A Trip to Caños de Meca

Location of Caños de Meca

    Hello avid readers of the United States. Many of us are preparing our things for an exciting 21 ½ hour trip back to MinneSNOWta. This includes last minute cleaning, frantic packing (lets get those bags down to 50 lbs), and attempting to enjoy our final day in Estepona. But before I get the opportunity to enjoy all of this fun filled activities I had one final adventure on my last day at SIS. This was an exciting field trip to Caños de Meca.  

Two SIS student working hard at studying the landscape
and not falling into the Atlantic

      This was about a one-hour and 15-minute drive from Sotogrande International School. This trip was with my M5 students (15-16 year olds) to investigate an area of Spain for evidence of tsunami! The purpose of the trip was to measure rocks dimensions and shape, determine where most rocks were located on the peninsula, and decide if there is evidence of a tsunami that hit this region of Spain hundreds of years ago. In this fieldwork students looked at 4 different areas and compared them to each other.

Some fun games on the field trip

     While this was a very educational trip, we also managed to have a lot of fun that included creating fun ball games and a trip to a local café. Students also took in the beautiful scenery and an opportunity to get the feet in some sand. We also lucked out with weather. It was a sunny 19 degrees Celsius with limited winds. 

      I wish that I had more time here at SIS to see our results and see how my students analyzed their data. With that said, I am still excited to see all of you fun folks back home and I am ready to trade sand castles for snow forts! Bring on the snow and be prepared for some snowball fights! 

See You Soon,

Drew Ingvalson

Wrapping It All Up...Kinda Like a Christmas Present =)

The Estepona road sign we walk by everyday...

           Today was our last day at Sotogrande International School. We fly out at just before sunrise on Wednesday (yes, very early morning). Needless to say, it was bittersweet. Most of us are carrying on as we have throughout our time here, teaching our classes and working with our students. I had four lessons today (all of my courses) and attended series of meetings with my cooperating teachers. Julia stayed late after school to feverishly correct her students’ exams that she will also use for her Impact Project post-assessment. Mary Ellen and Katie helped put together a Christmas pageant with their P2 students. Drew went on a field trip to the opposite coast of Spain with his Geography students; what a nice last day! All of us have remained quite busy to the very end, and I think it is safe to say that our final day at SIS has sneaked up us a bit. Seven weeks have never come off the calendar so quickly. Where did the time go?

The main office building at SIS.

While the daily grind has left us with little time for us to look around and appreciate the fact that we will soon be leaving this place, I think it also says something about how we are approaching the end of our student-teaching experience. Personally, leaving Sotogrande is a bit more symbolic for me than my last placement in Chaska. Seven weeks ago, I was thinking about wrapping up my assessment for my Civics’ students, assembling my packing list for Spain, and making sure to see as many of my friends before I left as possible. I recognized at the time that my journey wasn’t even close to over, and with another seven weeks in the schools ahead of me, there was plenty left on my plate before I could feel at ease. Today on the other hand, everything seems a bit more conclusive. After today (and two days of seminar, of course!), student-teaching is done. My Impact Project is assembled, my portfolio has been uploaded to my website, and my MN teaching license application is pending. The gravity of the situations is a bit much for me, as I feel like my college career has come and gone without me every really noticing. My journey is complete. Or is it?

o teach abroad right away, because I’m looking for something more concrete, more dependable, and more “normal” in the States. Candice told me that I shouldn’t be afraid to explore my options, for one big reason. The plans you have – those fantastical ideas about what life will be like and where you will end up – rarely, if ever, come true. I have been ruminating on this idea for the past 24-hours, and I am starting to warm up to the notion of doing some crazy (like picking up and moving around domestically or internationally) in the next couple of years. What I took to heart about my conversation with Candice is that because we rarely know what will come of our decisions, we never know if they are good or bad until it is too late; this is sometimes good, and sometimes bad. But with regards to having another adventure to some degree, does not need to fall in with my plans to be a good thing. My “plans” are artificial because I am 22, and just starting my career. There is no telling what my happen in the next month, year, or decade.

One last picture of the beach outside of our apartment!

So why not experiment and have some fun? If the important people in your life are supportive and willing to experience the adventure with you, all the more reason to just make the impractical a reality. But as a teacher, this has opened my eyes a bit to the possibilities that exist for my next journey. So while I will be on a plane for more than 14 hours tomorrow, I won’t be thinking as much about how this last day may have marked the end of one journey, but that it also marked the start of another adventure!

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”

~Don Williams, Jr.

Morocco





The 7 of us on the hike with our tour guide-photo cortousy of Chris

This past weekend was a pretty great one.  It was our Holiday break and the seven of us took a little journey across the Mediterranean to Morocco.  The journey began by taking a VERY bumpy ferry ride which lasted about 3 times as long as the advertised “35 minute” ride.  After we arrived in Tangier, we had to take about a two and a half hour bus ride to the city of Chefchaouen.  We took a little break and enjoyed some mint tea, the standard drink in Morocco, which was delicious.  After seeing our cute little houses, we ate out for a traditional Moroccan meal.  After stopping briefly to see the hat man, we decided to rest up for a long Sunday that awaited us.



Beutiful views of the city from the hike



On Sunday morning, we began our day with a great meal of bread and many different spreads.  Then we were off to hike through the Rif Mountains where the city of Chefchaouen is situated.  It was a great four hour walk where we got to experience a little more of the culture outside of the touristy parts of town.  It was so interesting to see how the people live and observe the cultural differences, such as gender roles and work within the families.  Our hike was rewarded with another excellent traditional meal of chicken tagine.  After taking a few Land Rovers down the mountain (no seatbelts necessary), we tried our hands out at some shopping and bartering.  After picking up some gifts and having another meal, it was time to call it a day.

A typical street decorated in a brilliant blue color

Monday was a relaxing day which included visiting the shops again, exploring some less touristy parts of the city, and simply taking in the culture and the scenery.  Taking the bus back to Tangier was so amazing; it was dark last time we had taken that route.  This time we got to be amazed by the hills and the Moroccan countryside.  It was absolutely beautiful.  After a much smoother ferry ride back, we were all pretty tired out from our trip, but in my opinion, this was my favorite place we have travelled thus far.  I think many would agree that this was a fantastic trip.       

What is everyone TOKing about?

Believe it or not, I did not spell that wrong above and no it is not a cool European way of spelling “talking.” 

What is TOK?

I am glad you asked! TOK is a class at Sotogrande International School that all Diploma students take (16-18 year olds). TOK stands for Theory of Knowledge and focuses on how people get their knowledge about the world around you. It has similarities with philosophy in the United States, but also uses elements from all other subject areas. This class requires students to do projects and presentations to inform their peers about theories of knowledge and how we perceive our world.

What type of projects have students done in TOK?

            Projects that I have seen at SIS include art and psychology. Art projects included original works and interpretations of these pieces of art. Students debated on what type of messages were being sent through the art and how different people might see this art differently. Students also looked at the validity of this information they had created. One project I particularly enjoyed was one that had 3 couples holding hands (a boy and a girl, 2 girls, and 2 boys). Students then continued to discuss the messages that were being sent. TOK projects that students are currently working on are ones with a focus on psychology. Examples of these projects include; How does music affect students work (rock vs. classical vs. silence), How do people conform to authority figures, and How do different cultures perceive beauty? 

How is this class regulated or graded?

            Teachers give students immediate feedback on their presentations. They go over the standards that students need to meet and classmates also add in constructive criticism or areas of high quality work. Also, before students graduate they send in a video recording of one of their presentations to the IB Certificate Officials to critique their work. This is a very formal and important part of students’ school career.

Does anyone have any more questions? Feel free to post any if you feel so inclined! Until next time….

Adios de La Playa Del Cristo,

Drew Ingvalson

Learning and Reflecting

As our days in Spain begin to dwindle, it is time to start thinking about what we have learned over the course of our trip and our time at Sotogrande International School.  I think we would all be in agreement that this journey has taught us quite a lot about ourselves, education, and teaching.  As I think about the first day here just a few short weeks ago, I realize the progress I have made in my teaching, and how the IB program at SIS has challenged me to challenge my students.  As Chris so eloquently stated, “I have learned more about the American school system by studying in a school that isn’t the American school system than I ever would have back in the States”.  It’s very true-we don’t truly realize anything until it isn’t in our lives anymore. 

We have all taken the time to ponder the differences between the school system here and the school system back home.  For example, in my first placement I was handed teacher textbooks and told which units and lessons I would be teaching.  If I wanted to, I could have had everything completely planned out for me and I could follow the textbooks exactly as they were written.  Of course my education classes have taught me that valuable learning comes from engaging and real world experiences, so I would never teach straight out of the textbooks.  Here, I am handed objectives.  I know what the students need to be able to do by the end of a lesson or unit, and I am responsible for figuring out the best way to meet those objectives.  Everything is based off of the unit of inquiry, which is centered on a real world problem.  The students are in charge of their own learning.  If we don’t get through something one day, there is plenty of time to cover it the next day or later on in the week.  What we teach is based on what the students want to learn.  The students end up so much more engaged because the learning is practical and applicable to real life.    

All seven of us will be headed back to America with an appreciation for Nutella, the picturesque Mediterranean sunsets carved into our head, and many new ideas about how we will apply what we have learned to our own classrooms sometime in the near future. 

Thanks for reading,

Sara Schroeder

What do you mean we can't buy pumpkin in a can?

Mary Ellen and I had the bright idea of bringing Thanksgiving to our first graders who are learning about celebrations from around the world. What did we get ourselves into?!

Step 1: Buy Ingredients in Spanish from three different stores. Yes, those are whole pumpkins and fresh ginger. Do we know what we are doing? No! Will this taste good?  Still undetermined.

Step two: Carve pumpkins and remove all of the icky stringy pieces. I feel like I am five again.

Step Three: Lay pumpkin pieces on pan to bake for two hours. If you don’t have two cookie sheets, you can use a muffin pan covered with foil, Spain has taught me to be resourceful.

Our first attempt at making homemade pumpkin pie!

Step 4: Remove cooked pumpkin from the oven and let it cool before starting the mashing process. 

Step 5: Mash away. This would have been easier with a food processor, but we found that the potato masher works quite well. Yay! We finally had our very own pot of pumpkin goo! 

 

Step 6: Add the spices. HOW in the world do I grate fresh ginger?

Step 7: Mix all ingredients together. Hmmm… this doesn’t look quite the way mom makes it, but it tastes like pumpkin pie so far.

Step 8: Make homemade pie crust which consists mostly of flour, sugar, and butter--but mostly butter.

 Step 9: Marvel at our pumpkin pie, while enjoying the aroma and warmth that filled our apartment.


Although making pumpkin pie in Spain was quite the endeavor, our first graders, our teachers, and other student teachers loved our first homemade pumpkin pie. Maybe we should start our own business!

-Katie

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Cute and Unexpected Marbella

If I could only use two words to describe Marbella it would be cute and unexpected. We started off the day with a bus ride that took an unexpected amount of time. We thought it would only take 15 minutes but due to two large tour groups full of cute elderly people who spoke less Spanish than us it unexpectedly took over an hour. We arrived in Old Marbella, which is full of cute orange trees lining cute narrow streets which are full of cute shops and a cute café where we were served café con leche from a cute Dutch man who unexpectedly spoke English. This kind man gave us directions to La Plaza de los Naranjos, which you could probably guess by now was….cute! We then unexpectedly found a cheap taxi, which took us to La Cañada!! What is La Canada you might ask? No, it is not the northern most country in North America…it is a shopping mall. La Cañada is full of cute European clothing and cute Christmas directions. We unexpectedly ran into a couple of our cooperating teachers who directed us to their favorite cute stores. La Cañada was unexpectedly like a mall we might find back home but I think it is a litter cuter. After a long day full of cute and unexpected occurrences we were ready to go back to our cute Estepona home.

I hope you have a cute and unexpected day!

Love from, Mary Ellen Korby

In T-Minus Three...Two...One!

Fifteen days….GULP!!! 

In the past week or so, I have found myself doing something very strange on a daily basis here in Spain; using countdowns. 15 days left in Spain. 2 weekends left in our apartment. 5 days until our holiday vacation to Morocco. 4 more lessons to teach my D1 students that I went to London with. 2 weeks to finish my Impact Project. And a shout-out to Julz, only 6 jars of Nutella left at Spain’s price. The lists go on and on, and the days continue to fly off the calendar.

I have begun this practice as well during my time in Spain, at the request of one of my cooperating teachers. “It’s kind of fun for the students,” he said. It’s nice to know what’s coming up and what they have to look forward to. On his own website, my cooperating  teacher has countdowns extending for as few days as the next weekend, to as many days as a year in advance for his students’ IB graduation exams. The impact of these countdowns however has been very unique, and unexpected, on me.

Out of the seven of us here representing Gustavus, three of us are 9^th Semester Seniors. When we put our feet back down on American soil, we will be more or less done with our college education, and it will be time to be adults…whatever that means to each of us. I like to think that it isn’t a sudden experience and that we are well-prepared, but we truly won’t know until it becomes a reality. On top of finishing school work, applying for teaching licenses, finding a place to live, and deciding whether or not more school is in store for us in the near future, we have to make some crucial decisions about our lives for the foreseeable future. My ability to handle this pressure ebbs and flows with each passing day (and a tick off of my countdown).

Usually, for those of you who know me the best, this is a typical occasion for me. I thrive off of my stress levels, am very “Type A”, and am always thinking about the next thing that needs to be accomplished. I love countdowns because when they hit zero, it means I have accomplished something significant. But being here in this place has encouraged me to begin thinking a little differently about life. As a result, I am starting to really appreciate the small things while here in Spain, and am starting to look past the daily grind to which we subject ourselves. I’m starting to truly notice the view we have off our balcony, the food at the school, the hour-long conversations I have with my other cooperating teacher on a daily basis, the value of public transportation, and the mile-long walks with which I get to start and end my days.

\I figured my fellow student-teachers would have to agree as well, so I interviewed my roomies.

Julia: I think I appreciate not having to tip at restaurants…or perhaps the fact that toilets have two buttons (one for #1 and well, you get the picture!), all in an attempt to save some water.

Sara: “Definitely the sound of the waves outside of our window…at all hours of the day.”

Drew: I love being able to go running on the beach barefooted – next to the Mediterranean no less – whenever I want to.”

Christopher Columbus' Tomb in the Cathedral

This past weekend, we had an incredible time in Sevilla, perhaps the most gorgeous city in all of Spain based on my limited experience. What I found most meaningful for me however, was not the ability to see Christopher Columbus’ tomb, climb to the top of the cathedral tower, or see the second oldest bullfighting ring in the country. Instead, it was the time the seven of us spent having conversations, meeting new people, and enjoying the time we had in a new place. I spent two hours each day just talking to random travelers in our hostel, hearing about their adventures and thinking about how much I would love to do that one day. For example, I met Jessica, who hailed from Vancouver, Canada and had just decided one day that 6 months in Europe would be interesting. So she picked up her bags, and simply caught the next flight to Amsterdam with an “I’ll figure it out” mentality.

It is stories like this that have opened my eyes to a whole new realm of possibilities for when my next countdown terminates. Could I teach abroad? Could I handle a backpacking trip through Europe? Could I set aside my plans of settling down close to home and try something just because? While I don’t have those answers yet, Spain has taught me to be more open-minded and to think about the possibilities within the improbabilities.

So while all of us miss home and look at the countdown as a chance to see family, witness snow, and endure sub-zero temperatures again, we are still trying to soak up everything we can experience in our limited time left here in Spain. While seeing Christmas decorations in London last week definitely made me homesick, I am looking at this whole countdown thing in a whole new way.

Thanks for reading!

Chris Stewart

Changing our lives, one jar at a time.

If you’ve been reading our blog religiously (or at least semi-religiously) you’ve encountered blog posts about Spanish culture, the IBO (International Baccalaureate), and British accents.  These topics relating directly to our school and intercultural experience are great…but I’d like to side-track a bit and discuss something that has been on my mind since the moment I stepped foot into the kitchen of our apartment four weeks ago.  This thing, which will be unveiled in a moment, has had a profound effect on the seven of us over the last 30 days in Spain.  In fact, if you aren’t in the mindset for a deep, highly intellectual piece of writing, I suggest you either a) postpone reading this, or b) quickly grab a cup of coffee and hustle back in front of your computer screen, because today…(long pause) I’ve decided to write about (even longer pause…and drum roll)…Nutella.

Drew is caught brown-handed.

Nutella?  Did you just say NUTELLA?  As in the luscious, creamy, chocolate-hazelnut spread originally developed in Northwest Italy during World War II (Ferrero, 2010)?

Yes.  As a matter of fact, I did.  Nutella has found a special place in our hearts, stomachs, and kitchen cupboards.  As a matter of fact, if I were to walk into our kitchen right now—keep in mind there are four of us in this apartment—I would find seven jars of Nutella, Sharpie-tattooed with the names Julz, C.A.S., Sara, and Drew, patiently waiting to be enjoyed. 

Would you like some bread to go with that Nutella?

 The unique ritual of spreading Nutella on its substrate can best be described by Brittani Matzke, when she recalled:  “The amount of Nutella on my butter cracker is typically double the mass of the actual cracker.  Also, when I’m spreading it, I always make sure to leave plenty on the knife so I can lick it off.”  Upon hearing this, my respect and understanding for Brittani as a friend and person nearly doubled, as I too leave extra “licking Nutella” on my butter knife. 

While the Nutella corporation suggests serving their product on a whole-wheat bread or cracker, many trials and kitchen experiments have lead me to conclude that Nutella can be enjoyed on just about anything in the fruit, grain, or dairy families.  I have yet to experiment with the meat and vegetable groups, but part of me hypothesizes that it wouldn’t be that bad… Amazingly, Nutella can also be enjoyed on inorganic materials.  Sometimes when I need a quick fix, or for dessert after a nice Nutella-on-toast meal, I bypass the need for any medium and enjoy my Nutella directly from a stainless steel spoon.  Ah, simple pleasures.      

Are you NUTS?  Nutella vs Peanut Butter:  The Great Debate

 One recent morning, Sara and I were debating the nutritional value of Nutella as compared to peanut butter.  They are surprisingly quite similar.  Your average serving of peanut butter has triple the amount of protein per serving (7g vs. 2 g) and six times less sugar (3g vs. 17g), but it also packs on 30 more Calories and has a slightly higher fat content.  As far as we’re concerned, it’s a toss-up.   

Hazelnut vs. Peanut:  its going down (the esophagus) tonight. 

When making such drastic life decisions such as the choice between P.B. and Nutella, the holistic health approach is certainly one to consider:  what is best for the body may not always be what is best for the soul.  After many trials of carefully documented enjoyment, we have concluded that the psychological and emotional benefits of consuming Nutella over peanut butter far outweigh Nutella’s nutritional Achilles Heel.    

Economics and consumer psychology also play a role in this decision to purchase enormous amounts of this edible magic.  In the mind of a poor student teacher, the price tag presented in Euros is a much more alluring 2.60, and causes far less guilt related side-effects that result from paying $4.25 for the same jar back in the States. Finally, I would like to note that peanut butter is far less common in Spain, and is typically higher in cost than Nutella—at least, that is the case from our Supermercado experiences thus far.  This PB vs. N debate will continue upon our return home.  Until then, Nutella has the winning case.   

What would you do for a Klondike Ba…I mean, Nutella Jar. 

Several of the Gusties were asked, “To what lengths would you go for a jar of Nutella?”  Here are their responses:

Drew:  "I would swim across the Mediterranian Sea from West to East, with a school of sharks as my travel companions."  (After doing some research, we learned this swim would be approximately 2400 miles...no information was found about suppressing a shark's appetite for that long). 

Julia:  “For one jar of Nutella?  I would shave off my left eyebrow.  I might consider having that eyebrow permanently removed via electrolysis for a lifetime supply (if the opportunity were presented to me).”

Chris:  "I would walk across the city of Estepona barefoot...without dodging the numerous piles of dog doo-doo which tend to appear frequently on the sidewalks." 

Yep, 1.6667 jars per person at any given time.

In conclusion...

My last comment about Nutella:  Had it last night.  Had it for breakfast this morning.  I made room for it after a large Thanksgiving meal… and I’m probably going to have some when I get home today after school.  Without Nutella, this trip to Spain just wouldn't be the same...

As always, thanks for reading!  I hope you have been inspired to splurge on a jar for yourself.   

Julz

Lists

I’ve found that teachers, by and large, are list-makers.  I wouldn’t consider myself to be an extremist on the list-maker scale, but some days I do feel like my desk is covered in lists of various kinds.  Some of my lists include:

1)      Emails to send

2)      Items to buy at the store

3)      Papers to copy

4)      Children to collect homework from

5)      Books to read

6)      Ideas for lessons

7)      People to call

8)      Concepts to teach

9)      Goals

10)  Things to Google

Most of these lists are relatively insignificant, but I never seem to go a day without making at least one or two.  Last week, however, I did manage to create a few lists worth sharing.

List #1: Why SIS students are so motivated

1)      The curriculum is full of engaging topics where the students are personally invested.

2)      The students are given the expectation to be independent, which builds confidence and competence.

3)      There are high expectations for the standard of work.  Those who produce excellent work are put on display and those who don’t are required to do it again. Low effort is simply not accepted.

4)      The students work hard and produce products to be proud of.  Both give them the feeling of success, which they strive to feel again.

List #2: My goals for the rest of student teaching

1)      Challenge the class—always keep them growing.

2)      Model how I want them to act.  Teach with integrity and expect the same of my students.

3)      Don’t worry so much about petty misbehaviors; instead, focus on moral and character development.

4)      Enjoy myself!

The other couple lists I made are a product of my travel bug:

List #3: Places I still want to go while in Spain

1)      Sevilla

2)      Madrid

3)      Morocco

4)      The Picasso museum in Malaga

5)      La Cañada (again!)

6)      Jazz Pub in Estepona

7)      Breakfast in the port

8)      Walk along the beach (many more times)

List #4: Places I never want to go again. *Disclaimer: many inside jokes to follow.

1)      Casares (“It’s only about a 20 minute walk!”)

2)      Algeciras by bus

3)      Carrefore (an overrated Spanish Wal-Mart all the way across town)

4)      ANY part of a street that isn’t painted with white stripes

Notice, list #4 is half as long as list #3. This can be attributed to the fantastic trip I’m having!

Until next time, happy list-making!

Brittani

"If you can hear my voice, put your hands on top of your head"

Give me five, if you can hear my voice clap once, counting backwards from five to one, using chimes, all teachers have a little pocket full of attention getters and classroom management strategies.  But what happens when your strategies don’t really work?  You know that your students know exactly what they should be doing, but they are just testing you because you have stepped in under someone else’s rules and expectations.  How do you get them to give you the same respect they give their normal teacher?

Establishing a teacher presence is something we all have had to deal with as we have been taking over teaching more classes.  It is difficult for students to have a change in their routine, and to add to that, we are young and enthusiastic upcoming teachers.  They know they can test our limits.  After I had stopped a lesson one day because my students were being too chatty and unfocused, I asked them why they acted like that around me and not around my cooperating teacher.  One of my students responded, “Because you are fun”.  That’s great; I would like to continue to be fun, because I know that students are most engaged in learning when they are having fun, but how can I establish a classroom that is “fun”, but also under control?  Our challenge as we begin to full time teach soon is to establish clear expectations and to not be afraid to stop the lesson if it is not going the way we want it to go, as far as student’s behavior.  Hopefully we can all establish our teacher presence soon.

      --Sara Schroeder

I Spy...

I spy with my little eye a red phone booth, fish n’chips, and pounds. Where in the world could I be?

Only an hour drive away from our lovely Estepona apartment, we entered a world a part from Spain. Gibraltar is a unique place defined by the massive limestone rock that juts out of the Mediterranean sea and can be seen from our apartment windows. We had to show our passports before entering into this British territory and then we were instantly re-immersed in a familiar language.

We were all curious about this strange place found inside Spain, especially after talking with some of the teachers that we work with at SIS. A couple of the descriptions we heard about Gibraltar were, “It’s a 1970’s version of London” and some of the teachers from England go there to find, “The comforts of home and flavors of home.”

It was a perfect day to explore Gibraltar, the sun was out and we could see the coast of North Africa. We rode in a cable car to the top of the rock and had an amazing view of the city below. The monkeys of Gibraltar roamed around freely, looking at us curiously and were tempted to peak into our bags. We explored St. Michael’s cave and got an inside look at the rock of Gibraltar. After walking down the rock, we made our way to the nearest fish n’ chips restaurant and ended our day with a British meal.

Although spending a fun day in pseudo London, we were happy to return to our Spanish casa and to appreciate the view from our windows.

Hasta Luego!
-Katie

What Are Your Treasures?

My Year 2 classroom is full of bubbly 6 and 7 year olds eager to learn.  Everyday they enter the classroom with loads of energy and curiosity.  Not only are these children learning their letters and numbers but they are also learning how to become proper and productive citizens of the world.  In a PYP2 classroom, students follow 6 Golden Rules.  Our Golden Rules are: we are gentle, we are kind and helpful, we listen, we are honest, we learn, and we look after property.  In my classroom we reward the children with a treasure when we catch them following these Golden Rules.  These treasures are anything from plastic frogs, bracelets, glass stars, to seashells.  My students see these treasures as if they were gold. When they hear their name being called, hear recognition for their hard work, and see the special treasure placed into the jar, their face lights up.  This form of positive reinforcement encourages them to continue using their Golden Rules while others  students follow suit.  It is amazing how something so simple can mean so much to the students.  I see them actively practicing their Golden Rules during the day and striving to do the best they can do. If the treasure jar is full on Friday afternoon students are rewarded for their good behavior with Golden Time. During Golden Time students are able to play games and create artwork because of their hard work during the week.  Students work all week long to receive this special time and their excitement shows when their last treasure is placed in the jar.

            As teacher I receive positive reinforcement and treasures all day long. The treasures I put into my jar are not plastic frogs and seashells but rather the interactions and experiences I share with my students during the day.  My special treasures include seeing students smile, hearing their laugher, and witnessing them enjoy the learning process. I love observing students’ faces light up when they are proud of the work they accomplished.  Nothing compares to witnessing a student finally understand a concept and seeing students’ creativity and imagination come through their work. Treasures are everywhere you turn when you are a teacher. My jar of treasures overflow everyday and when I reflect about each treasure I receive I am reminded of why I want to be a teacher; to make a difference in a student’s life and pass on a love for learning.

After reflecting upon the treasures I receive as a teacher I started to think about the treasures I have put in my jar while living in Spain.  I have realized the joy of a laid-back life style and having the ability to soak in the culture and views that surround me.  The mistakes we have made while using public transportation and the lessons we have learned while traveling are some of my most memorable treasures. I have found enjoyment in being able to run along the beach with the sand between my toes.  Café con leche and Nutella are my best tasting treasures.  But the majority of my treasures come from the places I have seen and the people I have met. The amount of treasures I will receive here in Spain as a teacher and traveler will be endless and the memories I form will never be forgotten. 

Objective for today’s lesson: don’t forget to look at the treasures you put into your jar everyday!

Love from, Mary Ellen Korby

Why Travel?

            If I sit back and think about it, this trip to Spain has been bizarre.  I picked up my life and left it on hold, traveled to an entirely new place that I had to get accustomed to, just to leave again and awkwardly re-enter the life I left behind.  Now don’t get me wrong, I was incredibly excited to take on this new life adventure, but pondering the scenario from how an outsider may see it leaves me puzzled.  Why travel?

            This question has been on my mind for these first couple weeks of the trip thanks to my students.  It all started in an introductory get-to-know-you lesson for my Primary 6 students. I had pulled up a Google map of Minnesota on the SMARTboard and showed my students where I was from. They proceeded to drill me with a series of questions ranging from what Minnesota winters are like, to if I liked American TV, to who I voted for in the last US presidential election.  I answered most questions without much trouble, but one in particular caught me off guard.  A boy in the front raised his hand patiently with a quizzical look on his face.  When I called on him, I could hear the bewilderment in his voice as he asked, “Why would you come to Spain to teach?” as if it were an odd thing to do.  Hesitantly, I replied something like “because I wanted to experience a different culture and gain experience in a different type of school” and moved on with the questioning quickly, avoiding further discussion on the topic.

            Now, upon further reflection, I still feel unsatisfied with my answer.  I had been caught off guard by the question and responded with a vague and meaningless answer.  It seemed odd to me that the 11-year old wasn’t keen on the idea of traveling and wasn’t familiar with the benefits associated with the different cultural experiences. But of course he didn’t know that!  It seems obvious, when living with six other Gustavus travelers and surrounded by teachers from all over the world, that traveling is a way to cultivate personal growth. But it turns out, not everyone sees it that way.  Realizing this, I would like to take another stab at his question using some insight I’ve gained from those around me…

I’ll start off with my fellow student teachers’ responses to “Why come to Spain to teach?”

I knew it would be so drastically different than what I was used to.  I wanted a challenge.  Also, it gives me the opportunity to learn more about the American school system by seeing something that it wasn’t.

I believe people learn the most when they are put into uncomfortable situations and have to think outside the box.  When you put yourself into a new culture, you have to think of things in a new way.  Coming to Spain allows me to grow as a teacher and a person.  You aren’t stuck on a one-way street of doing things like you’ve always experienced them; you have more experience to pull from, making you a better teacher.

To experience a new culture and see how things are different from what I’m used to in the United States. To see how education here is different, essentially.

Spain lets me experience a different culture in a very real way. We’re immersed in the culture here, and a new culture offers a very different type of school.  It teaches me a lot about thinking about teaching in a new way.  As teachers we need to continue learning about teaching so we don’t get complacent.

It’s something I wanted to do because it combined two of my loves: traveling and teaching.

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Aren’t my cohorts all so wise?!

Well, here’s what I have come up with.  I’m not sure my students would want my lengthy answer, but at least I can be satisfied with my answer now!

            “I would come to Spain to teach because of what it teaches me.  The new culture is a challenge to my way of thinking about the world, which affects how I interact with it.  Teaching in another culture allows me to see how educational systems are run elsewhere so that I may draw from this school, as well as be better able to understand American schools.  I can better understand theirs as well as my own, and be able to take the best of both for my own future classroom.

            I wanted to challenge myself and Spain is a challenge to me because I have to learn how to do so many new things everyday, helping me to be a more independent person and develop as an individual.  Teaching in Spain, like so many experiences, helps me to learn more about who I am as an individual and pushes me to grow daily.
            Additionally, coming to Spain to teach is a fun way to travel.  I get to experience this beautiful and unique country alongside a group of passionate and interesting peers.  What else could I possibly ask for?”

-Brittani Matzke

The little extra in EXTRAcurriculars at Sotogrande International School

            Something that I always used to enjoy about a typical high school day was the very end of it, sports time. In high school I played football, basketball, track, and baseball. Needless to say, sports ran my life from 3-7 on most weekdays. A typical high school athlete spends somewhere around 15 to 30 hours a week either playing or practicing their craft. For me, this was a wonderful experience that taught me about responsibility, teamwork, and time management. I feel like this is a typical experience of several students back home in the states, but teachers and students at SIS find this absolutely crazy.

            The first few weeks here at SIS I have been talking with students and teachers about my school background. Surprisingly, sports came up in most of the conversations. When I told them how much time I spent on sports they all gave me an astounding look of astonishment. One student even asked me if I was considering going professional back in the states when I told him how much time track took up in the spring. Teachers also commented on how often they have heard about Americans’ strong enthusiasm for sports when I talked about my experience with sports in high school.

            It seems to me that students at Sotogrande International School put a lot more time and effort into activities outside of sports. While I have been at SIS I have participated in an after school basketball program and played ultimate Frisbee at break. The basketball program is once a week for about one hour. It has consisted of mostly scrimmaging with no drills or practice elements. While students do not put a lot of emphasis on sports, it is still has a strong influence at the school. Students often challenge young teachers to matches of basketball, soccer, and Frisbee during lunch. I have already competed with students at ultimate Frisbee and have an approaching challenge in basketball this Monday. We are currently 1-0, so I hope everyone back home is wishing us luck so we can keep our undefeated record! 

            While this school does not put as much stress on sports, they definitely put a lot of effort into other areas. One area that SIS definitely excels at is music. They recently put on a concert for parents, teachers, students, and community members at their school. Students that preformed ranged from 10-18 and I was amazed at all the talent that this school had. It was like a mini American Idol or even a shot from the T.V. sensation GLEE! Students preformed solo, duets, quartets, and there were also bands. They played music from artists that are fairly current including: Lady Gaga, Vampires Weekend, Coldplay, and Gym Class Heroes. I was definitely blow away by the talent and presentation level of these students. It was truly a sight to see… and not to mention hear!

            When it comes to opportunities, SIS does not stop at the musical arts. Students can also be in plays or have their art shown throughout the hallways. Students are currently preparing to perform this Thursday in a show called “The Laramie Project.” This is about the homosexual boy that was murdered in Wyoming. This is a very provocative choice for a show that should be very entertaining. In addition, it is not uncommon for hallways to be littered with fantastic works of art at SIS. I often find myself running into students and staff as I walk through the school because I am caught staring at the walls as I move through the school!

            Overall, I would say Sotogrande International School does a superb job of making sure all opportunities are open to students. Students know that they can play a guitar, make amazing works of art, perform in a play, or even play a little basketball on the side. There is no avenue that is closed to these students and time will tell if I saw some future rock stars that night at SIS.

Until Next Time… ROCK ON!
Drew Ingvalson