Thoughts on teaching and observations
First I wanted to thank Alan and Glynis for such a wonderful time in Budapest thus far! They are wonderful hosts and organizers of the SOS program and I could not ask for anything more! Thank you so much for all you do and for all the meaningful work and impact you are making in the global Jewish community. It really speaks high volumes. Thank you to all my CESJDS colleagues for being here to support me each step of the way, from being with me at the Lauder school in the morning to listening to my reflections at the dinner table. You are an amazing group of teachers! It has been a challenging experience and a very rewarding one at that. We accomplished so much today and it was all worth it!
Today we arrived at 8:00AM to the Lauder school. Paul Blank and I visited the school’s library to check out some of the books related to our teaching areas of expertise. Paul ended up discovering some very old Hebrew books in the back of the library on a shelf. One book, he found out, dated back 300 years. We had a discussion on whether the books could be preserved in some way for the students at the school or even put on exhibit in the library. It was a fun discussion and it was also nice to see a good collection of art books available to the students as well. The library is an interesting space for conversation, studying, and I know that the students here feel very welcomed in the space.
As the day progressed, I taught Ildiko’s 9th and 10th grade art classes, discussing various artists work that explore self-identity and personal spaces. We analyzed the work of David Moss, Harry Allen, Jaune Quick–to–See Smith, Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell. We also discussed concepts of Micro and Macro, examining how artists can show the viewer different perspectives of one idea whether its up close or far away. We looked at the Vietnam war memorial in Washington DC by Maya Lin and the Western Wall in Jerusalem to examine these concepts a bit deeper. Students also explored thinking routines, that were new to them, while discussing the artists work including What makes you say that? and See, Think, Wonder. Check out more ways to get students involved and talking about art, objects, and concepts in general:
http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/VisibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03c_CoreRoutines.html
Observing Ildiko’s art class
I had the pleasure of observing Ildiko’s high school class after I was finished teaching. Everyone was working and engaged in the process of making sculptures. The music of Philip Glass filled the room as students collaborated and worked together on building eco-friendly model homes made from recycled objects. The culture of the art classroom is relaxed and casual as students refer to Ildiko by her first name. I think this is great because everyone is working together on the same level and the barrier between student and teacher feels more relaxed. This is apart of the school’s culture.
Students worked with different materials such as twine, newspapers, wood sticks, bottle caps, and other common recycled materials to create their eco houses. While I was observing around the artroom, I noticed I can see the city of Budapest, with trees and a gorgeous sky line view from the window. Students must feel lucky to have such an experience while creating their artwork and working in this wonderful atmosphere.
When it was time for us to leave school at 1PM we ended up touring the Parliament, Opera House, and the JCC in Budapest to meet with the Executive Director, Zsuzsa Fritz. We also had a wonderful dinner at Carmel restaurant! It was really an enriching and inspiring experience. Each stop today was very meaningful and made me reflect on Hungary’s deep history including it’s medieval history and some of the major symbols that represent this great nation. One symbol that stood out was the Holy Crown, which is one of Hungary’s most important symbols because it was a coronation crown used by Hungary’s many Kings since the twelfth century. We had a chance to see the Holy Crown at the Parliament along with the gorgeous interior spaces within.
Political thoughts
I also wanted to mention Colleen Bell’s visit yesterday which I did not comment on in yesterday’s blog post. Colleen is the current United States Ambassador to Hungary and she was very gracious to visit the Lauder school and speak to our group including teachers of the school and some students. Colleen was energetic and spoke very well as she addressed core issues in Hungary including education, the arts, roadways, and politics in the US and Hungary. It made me think about the state of education in Hungary, what we need to be doing more of, and how the United States and Hungary are working on issues in education together. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to hear from the Ambassador and to hear her thoughts. I hope to explore more of these thoughts further as the week goes on.
