Home:
Buon Giorno
Buona Sera
Buona Notte
Arrivederci
Come va/stai?
Sto bene
Ciao
Scusi/a
Per favore
Prego
Dov'è...?
Tutto a posto
School:
Come si chiama?
Come ti chiami?
Basta
Bambini
Ragazzi
Domani
C'è...
Tutto
Spesso
Leri
Tutte e due
Other:
Mi Chiamo
Piacere
Di dove sei?
La stazione
Il treno
La fermata
Uscita
Con
Senza
La colazione
Il Pranzo
La Cena
Vorrei Ordinare...
Molte grazie
Frutta
Ho fame
Ho sete
Il conto, per favore
Pomodoro
Funghi
Formaggio
Quanto costa?
Vorrei
Interessante
Divertente
Bello/a
Brutto/a
Buono/a
Lontano/a
Veloce
Lento
Grande
Piccolo
Mi piace
Frequenta la Università di Clemson
Che Tipi...?
Ho venti anni
Monday, June 20, 2011
Lesson Plan
Purpose of the Lesson: To teach about the history, traditions and food eaten on Independence Day and Thanksgiving. I want Italian students to learn what we do for these two holidays and compare it to Italian traditions and holidays.
Key English Words/ Concepts Students Should Learn: Holiday, tradition, freedom, independence, turkey, stuffing, gravy, fireworks, bonfires, cookout, etc.
Materials: Construction paper (3 pieces per student), paints, straws, scissors, glue, markers
Procedures: I will write the history, traditions, and food eaten for Independence Day and Thanksgiving Day on posters so that students will be able to see as well as hear the information in English. After teaching about Independence Day, I will have students fold a piece of construction paper in half. They will write Independence Day at the top of one half of the page and a similar Italian holiday at the top of the other half. They will write a couple of sentences (in Italian) comparing and contrasting the American and Italian holidays and traditions and draw pictures of each holiday. They will do this same activity comparing Thanksgiving and an Italian holiday after I review it. Next, the students will be able to participate in a craft project for each holiday. They will each get a piece of construction paper and share the paint. In order to make the paint fireworks, the students will put drops of paint on their construction paper and use the straws to blow the paint in firework-like shapes.For Thanksgiving Day, the students will make the traditional hand-turkeys that American students make for the holiday. Finally, the students will get into groups and work together to create their own holiday. They must create and name, traditions, history and food traditionally eaten. These students will work together to write this in English.
Key English Words/ Concepts Students Should Learn: Holiday, tradition, freedom, independence, turkey, stuffing, gravy, fireworks, bonfires, cookout, etc.
Materials: Construction paper (3 pieces per student), paints, straws, scissors, glue, markers
Procedures: I will write the history, traditions, and food eaten for Independence Day and Thanksgiving Day on posters so that students will be able to see as well as hear the information in English. After teaching about Independence Day, I will have students fold a piece of construction paper in half. They will write Independence Day at the top of one half of the page and a similar Italian holiday at the top of the other half. They will write a couple of sentences (in Italian) comparing and contrasting the American and Italian holidays and traditions and draw pictures of each holiday. They will do this same activity comparing Thanksgiving and an Italian holiday after I review it. Next, the students will be able to participate in a craft project for each holiday. They will each get a piece of construction paper and share the paint. In order to make the paint fireworks, the students will put drops of paint on their construction paper and use the straws to blow the paint in firework-like shapes.For Thanksgiving Day, the students will make the traditional hand-turkeys that American students make for the holiday. Finally, the students will get into groups and work together to create their own holiday. They must create and name, traditions, history and food traditionally eaten. These students will work together to write this in English.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Reflection
After being back in the US a few days (and over being sick), I am more able to reflect on my entire experience. I knew from the beginning that this program would be a once in a lifetime experience and that I was going to see, hear, do and experience new and interesting things, and that I would probably come back changed in some way. I had no idea how much all of this was true until now. I still cannot believe that a few weeks ago I was having lunch in a ristorante in a back alley in Rome, a few miles from St. Peter's Basilica and the Coliseum! during my entire time in Italy, I traveled to Rimini, Rome, Ravenna, Verona, Venice, Florence, and Monteva. I saw so many beautiful things that I cannot even begin to describe them, ate amazing food, and learned so much about the Italian culture. One things that I did learn about myself while I was in Italy, though, was that although I love seeing these beautiful sights and I can now cross so many things off my bucket list, I prefer to stay at home with family or take my time traveling a city so I can know it more personally. Out of all of the experiences I had in Italy, looking back, I enjoyed myself the most when I was at home with the Verziagi's or having a casual lunch in the piazza with friends or taking my time riding the water bus through the canal in Venice. I love taking my time to take everything in, form the sights all the way to the flavor of my food.
Other than insights into my personality, I learned a lot about myself as an educator. From working in the classroom in Italy, I realized that I do like the idea of giving my students more responsibility and expecting more maturity from my students. I want to not load my students down with homework unless I see that they need to review what was learned in class at home for extra reinforcement (20 minutes max). I want to have classroom management system set up as well as specific discipline for students who need it. I will never yell at my students, only raising my voice as the final tier of discipline. There are so many things that this experience has taught me as an educator that I hope to put into practice in my own classroom one day.
I feel extremely lucky and privileged to have been able to participate in this study abroad program. Although the tastes of the food and details of the sights may eventually fade, I will never forget the people that I lived and worked with.
Other than insights into my personality, I learned a lot about myself as an educator. From working in the classroom in Italy, I realized that I do like the idea of giving my students more responsibility and expecting more maturity from my students. I want to not load my students down with homework unless I see that they need to review what was learned in class at home for extra reinforcement (20 minutes max). I want to have classroom management system set up as well as specific discipline for students who need it. I will never yell at my students, only raising my voice as the final tier of discipline. There are so many things that this experience has taught me as an educator that I hope to put into practice in my own classroom one day.
I feel extremely lucky and privileged to have been able to participate in this study abroad program. Although the tastes of the food and details of the sights may eventually fade, I will never forget the people that I lived and worked with.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Last Few Days in Carpi
My last few days in Carpi were a little sad. I was sick from all the weather change going from Carpi to Venice, back to Carpi, to Florence, back to Carpi; and I has really started to miss my family. Even with all of that, I was sad to leave Paolo, Nellina and Giulia. They have been so welcoming and amazing this whole trip, it made me sad to think that I would be leaving and probably never see them in person again. I am so glad that we are able to connect through facebook and email, but I will miss having lunch with Nellina and dinner with the whole family. Not only did they take me into their home, but they also helped me become immersed in the Italian culture. They answered all of my questions about Italian way of life, food, travel, music, movies, family dynamic, etc. They also asked me many questions about American culture and my own family and friends and life in South Carolina.
During my last few days, because I was sick, I stayed in the apartment a lot and just hung out with the family in the evenings. Paolo and I had a good conversation about or favorite music and guitar players--we like many of the same musicians and even introduced a few new favorites. On my last day with the family, Paolo took me to a Caseificio, or a cheese shop, and bought a block of parmesian cheese for my parents because he said after hearing me talk about my family, he figured they would love it! Later we had gnoccho fritto for dinner with prosciutto cruddo and crutto, salami and stracchino cheese. Then they took me to a lake near the house and we all walked around for a while. It was really nice to spend some quite time with the family like that before I left. After coming back to the apartment, Nell helped me pack some last minute stuff and the Paolo drove me to the bus station. I definitely cried a little on the way yo the bus station thinking about how amazing my last few weeks had been and how lucky I am to have been placed with the Verziagis. I will never forget them or my time spent in Italy.
During my last few days, because I was sick, I stayed in the apartment a lot and just hung out with the family in the evenings. Paolo and I had a good conversation about or favorite music and guitar players--we like many of the same musicians and even introduced a few new favorites. On my last day with the family, Paolo took me to a Caseificio, or a cheese shop, and bought a block of parmesian cheese for my parents because he said after hearing me talk about my family, he figured they would love it! Later we had gnoccho fritto for dinner with prosciutto cruddo and crutto, salami and stracchino cheese. Then they took me to a lake near the house and we all walked around for a while. It was really nice to spend some quite time with the family like that before I left. After coming back to the apartment, Nell helped me pack some last minute stuff and the Paolo drove me to the bus station. I definitely cried a little on the way yo the bus station thinking about how amazing my last few weeks had been and how lucky I am to have been placed with the Verziagis. I will never forget them or my time spent in Italy.
Italian vs. American Classroom Management
Participating in an Italian classroom for a month gave me so much time to make observations, conjectures, questions and even answer some of those questions. After only one day, though, I observed extreme differences between the way American and Italian teachers conduct a classroom. One of the biggest differences in the the discipline and class management setup by the teachers. In the classroom in Italy, I observed a lot of free time for the students when they were supposed to be doing book work and while some students had oral quizzes with the teacher. During this free time, students talked a good amount, but never moved from their seats or even got loud. The only form of discipline or management that I ever observed during the entire month from the teacher was yelling. When the students get louder than the teacher liked, she would bang her hand on the desk and yell at the students, when a student got an answer wrong, she yelled at him for about 3 minutes straight as the rest of the class watched. Granted, these particular examples are from one specific teacher, the other teachers I observed, though not as bad about yelling at the students, still had no other forms of classroom management in place.
After getting to know the school psychologist better during the school field trip, I asked her opinion about how the teacher discipline students. I was relieved to find out that not all teachers work that way, and that many teachers have problems with discipline because they have the same students throughout elementary school. The way many schools work in Italy is when students first come to elementary school, they are put in a class (1A or 1B, etc); throughout school they stay in the same class, with the same students, and the teachers move to them. Not only do they stay with the same classmates throughout elementary school, all the way to fifth grade, they also have to same teachers all the way through. With this class dynamic, if a teacher loses the respect or control of his/her students in the beginning, or at any time during the 5 years they are with the class, they cannot get it back. In the states, students move classes and teachers every year. This may cause some set backs with students discipline or even learning, if a student moves to an environment or teacher that doesn't cope well with them, but it may be better than a teacher's having no effectiveness with the students.
After my time observing in an Italian classrooms, I have realized that a teacher as a limited effectiveness and can lose it as well as his/her authority with the students if he/she abuses one specific method. By constantly yelling at the students, raising your voice to the students loses its effectiveness-leaving the students quiet only as you scream your lungs out.
After getting to know the school psychologist better during the school field trip, I asked her opinion about how the teacher discipline students. I was relieved to find out that not all teachers work that way, and that many teachers have problems with discipline because they have the same students throughout elementary school. The way many schools work in Italy is when students first come to elementary school, they are put in a class (1A or 1B, etc); throughout school they stay in the same class, with the same students, and the teachers move to them. Not only do they stay with the same classmates throughout elementary school, all the way to fifth grade, they also have to same teachers all the way through. With this class dynamic, if a teacher loses the respect or control of his/her students in the beginning, or at any time during the 5 years they are with the class, they cannot get it back. In the states, students move classes and teachers every year. This may cause some set backs with students discipline or even learning, if a student moves to an environment or teacher that doesn't cope well with them, but it may be better than a teacher's having no effectiveness with the students.
After my time observing in an Italian classrooms, I have realized that a teacher as a limited effectiveness and can lose it as well as his/her authority with the students if he/she abuses one specific method. By constantly yelling at the students, raising your voice to the students loses its effectiveness-leaving the students quiet only as you scream your lungs out.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Florence!
I had so much fun in Florence! We arrived in Florence at about 11 in the morning, checked in, dropped our bags and went shopping in the market. :) The market is pretty awesome, at times overwhelming. The streets are lined with vendors selling everything from souvenirs to leather jackets and purses. After walking through the market some, we had lunch at what seemed to be a nice little ristorante. It turned out to be a place that made all of it's food ahead of time and reheated it (leaving the middle of almost everything cold) after we ordered. Not at all what we expected! We had never come across a restaurant that did this until Florence, and after walking around, we realized that many places did it! We were a little bummed, but made sure to stear clear of restaurants that have pizza on display inside...
Anyways, I was continuously shocked by Florence's beauty. We saw Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Piazza della Republica, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza Santa Croce, Piazzale Michelangelo, and so much more! I unfortunately got sick on my last day and missed mass in the Basilica di Santa Maria and tour through the Uffizi Museum. After reading some of the history of Florence, it felt so cool to stay in the place where Michelangelo and so many other amazing people once lived.
On Saturday, we went on a wine tasting and cooking class in the tuscan country side-- it was gorgeous! We tasted one type of Chardonnay, several types of Chianti (which is the wine from this area) and one type of dessert wine (which tasted just like super sweet raisins!). Along with our wine, we we served bread with olive oil from the Tuscan region. It was all so good, and I learned so much about the wine. I didn't realized before that there is so much that goes into making wine, or so much that can make one wine taste so different from another. Then I learned how to make pasta! We made spinach and ricotta ravioli and fettuccine pasta, which we ate for lunch! The program was awesome! We actually went to someone's house in the Tuscan mountains to cook and eat! While we were making the pasta, the owner of the house made the antipasti, or appetizer, (1 slice of pizza, some barley salad, a piece of zucchini keish, and some eggplant parmesan), the sauce for the ravioli (butter and sage melted together--simple but amazing), the sauce for the fettuccine (a simple tomato sauce made from scratch), and, of course, the tiramisu! Wow, it was a perfect lunch!
Since I was sick on my last day, I didn't get to enjoy as much as I hoped, but I still shopped in the market and walked around the city some. Sometimes, no matter where in the world you are, you just need a nap, so on Sunday, the best part of my day was when I took a nap waiting for the bus to come :)
Anyways, I was continuously shocked by Florence's beauty. We saw Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Piazza della Republica, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza Santa Croce, Piazzale Michelangelo, and so much more! I unfortunately got sick on my last day and missed mass in the Basilica di Santa Maria and tour through the Uffizi Museum. After reading some of the history of Florence, it felt so cool to stay in the place where Michelangelo and so many other amazing people once lived.
On Saturday, we went on a wine tasting and cooking class in the tuscan country side-- it was gorgeous! We tasted one type of Chardonnay, several types of Chianti (which is the wine from this area) and one type of dessert wine (which tasted just like super sweet raisins!). Along with our wine, we we served bread with olive oil from the Tuscan region. It was all so good, and I learned so much about the wine. I didn't realized before that there is so much that goes into making wine, or so much that can make one wine taste so different from another. Then I learned how to make pasta! We made spinach and ricotta ravioli and fettuccine pasta, which we ate for lunch! The program was awesome! We actually went to someone's house in the Tuscan mountains to cook and eat! While we were making the pasta, the owner of the house made the antipasti, or appetizer, (1 slice of pizza, some barley salad, a piece of zucchini keish, and some eggplant parmesan), the sauce for the ravioli (butter and sage melted together--simple but amazing), the sauce for the fettuccine (a simple tomato sauce made from scratch), and, of course, the tiramisu! Wow, it was a perfect lunch!
Since I was sick on my last day, I didn't get to enjoy as much as I hoped, but I still shopped in the market and walked around the city some. Sometimes, no matter where in the world you are, you just need a nap, so on Sunday, the best part of my day was when I took a nap waiting for the bus to come :)
Classroom Experience
Ok, so the main reason for this study abroad program is so that I can participate in a school and gain a broader mindset about education. My first couple of days in the classroom were not so great (but it has definitely improved since then!). I walked into the school right on time, into a crowd of students and everyone staring at me. One of the teachers grabbed me and asked something along the lines of "Are you the American?" in Italian, as soon as I said yes, I had teacher surrounding me. I was finally introduced to the school psychologist, Cristina, who speaks English very well and helped me get situated in a class. I introduced myself in Italian then English then the students went around introducing themselves to me in English. After that, I sat in the corner of the room and tried to look attentive as I fought dozing off. The second day was very similar, minus the introductions, until the end of the day. A woman, who I assume is the support teacher for a student with disabilities, had me come with her and the student to the computer lab as the rest of the class did book work. We struggled conversation, since she speaks no English and was frustrated with my lack of Italian vocabulary, then I pulled up Google Translate. With this tool, I was able to tell her that I am there in the school as a teaching tool for them, I want to be useful, I want to help. The very next day, Cristina came up to me and told me that I will be doing my lesson the next week, and will be needed a day or two in the fourth grade English classroom sometime during my stay.
My third day in class was an all day field trip to a theme park in Rimini, Italy in Miniature. It was a really great trip because it gave me the opportunity to get to know the fifth grade teachers and some of the students better. I was also able to watch the students behavior on the trip and compare it to their behavior in the classroom, and that of American students on field trips. The students here were very excited, but well behaved. They listened to their teachers, almost more so than they regularly do in class, and all stayed together. I saw no discipline problems throughout the day, even the teachers seemed a little less worried about the students behavior.
Back in school-- my lesson went great with both classes, 5A and 5B. I wrote some English and Italian phrases on the board and told the students that they were to say these phrases only in English when speaking to me, for practice. The phrases included good morning, please, thank you, I don't understand, please repeat, etc. When I was teaching or explaining the directions for the activities, I spoke slowly and used my hands to help explain things as best I could. Most of the students seemed to understand what I was saying for the most part, but just to make sure Cristina or the English teacher, Salvatore, repeated what I said in Italian. First I explained Independence Day then Thanksgiving Day. I spoke about the history of the holiday, the traditions and the food that we typically eat. After explaining each holiday, I had the students compare and contrast the American holiday to a similar Italian holiday by writing a few sentences in Italian and drawing a picture. Next, I had to students get in groups to create their own holiday. They had to come up with a name, history, the traditions and the traditional food for the new holiday, and write it all in English. The students loved this assignment! They were all so creative and I could tell that the students enjoyed being creative and goofy for a while. Finally, the students were able to get a little crafty with my last two activities. They had to do little paint pictures of fireworks using straws (original plan was for them to blow the paint to look like fireworks, turns out blowing paint creates fat paint blobs, so they just used the straws like paint brushes..) and make the hand turkeys that every child who ever participated in an elementary class in America has made at least once. They loved it! It was hard for me to imagine, but most of the students (possibly all of them) and many of the teachers had never seen a real turkey, so they had no clue how to make their hand turkey look like one! While I was astonished, the teachers seemed a little creeped out that American children make cute little pictures of the main dish for Thanksgiving dinner. haha...
I have participated in so much, this post could go forever, but I think I should end here for now...
My third day in class was an all day field trip to a theme park in Rimini, Italy in Miniature. It was a really great trip because it gave me the opportunity to get to know the fifth grade teachers and some of the students better. I was also able to watch the students behavior on the trip and compare it to their behavior in the classroom, and that of American students on field trips. The students here were very excited, but well behaved. They listened to their teachers, almost more so than they regularly do in class, and all stayed together. I saw no discipline problems throughout the day, even the teachers seemed a little less worried about the students behavior.
Back in school-- my lesson went great with both classes, 5A and 5B. I wrote some English and Italian phrases on the board and told the students that they were to say these phrases only in English when speaking to me, for practice. The phrases included good morning, please, thank you, I don't understand, please repeat, etc. When I was teaching or explaining the directions for the activities, I spoke slowly and used my hands to help explain things as best I could. Most of the students seemed to understand what I was saying for the most part, but just to make sure Cristina or the English teacher, Salvatore, repeated what I said in Italian. First I explained Independence Day then Thanksgiving Day. I spoke about the history of the holiday, the traditions and the food that we typically eat. After explaining each holiday, I had the students compare and contrast the American holiday to a similar Italian holiday by writing a few sentences in Italian and drawing a picture. Next, I had to students get in groups to create their own holiday. They had to come up with a name, history, the traditions and the traditional food for the new holiday, and write it all in English. The students loved this assignment! They were all so creative and I could tell that the students enjoyed being creative and goofy for a while. Finally, the students were able to get a little crafty with my last two activities. They had to do little paint pictures of fireworks using straws (original plan was for them to blow the paint to look like fireworks, turns out blowing paint creates fat paint blobs, so they just used the straws like paint brushes..) and make the hand turkeys that every child who ever participated in an elementary class in America has made at least once. They loved it! It was hard for me to imagine, but most of the students (possibly all of them) and many of the teachers had never seen a real turkey, so they had no clue how to make their hand turkey look like one! While I was astonished, the teachers seemed a little creeped out that American children make cute little pictures of the main dish for Thanksgiving dinner. haha...
I have participated in so much, this post could go forever, but I think I should end here for now...
Venice!
Venice was beautiful! I got a little homesick while I was there because everywhere I looked, I thought of someone back home who would appreciate what I was seeing as much as me! After the two hour bus drive and quick train into the city (because not many buses can drive in the city) we were there! All of the buildings are so close together! Many of the alleys are only big enough for one person to walk through at a time. The city is so beautiful just walking through it, then you cross over the canal or hit a major landmark--wow.Since all of the buildings are so close together and many of the allies look just alike, it is so easy to get disoriented/lost, which we did. Luckily, Venice is somewhat small and there is on main big road which everything stems off of, so we were able to make our way back with a little help from signs and English speakers. Since we were only in Venice for one night, we did a lot of walking to make sure we saw the city as much as possible. On the first day, I went with a big group of girls walking around the city, stopping in shops for Murano glass or the famous Venetian masks. We went to the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square), Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark's Basilica), Ponto dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs), Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, Doge's Palace, and so much more! The second day, I went a bit more relaxed route and took the water bus to Lido. We had lunch and went to the beach. It feels like a different city far away from the hustle and bustle in Venice. The streets were not packed with people, the beach, although crowded with people soaking up the sun, was still tranquil and nice. I also got the most beautiful view of Venice from the water bus, where I was able to sit back, feel the wind in my hair, sun on my face and enjoy the view.
I will never forgot my trip to Venice. It is a remarkable place with such a strong history--simply amazing!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Week 1-- Excursions
Since I have experienced so much during my first week and second weekend in Italy, I had to write about my trips in a separate blog posting. My first weekend and week here in Carpi were pretty low-key. I spent time with Paolo, Nellina and Giulia and got to know them better. Nellina took me shopping at the factory outlet mall in Monteva and to the shops in the actual factories here in Carpi. Carpi's main industry is textiles, so many of the factories for the high end clothign companies are located here in Carpi, and many of those factories have little shops were you can get the merchandise for almost half the store price! Yay! Other than shopping and eating nonstop, I settled into a routine of school in the morning, some activities with the other American students in the afternoon and usually dinner with the family. The excitement came when Paolo, Nell and I went to Rome then Ravenna!
Rome was absolutely amazing and tiring! We had to leave the house by 6 to catch our train, which was at least a 4 hour ride. Once we got to Rome, I was awe-struck. The traffic and noise reminds me of NYC, but the buildings (even the new apartment buildings) are stunning. The part of Rome that I will never forget is walking through the streets crowded with people on their way to work or from the bakery, and BAM--Colosseum or ancient ruins! We took the tour around Rome (great deal!) to save time and to cut out
the amount we would be walking throughout the day. We saw St Peter's Basilica (although we did not get to go inside, the line for entrance was rapped around the entire piazza, which is the largest piazza in Italy), the Trevy Fountain, Spanish Steps (I drank the water from the fountain in front of them and got a rose), the ruins, Piazza Navona, and so many more things! I wish I could remember the names of all the beautiful buildings, duomos (cathedrals), palaces, monuments, statues, etc, but there were so many of them everywhere! I sadly did not get to see the Colosseum except for from the street due to time restraints. I am deciding to look at this as a reason to return to Rome (as if I needed one!) With the insane heat, blistering sun and what felt like miles of walking--lunch was a very important part of the day! In Rome, there are ristoranti, trattatori, and hosterias. Ristoranti are more expensive and tend to have a more upscale atmosphere, while the other two are whole in the wall places--all of which have the best food you will ever taste! Nell and I got different kinds of pasta a shared, and we all shared a Italian sampler for antipasti (appetizer--"before pasta"). Everything that I ate was so full of flavor that I took my time eating so that I could revel in every bite! I remember sitting there, eating an amazing lunch, and being stunned that I was actually having lunch in Rome. I have always dreamt of coming to Italy! Seeing many of the things that I have now seen--I am so blessed! I can never thank Paolo and Nellina enough for helping me to achieve, not only my dream of visiting Rome, but also for welcoming me into their home and their culture.
Ravenna was not nearly as exciting as Rome, but was very appreciated. Paolo and Nellina have an apartment on the shore of Ravenna, so when we got there, we had an amazing lunch and went straight to the beach. Nell played with Giulia in the water as I took a much needed nap basking in the Mediterranean sun :)
That is all for tonight! Although I already have a never ending supply of stories and experiences to share, my energy is dwindling! More to come later! Ciao!
Rome was absolutely amazing and tiring! We had to leave the house by 6 to catch our train, which was at least a 4 hour ride. Once we got to Rome, I was awe-struck. The traffic and noise reminds me of NYC, but the buildings (even the new apartment buildings) are stunning. The part of Rome that I will never forget is walking through the streets crowded with people on their way to work or from the bakery, and BAM--Colosseum or ancient ruins! We took the tour around Rome (great deal!) to save time and to cut out
Ravenna was not nearly as exciting as Rome, but was very appreciated. Paolo and Nellina have an apartment on the shore of Ravenna, so when we got there, we had an amazing lunch and went straight to the beach. Nell played with Giulia in the water as I took a much needed nap basking in the Mediterranean sun :)
That is all for tonight! Although I already have a never ending supply of stories and experiences to share, my energy is dwindling! More to come later! Ciao!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Week 1
Wow-- time has absolutely flown by! I have already been in Italy for over a week! The first week and two weekends have been jammed packed with everything!! Nellina and Paolo are even better than I thought! They are always so nice and talkative (which I appreciate greatly, because I am too). I have been able to have many many conversations with Paolo and Nell about so many things: food in Italy and America, the places, the people, the politics in Italy, the education system here in Italy and in America, Paolo and Nell's college, everything! I feel very comfortable with them, I feel that if I have a question about any part of Italian culture they will listen to my questions and answer the best that they can. I hope they know that I will do the same! They do ask me many questions about how things are in America, relative to the current subject matter, but sometimes I worry that they hold back because they are unsure of their English. Paolo knows so much more English than I thought (I think more than he thinks too) and Nellina's is improving every day! I feel bad that they are working on their English way more than I am practicing Italian, but I know so little that I feel as though I am starting from scratch. They are both very understanding, though, and patient with me when I either don't understand them or I can't explain myself in English or Italian well enough for them to understand. Beside the language barrier, which is fading more and more everyday, everything with my family is perfect! Giulia has taken to me so well, too! We play together a lot, and I help Nell to get Giulia to eat (in international 2 year old fashion, she is a very picky eater). I feel bad, sometimes, though because I think I get her too excited often and it can make her more hard to work with at dinner and bedtime. I don't know how to communicate with Paolo and Nell that they can tell me to stop playing with her whenever they want her to start settling down... Hopefully I will figure that out soon!
Aside from the family--Italy is great! Things at the school, Giotto, started out rough, but have quickly improved! My first two days in the classes I sat in the corner (between the wall, teachers desk and teacher) and strictly observed. Looking back on it know, I am glad that I had time to observe how Italian teachers work with the students because almost everything is different. The first thing that I observed is the physical communication/relationship if you will between the teachers and students. Teachers here can hug, pat, rub backs, pull, push (in a playing manner), etc with the students and don't stop students from doing the same. I was told by the school psychologist that the teachers in Italy see it as very important to establishing a relationship with your students, which helps students to learn what you teach. Thinking of it this way, I can understand, and definitely see that it is a cultural difference in America (where such action can get you fired and worse). The second thing that I observed is the interaction between teacher and student during instruction. The teachers, for the most part, stay stationary at their desks and lecture students from there. I am so used to interacting with students, being mobile and walking amongst students that this at first made me think that the teachers were lazy. After spending some more time in the classes, however, I now understand that this, too, is a cultural difference--the students don't need the teacher constantly entertaining them or grabbing their interest for them to pay attention the lesson. Also, I noticed that the discipline is completely different--almost opposite as in America. I have seen teachers yell and scream at the class as a whole or berate a single student for many minutes as the other students watch for things as simple as not knowing the answer to a question. This seemed to slightly phase a couple of students, but if there were any evidence of embarrassment (anger towards the teacher has never been present), it dissipated quickly. Other than the potential emotional damage, which would be the biggest concern in America, this tactic does not seem to work because the only time the students are quiet is when she/he is yelling. As soon as the teacher stops yelling and get back to whatever he/she was doing, the students go directly back to talking or playing around. I told Nellina some discipline techniques that I learned in Clemson and she seemed very interested to try them out. I was surprised to find out that education is one of the most important factors to the citizens of Carpi, yet discipline is such a bad issue and so hard for the teachers to manage. If I have any affect on the teachers in Giotto and on Nellina, I hope to be able to help them with some classroom management/discipline techniques!
This entry has gotten really long really fast, so I will post all about my adventures next! Rome, Ravenna, Rimini, Carpi's historical monuments and daily life in Carpi, Italy!
Aside from the family--Italy is great! Things at the school, Giotto, started out rough, but have quickly improved! My first two days in the classes I sat in the corner (between the wall, teachers desk and teacher) and strictly observed. Looking back on it know, I am glad that I had time to observe how Italian teachers work with the students because almost everything is different. The first thing that I observed is the physical communication/relationship if you will between the teachers and students. Teachers here can hug, pat, rub backs, pull, push (in a playing manner), etc with the students and don't stop students from doing the same. I was told by the school psychologist that the teachers in Italy see it as very important to establishing a relationship with your students, which helps students to learn what you teach. Thinking of it this way, I can understand, and definitely see that it is a cultural difference in America (where such action can get you fired and worse). The second thing that I observed is the interaction between teacher and student during instruction. The teachers, for the most part, stay stationary at their desks and lecture students from there. I am so used to interacting with students, being mobile and walking amongst students that this at first made me think that the teachers were lazy. After spending some more time in the classes, however, I now understand that this, too, is a cultural difference--the students don't need the teacher constantly entertaining them or grabbing their interest for them to pay attention the lesson. Also, I noticed that the discipline is completely different--almost opposite as in America. I have seen teachers yell and scream at the class as a whole or berate a single student for many minutes as the other students watch for things as simple as not knowing the answer to a question. This seemed to slightly phase a couple of students, but if there were any evidence of embarrassment (anger towards the teacher has never been present), it dissipated quickly. Other than the potential emotional damage, which would be the biggest concern in America, this tactic does not seem to work because the only time the students are quiet is when she/he is yelling. As soon as the teacher stops yelling and get back to whatever he/she was doing, the students go directly back to talking or playing around. I told Nellina some discipline techniques that I learned in Clemson and she seemed very interested to try them out. I was surprised to find out that education is one of the most important factors to the citizens of Carpi, yet discipline is such a bad issue and so hard for the teachers to manage. If I have any affect on the teachers in Giotto and on Nellina, I hope to be able to help them with some classroom management/discipline techniques!
This entry has gotten really long really fast, so I will post all about my adventures next! Rome, Ravenna, Rimini, Carpi's historical monuments and daily life in Carpi, Italy!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Day 1
It was a two hour bus drive to Carpi, but once we got there, Paolo and Nellina were the first people I saw. They are so welcoming and nice! Paolo knows a lot more English than Nellina, but they both try really hard to understand me, and I try hard to understand them. I think we will all get along great! I told them that I know more Spanish than Italian and they said that that would help us some too.
The scenery here is beautiful! Carpi is a small, kinda old town, but it is beautiful! Paolo and Nellina have already asked when I want to go to Ravena, told me about a festival going on Friday and a free marathon that I can run in before I leave! I can tell that they want me to have a good experience here!
As soon as Paolo and Nellina picked me up, we stopped by the gelateria and picked up gelato to bring home. We then came home and had lunch. It was just a light rice salad thing with ham, olives, corn, cheese and olive oil, and of course, there was bread on the side. After we finished lunch, I gave them the presents that I brought-- Clemson t-shirts, an US Army hat for Paolo and Necklace for Nellina. They loved them! Then they brought me upstairs to meet Nonna (grandma) and Giulia. Giulia is the cutest little girl ever! When I first met her, she came to me with open arms! She loved the play doh I bought her-- we played with it for a long time.. By the end of the night she was calling me "mia tat" (my nanny). Hearing her talk in Italian is the absolute cutest thing!
After that, I got settled into my room and they let me nap for a while, then we went to the grocery store. I was amazed, and I could tell that they must have thought I was crazy for oohing and aahing at a super market-- but it was so different! Basically, it is a mall with a Wal-Mart inside! The bakery and deli part of the store smelled so good! Paolo kept asking me if I prefer this or that, and I just kept saying "No lo so" (I don't know) or 'Non ho preferenze" (I have no preference). I want to try everything while I am here!
When we got home, we had dinner (Cantaloupe melon with sliced prosciutto on top--amazing!) then went to the piazza. Wow--it is beautiful! There is the old palace (on the left side of the picture on the right), and the buildings in the piazza, I think, are the same buildings that have been there for hundreds of years! It is so amazing to live in a place with such a strong history!
So far, I love it here in Italy. I cannot wait to experience all that waits for me!
Here are pictures of the view from my room. Not exactly what you would expect, but were are in the city, so no rolling hills in view from here. It is a nice street, though!
The scenery here is beautiful! Carpi is a small, kinda old town, but it is beautiful! Paolo and Nellina have already asked when I want to go to Ravena, told me about a festival going on Friday and a free marathon that I can run in before I leave! I can tell that they want me to have a good experience here!
As soon as Paolo and Nellina picked me up, we stopped by the gelateria and picked up gelato to bring home. We then came home and had lunch. It was just a light rice salad thing with ham, olives, corn, cheese and olive oil, and of course, there was bread on the side. After we finished lunch, I gave them the presents that I brought-- Clemson t-shirts, an US Army hat for Paolo and Necklace for Nellina. They loved them! Then they brought me upstairs to meet Nonna (grandma) and Giulia. Giulia is the cutest little girl ever! When I first met her, she came to me with open arms! She loved the play doh I bought her-- we played with it for a long time.. By the end of the night she was calling me "mia tat" (my nanny). Hearing her talk in Italian is the absolute cutest thing!
After that, I got settled into my room and they let me nap for a while, then we went to the grocery store. I was amazed, and I could tell that they must have thought I was crazy for oohing and aahing at a super market-- but it was so different! Basically, it is a mall with a Wal-Mart inside! The bakery and deli part of the store smelled so good! Paolo kept asking me if I prefer this or that, and I just kept saying "No lo so" (I don't know) or 'Non ho preferenze" (I have no preference). I want to try everything while I am here!
When we got home, we had dinner (Cantaloupe melon with sliced prosciutto on top--amazing!) then went to the piazza. Wow--it is beautiful! There is the old palace (on the left side of the picture on the right), and the buildings in the piazza, I think, are the same buildings that have been there for hundreds of years! It is so amazing to live in a place with such a strong history!
So far, I love it here in Italy. I cannot wait to experience all that waits for me!
Here are pictures of the view from my room. Not exactly what you would expect, but were are in the city, so no rolling hills in view from here. It is a nice street, though!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
What is Reflective Practice?
What is Reflective Practice? by Joy Amulya
Main Points:
1. Reflection is about "examining [an] experience rather than just living it" so that we can learn from all that we experience.
2. Reflecting on experiences can be done in depth or not, frequently or span over a long period of time, carry many purposes, and in groups or individually. Reflection is not a structured process, but one that can be tailored for different people and experiences.
3. Reflection is powered by asking questions and through dialogue and stories.
Discussion Questions:
1.Should reflection be a formal event which is vehemently recorded or a routine personal process?
2. Is reflection only important with experiences that one goes through in life, or should it also take place in the classroom for students? Would reflection help students process new information better?
Main Points:
1. Reflection is about "examining [an] experience rather than just living it" so that we can learn from all that we experience.
2. Reflecting on experiences can be done in depth or not, frequently or span over a long period of time, carry many purposes, and in groups or individually. Reflection is not a structured process, but one that can be tailored for different people and experiences.
3. Reflection is powered by asking questions and through dialogue and stories.
Discussion Questions:
1.Should reflection be a formal event which is vehemently recorded or a routine personal process?
2. Is reflection only important with experiences that one goes through in life, or should it also take place in the classroom for students? Would reflection help students process new information better?
Ethnographic Eyes
Ethnographic Eyes by Carolyn Frank
Main Points:
1. There are many different versions of the truth because everyone sees and understands things differently.
2. It is very important for educators to be able to view things for multiple perspectives because "our schools are becoming more ethnically and linguistically diverse." It is up to the teachers to be able to understand the needs of all students.
3. Ethnography is about separating what truly happened and what happened with your interpretation.
Discussion Questions:
1. Since there are different "truths" because everyone sees differently, is there a wrong way to take ethnographic notes?
2. How does ethnography affect an educator's ability to teach all of the children in a classroom?
Main Points:
1. There are many different versions of the truth because everyone sees and understands things differently.
2. It is very important for educators to be able to view things for multiple perspectives because "our schools are becoming more ethnically and linguistically diverse." It is up to the teachers to be able to understand the needs of all students.
3. Ethnography is about separating what truly happened and what happened with your interpretation.
Discussion Questions:
1. Since there are different "truths" because everyone sees differently, is there a wrong way to take ethnographic notes?
2. How does ethnography affect an educator's ability to teach all of the children in a classroom?
The Reluctant Tuscan
The Reluctant Tuscan by Phil Doran is a true story about an American screenwriter past his hay-day whose wife drags to Tuscany to live a more tranquil life. Little did she know that life in Tuscany for a stranieri can be quite difficult—at first. The couple struggled against the very odd and archaic legal processes for getting approval to restore a piccolo rustico, which did not have a road leading to it nor an address when they began. They also had to struggle with their neighbors, the Pingatores, who sold them il rustico but then decided they wanted it back. The couple found life in Italy to be a struggle, but at the same time a complete breeze, because, if nothing else, the Italians know how to enjoy life. Aside from the hilarious story of this American couple trying to settle down and find their “inner Tuscan,” Doran described the people of the town, the beautiful landscapes, amazing food and rich culture to such an extent that I thought I was actually there. Since it was the perspective of an American writer, I felt as though I could relate to the differences that he explored between Americans and life in the US versus Italians and life in Italy. I feel as though Doran was speaking directly to me giving me secret tips and cultural traits of Italians, for example, how close all Italian men are to their mammas and how Italians are loud, enthusiastic, very expressive speakers. I felt as though I was taking a little trip to Italy as I was reading this book because Doran describes his surroundings with such clarity and detail. For example, he said this of his amazing lunch one afternoon in Montepulciano “the pici all’agion…was hearty and superb, the sweetness of the garlic elegantly melding with the natural tartness of the tomatoes…” Needless to say, after reading this book, I am most excited to eat true Italian food. Overall, I loved Doran’s story of how he found his “inner Italian” and it made me want to go to Italy and find mine.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Ciao, America! Review
Ciao, America by Bepe Severgnini is a memoir of sorts of an Italian author who lived in Washington, DC for a year. The book goes month by month describing his time in America including trips taken, activities he and his wife did and his overall perspective of Americans and how American's live. I enjoyed reading Ciao, America for the most part. His quips and jokes about everyday life in America for an Italian were amusing like his trips to the local Safeway and attempts at getting a credit card. I soaked up every piece of information offered about how things are done, viewed, talked about, etc. in Italy. My view of the book turned around August, or the fifth chapter; Severgnini writes about taking trips in RVs and American's love of motels and fast food. The way he describes Americans in this parts puts an image in your head of everyone in sight being morbidly obese, niiave slobs; saying "the men disturbing tattoos, the women have the bewildered eyes of girls who have grown up too fast, and their blonde-haired children are happily eating fries and eggs drowned in butter adrift on oceans of grease." The rest of the book followed in this format--he would talk about this and that brought about by the month in which he was writing, then he would make huge generalizations about Americans and most of them were bad. I sincerely hope that all Italians, and anyone else from a different country, for that matter, does not feel the way Bepe Servergnini feels about Americans, because then I fear we will be working against some pretty hefty assumptions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)