In addition to teaching three math classes today, I sat in on a math class led by Christian, one of my colleagues at Lauder. Though I understood all the math going on, I most certainly did not understand all the Hungarian – so Réka, my wonderful partner teacher, translated the lesson for me as it progressed.
I enjoyed chatting with Réka and Christian after the lesson about the differences between math in Hungary and in the United States. Hungarians don’t break math into discrete courses like “Algebra” and “Geometry.” Instead, every year, they learn some geometry, some algebra, and some number theory. Lauder is thoughtful about tailoring their program to meet the needs of every student. I was particularly intrigued by their practice of having a “free block” each week during which students can choose either to take a “support” lesson during which they practice and review – or an “extension” lesson during which they learn optional advanced content.
Though there were some differences to be noted, what struck me most about the lesson was just how similar classes at Lauder are to classes at CESJDS. The students had a warm relationship with their teacher and joked with him as they learned. They were excited to offer insights during the lesson – and, of course, they asked several questions of the form, “will this be on the test?” Interestingly, when I asked the students what they like best about Lauder, they sounded just like CESJDS students. They spoke of how much they love the open, accepting community – and how much they value their strong, friendly relationships with teachers.
Time and time again on this trip, my colleagues and I have uttered the refrain, “teenagers are teenagers.” Though we’re halfway around the world, as we chat and joke with our students here, it often feels like we never left Rockville. My students at Lauder reference the same youtube videos as my students at CESJDS. They are savvy, politically-minded, goofy, and eager to laugh. My commute to work is quite different here – but the work is more similar than I ever would have imagined. (For the record, I must confess that crossing the unspeakably beautiful Danube River each morning sure beats taking in the sights of 495!)
