Learning Opportunities

We've been involved in some notable educational moments in recent days that I thought I might share. 

Let's start with Silas.  Potty training has been no trouble for him - he has not troubled himself to actually use the potty chair even once.   He has learned to bargain shrewdly, however.  He gets a Gummi Bear if he sits on the potty chair for the duration of one song.  One time he said he wanted two songs.  We were excited because you figure the more time he spends on it the more likely he is to accidentally use it.  He sat for the first song, then said, "Now Bob the Buil...no, I want a Gummi Bear."  And he sprang up to run to the kitchen for his treat, then returned to the chair for yet another uneventful song and a bear.

Lucy is learning that boys and girls need not despise one another.  Oh, don't worry, she has found a special someone with whom to fight incessantly.  A nine year old, energetic boy (this may sound familiar to folks from the Mankato Ward).  Anyway, she frequently comments on how boys and girls here talk.  Not just when they have to, but they actually talk and play together.  She finds it refreshing.  By the way, she loves English class at school, because she has many opportunities to educate the boys on how little they know.

Lucy also really, really likes ceramics class with our friend Jana.  It must be therapeutic because she always comes home cheery. 

Caleb got kicked out of English class.  You know him, always getting in trouble.  So instead he goes to sixth grade classes during that time.  He's had a popularity surge because of it (he's novel once again).  The other day in fact there was a veritable riot when the teacher stepped out and the kids were tripping over each other to drop notes on his desk saying hi.  

Speaking of riots...it's chestnut season so Caleb's friend brought a load of chestnuts into school one day and they had battles during breaks.  After the bruising, wall denting, and glass cleaning up was done, they hopefully all realized that you ought not have chestnut fights in school.  I wouldn't have reported this shameful display, but Caleb thought it one of his educational highlights so far and it takes me back to my own youth when J.R. (will remain nameless) threw a Goon-chip in Goon Shop and shattered the glass on a clock.

Caleb was in art one day...The teacher said something.  Then all the kids pulled out their science books and started drawing animals from it.  Caleb did what we do here - watched what others are doing and followed their lead (just imagine where that could take us).  When he was done he had drawn "a very good weasel - if I do say so myself."  When everyone was done and they displayed their drawing of bugs, Caleb's was kind of weird looking with its four legs and long tail and fur.  And, although his was clearly the best drawing (Caleb doesn't normally talk like that so I kind of take him at his word on it), it was not voted in as one of the best three drawings of bugs.  We never got to see the picture because his chestnut wielding buddy was goofing around with a bottle of water and spilled it on Caleb's weasel.

Kristine is studying Czech everyday and teaching five different hour long sessions of English.  Three of them for groups of kids.  She is a great teacher, particularly with the kids.  In fact, she's my ticket to a perpetual sabbatical.  We can open an English school for kids with wealthy parents.  She'll do all the teaching, but I'll give myself some nice title and go down by the river to watch the leaves fall.

At church, Kristine was called as the Primary President,  first and second counselor,  secretary, teacher and nursery leader.  That has freed up the sister who held these callings to focus on her other three callings.  

Speaking of church and learning...we have two sets of missionaries here.  They told me on Sunday that they were going mushroom hunting on Monday.  I asked if an experienced hunter was going with them.  No, but somebody had lent them a book.  They had also been told that if it is white it's safe to eat (this is NOT true).  I pleaded with them to talk with some who is experienced and wants to see them again.  I stopped by this morning to make sure they are still breathing - they are.

Well, one last learning experience...Caleb and I went to our first fencing class yesterday.  Let me give some background before I tell of the experience.  There is this organization, ARGO, that puts on historic recreations and teaches fencing.  We have known for months that they have classes here in town.  So, a week or so ago, we sent an email to the contact.  She is no longer the contact, but gave us the name of the new one and forwarded on the email.  We heard nothing so we sent him a note.  Still nothing, so Kristine called.  He said that we should come at 5:00 p.m. to the Kulturny Dum mumble-mumble-mumble.  How's that?  The Kulturny Dum mumble-mumble-mumble.  How do you spell that?  (very rapid) Mumble-mumble-mumble.  So we set out to visit the main office for Kulturni Domy (Culture houses) in town to find which one had the fencing school.  A nice lady at the Kultury Dum Slavia pointed us to the Kulturny Dum Gerbera (aka Budvar Hockey Arena). 

Caleb and I got there early to have plenty of time to sign in.  The guy we talked to didn't know any English or Spanish (very little Spanish is spoken here - pity).  He called out to the group, anyone know English?  Well, everyone gathered around, but only a couple of kids knew any English (only slightly more than I know Czech).  Still, we pressed on. 

I asked what time the adult lessons were and they told me that I could be in the same lesson as Caleb.  I didn't come prepared for a lesson.  I was dressed as I normally do for work (no tie though).  What they heck though.

Then they told me that it would be 100 Czech Crowns each per lesson.  I only had 100 total.  Plus, the website said that the first lesson is free.  I said something to the effect of, "ARGO website...internetu...rikal že prsni třida je zdarma."  Confused looks all around.  No, the lessons are not free, 100 Crowns.  I tried to make them understand, the first lesson.  Prsni, prsni.  In exasperation I've got my hands out in front pleading them to understand, the word, "Not the second, but the prsni."  Prvni?  Yes.  Oh, yeah, the prvni lesson is free.  Whew.  Thanks.  The guy then made what was obviously a series of cracks about the funny little guy who comes to fencing in business attire that hopes to find someone who can speak Spanish.  I thought about being indignant, but I wasn't sure what he was saying and was relatively sure he would be better with a sword than me.  By the way, Kristine later informed me that "prsni" is an adjective meaning "of the breasts."  Whoops.

When we went into the class, I told the teacher we don't speak Czech, so we might not understand, but we will do our best.  He said, I don't speak English and it's not a problem to me if you want to try it out.  So we started our lesson.  The two boys who speak some English were assigned to be our friends (poor guys).  We watched, we copied, we were obviously the butt of many jokes.  We will be back next week.

Peter

Update on School

The kids have pretty much settled into a routine at school so it's time for an update.

In terms of the physical setting, the classrooms are much like those in the US.  They don't have the latest technologies (e.g. SmartBoards), but the layout, desks, whiteboards, etc., are similar to US classrooms.  The textbooks are mostly paperback (the family buys plastic covers and puts them on) and they are smaller, but have more.  Caleb, for example, has three math texts.

They have the normal classes - math, science, social studies, Czech, Phy-Ed, English, home ec/shop, art.  They only have phy-ed once a week and everyone with whom we have talked has stated their displeasure about it.  There is a push going on to increase the frequency.  All the kids start learning English in 3rd grade (when it makes sense to start learning a language).

The class sizes are large.  As I recall there are over 25 people in each of their classes.

We had told people that the kids would be in school from 8:00 to 4:00 each day.  We were wrong.  The school day goes that late, but the kids' schedules vary.  Usually Lucy is done at 1:00 and Caleb at 2:00, but one day Lucy is home just after noon and another day Caleb is not done until 4:00.  It should be noted that kids walk and use public transportation without fear so they can come and go as needed.

As best I can tell the kids are doing math at a level pretty similar to US schoolkids.  The get more science class time.  It seems to me that the reading is typically at a bit lower level in the textbooks, but it's hard for me to tell.  I was hoping things would be a bit more rigorous.

THE thing that I love about Czech schools is their emphasis on experiential education.  Today there was a flotilla of high school kids canoeing down the Malše River.  Many times you see children out on nature walks with the teachers.  We've talked to high school kids out doing traffic studies.  Caleb's class will be taking a week-long trip to the Krkonoše in January  to go skiing (though Caleb is not planning on going).  Yes, they spend a week teaching the kids to ski so that they can get out in the winter and stay fit.

Many kids are involved in after school activities.  They have no band or orchestra or sports teams at school.  These are all done by private music schools and sports clubs.  The school does host a bunch of before and after school activities such as intramural sports, chess, art, etc.  Lucy is taking a ceramics class and Caleb is taking violin lessons and is in a string orchestra at his music school.

The teachers are much harsher than they are used to.  Teachers sometimes yell (really yell) at kids when they are misbehaving.  Sometimes they'll yank on the kids ears (I had that done to me once...only once) or whack them upside the head.


Lunch is good! Lucy says so. Her favorite lunch is knedliky (dumplings), beef and sauerkraut.

The kids are still popular (i.e. still novel).  Lucy is able to sing Hannah Montana songs with the other girls.  Caleb still has the attention of his female classmates wherever he goes (we thought we'd avoid them at the top of Klet' Mountain, but they found him even there).   

Peter

First Day of School

When we told folks back in the U.S. that we would be taking our kids to the Czech Republic and putting them in public school in a language they didn't understand, most everyone said to us something like, "That is an experience they will remember all their lives." When we got here and told people that, they decoded the message for us. They have all said something like, "I would have been terrified if my parents had done that to me."

So, at 7:30 this morning we strolled down the street, across the Malše River, and down Matice Školské to the school. We met with Mrs. Director for a bit. When Kristine explained that we want them to learn Czech and are not concerned about their grades, she raised her eyebrows (grades are very important here), but kept working with us.

We went to Lucy's room first. Mrs. Teacher speaks english, but that did not alleviate the utter horror on Lucy's face. I've seen happier looking deer in the headlights. Mrs. Teacher had all of the children line up and shake Lucy's hand and say hi. We left her there, sitting in the front row, slouched and on the verge of tears.

Prior to arriving at school, I was more concerned for Caleb. He had only spent one year at school in the States. Yet, as he was being dropped off, he looked cool as a cucumber. It didn't hurt his confidence any that a gaggle of girls was standing outside the door shooting him looks, asking each other if that is him, giggling, jumping up and down(!), and otherwise carrying on. Caleb's teacher took a deep breath and brought him to the center of the room where she introduced him ("he doesn't speak much Czech, but he speaks English very well").

We left, my stomach in knots.

Fortunately, the first day of school only lasts about 1.5 hours. They get their schedules, books, etc. and then go. We picked up Lucy first. I can't say she was smiling, but she was certainly looking very okay. Phew. Caleb was still looking very calm. He reported that he did not understand a thing, but as we walked down the hall and one of the girls from his class said "Chau," he responded in a confident "Chau" back at her.

Thus, we survived the first day of what will no doubt be the source of many tears and great learning. We rewarded ourselves with a stroll downtown for ice cream cones.

From Aug 2009

-Peter