guide audio recording and look at all of the cultural buildings, statues and park land that Budapest has to offer. Now don't fall asleep Mr Lawrence or Zak...
Whilst we were there Emese, the Hungarian teacher, asked some of our students what they have learnt from all of the cultural experiences they have had so far on this exchange. Watch the video below to hear what they had to say .....
One of the most impressive sites on this tour had to be the National Library where all of the books ever published in Hungary are kept in prestine condition. We also learnt how you are not allowed to take the books out like a Library our students are used to but they are only for reference. But with the beauty of the building you would be very happy to spend your time in the Library reading any book of your choice.
It seems strange that in a country so different to ours, there are so many similarities... one we noticed walking along the street was on the magazine stands. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes may not live in Hungary but they certainly make the news and the front covers of magazines. In a Media learning moment, students commented on how such favorites as Glamour, Cosmo and Hello had been translated into Hunagarian and were ready to buy at every street corner. And that is not to mention the McDonalds and Burger Kings that shine out on every second block.
The video below show how wonderful the city looks at night.
That's all for now from a very exhausted Miss Harper, Mr Lawrence and all the Comenius SJB students. See you tomorrow for more of our adventures ...
Tuesday 17th March afternoon - Visiting Hungarian Parliament
If the morning of presentations was not enough of a cultural experience for the students from SJB, then the journey to the Hungarian Parliament certainly was. To get from the school to the centre of Budapest our navigational skills were challenged with having to take a tram and two metro lines. Have a look at how we managed in the video below!
The journey was not only a challenge but an eye opening experience like nothing else and sparked some insightful conversations between our students comparing the London Tube system to the Hungarian metro .... well the verdict seemed to be in favor of the Hungarian Metro. Students thought it was much cleaner and faster and Rachel liked the 'retro' feel of the trains.
When we arrived in the centre of Budapest we were hit by a wave of chilling weather but this was soon forgotten when we saw the beauty that the capital had to offer. Wow, the Parliament certainly is beautiful and breathtaking and we were lucky enough to have a visit around the inside of the Parliament building. We hope that the video footage shows you just how fantastically artistic and inspiring the decoration of the building was. Students' jaws dropped as we were shown the Crown jewels of the country and as we learnt that the House of Lords was disolved due to corruption.
If the morning of presentations was not enough of a cultural experience for the students from SJB, then the journey to the Hungarian Parliament certainly was. To get from the school to the centre of Budapest our navigational skills were challenged with having to take a tram and two metro lines. Have a look at how we managed in the video below!
The journey was not only a challenge but an eye opening experience like nothing else and sparked some insightful conversations between our students comparing the London Tube system to the Hungarian metro .... well the verdict seemed to be in favor of the Hungarian Metro. Students thought it was much cleaner and faster and Rachel liked the 'retro' feel of the trains.
When we arrived in the centre of Budapest we were hit by a wave of chilling weather but this was soon forgotten when we saw the beauty that the capital had to offer. Wow, the Parliament certainly is beautiful and breathtaking and we were lucky enough to have a visit around the inside of the Parliament building. We hope that the video footage shows you just how fantastically artistic and inspiring the decoration of the building was. Students' jaws dropped as we were shown the Crown jewels of the country and as we learnt that the House of Lords was disolved due to corruption.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Tuesday 17th Morning - The final presentations of the Comenius projects by the partner schools
Students all arrive at the school at 7:45 am, with some students having taken two buses and a walk to get here. I think they may be starting to appreciate all of those 'parent taxis' we have back home. Our students were full of excitement from their first evening with their host families - just look at Tom's reaction!
We were welcomed into the school hall where we got introduced to the Head teacher and the Deputy Head teachers. all students were given a fantastic brochure which told them about the historical places in Hungary and the sites that they were going to see on their stay.
The projects got off to a fantastic start with a great play by the German students about meeting friends from Hungary, France and England and all of the problems encountered by trying to make friends across the borders of Europe. Despite their initial problems the students learnt to get on with each other and forge relationships just like our students have done over the past 3 years.
The Hungarian students' project followed with a presentation of their past and how important it is to understand the past to develop a future. A future as a united European front.
Next up were our students from SJB who did us proud by introducing themselves and explaining what hey have learnt over the process of the project. Our students then presented their film project to the students from other countries, with Tom, Francis and George's performances receiving many laughs and claps! The filming presentation explained to the partner schools what Britain was like in the 1980s, the present day and what we think it may be like in the future.
Students all arrive at the school at 7:45 am, with some students having taken two buses and a walk to get here. I think they may be starting to appreciate all of those 'parent taxis' we have back home. Our students were full of excitement from their first evening with their host families - just look at Tom's reaction!
We were welcomed into the school hall where we got introduced to the Head teacher and the Deputy Head teachers. all students were given a fantastic brochure which told them about the historical places in Hungary and the sites that they were going to see on their stay.
The projects got off to a fantastic start with a great play by the German students about meeting friends from Hungary, France and England and all of the problems encountered by trying to make friends across the borders of Europe. Despite their initial problems the students learnt to get on with each other and forge relationships just like our students have done over the past 3 years.
The Hungarian students' project followed with a presentation of their past and how important it is to understand the past to develop a future. A future as a united European front.
Next up were our students from SJB who did us proud by introducing themselves and explaining what hey have learnt over the process of the project. Our students then presented their film project to the students from other countries, with Tom, Francis and George's performances receiving many laughs and claps! The filming presentation explained to the partner schools what Britain was like in the 1980s, the present day and what we think it may be like in the future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)