School Observation

In front of the Leibnizschule Gymnasium, on school visitation.

We were curious about the European educational system and its differences compared to the Asien system. Moreover, we were specifically curious about the German educational system among other European educational systems.

E.J.: The class organization and the teaching methods are different from the ones used in Hong Kong. Teachers combine the writing tasks in Art classes, which is creative and beneficial to students. Moreover, year-6 students just study English for one year, but the teacher already cultivates their English reading ability, as reading English novels helps promoting students’ interests.

Halie: Some classes take place in outdoor, sitting under the trees, close to nature. This is a new teaching style to me. Teachers and students have more freedom to decide on which classes they develop or take and students can sometimes even decide the content. Very interesting!

Dr. Mihm answering some of E.J. and Halie's questions after the school observation.

Attending Seminars

Teaching and assessing children with special needs in the FLC - Seminar visitation with Ms Veneziano-Osterrath.

EJ: "There are various teaching styles in Goethe University. Many teachers teach student-centered, however some teachers prefer the lecturing method. In the seminars we visited, most classroom settings are different from those used in Hong Kong. Students are seated at tables in a U-shape, which is convenient for having a discussion round.

Halie: Students are very active to answer and ask questions. I noticed a very positive learning atmosphere. Also, students have deep discussions in class, they pay full attention to teachers and classmates, which is slightly different to Hong Kong.

At the ABL Office

Mara, Gloria, E.J. and Halie working together on the website of the ABL and preparing their texts.

Gloria, Mara, E.J. and Halie preparing different tasks for the ABL office.

Working with Colleagues

Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie...A meeting with a repetative nature is 'Cake Tuesday', which does not only involve cake, but it is a chance totalk to colleagues on a less formal basis. It creates a cooperate identity, too.

Halie, E.J. and their colleague Margrieta enjoying 'cake tuesday' with hearty salads.

Meeting with the exchange students from last year, from Hong Kong and Germany at the Westend Campus of the Goethe University.

From left to right, in the back: Felix, Kan, Disney and Selvi. In the front: Gloria, Mara, E.J. and Halie.

Book Centre Cornelsen

An impression of the visit at the Cornelsen Book Centre.

EJ: "There is a great variety of textbooks in the Textbook Centre. This offers a lot of options for teachers. What impresses me most is the amount of textbooks for students with special needs. The staff there especially introduced the materials for students with special needs. Students all have the equal opportunities to study, regardless of who they are. The textbooks there show the interest in details in Germany’s educational system.

Halie: The Textbook Centre is very comprehensive. It includes a lot of subjects and also material for special needs students. Nowadays, special needs students are largely in focus, so it is very good to have fitting resources for them.

Goethe Museum

The Goethe Haus Frankfurt

The Goethe Museum, also called the Goethe House, is the only picture gallery exclusively dedicated to the age of Goethe.

EJ: "Goethe is one of the best-known writers in the world. We visited the Goethe Museum with great admiration and curiosity. Goethe was born in a wealthy family where he received excellent and advanced education. He was knowledgeable and wise. His works sufficiently shows his breadth of knowledge. As a student and future teacher, the idea of life-long learning and broadening one's knowledge throughout one's life, should be a reminder to myself as well as taught to students."

Halie: "Goethe Museum is a small Museum, and a very interesting place to visit. Here, one can get information on Goethe, such as Goethe’s family and his young life to name some. All of this information is very impressive. The artwork and decoration inside the building are just beautiful. I can imagine Goethe’s wonderful life in this house."

The view into the poet's room:

Picture source: Goethe Haus Frankfurt

Goethe Museum Website in English

Hanau

Treasure hunting with Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm

Hanau is the birthplace of Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, the authors who collected and published Grimm's fairytales. There are many different bronze statues thematised with Grimm’s fairytales throughout the city. This made our 'tourist trip' feel like an adventureous treasure hunt, trying to discover the different statues and the stories behind them.

Heidelberg

Daytrip to Heidelberg

Daytrip to Heidelberg

Halie: "Heidelberg is a very comfortable city with an extensive history. It has a lot of well-known places, like Heidelberg castle, the student prison, philosophers' way, Carl-Theodor bridge and so on. I found the most interesting place is the student prison; the history behind it is very special. The graffiti on the walls there is interesting, eventhough I do not understand German, I still tried my best to decipher every message written on those prisonwalls."

EJ: "We visited many famous attractions such as Heidelberger Schloss, studentenkarzer, Philosophenweg, Alte Brücke in Heidelberg. It is a long way to walk through the Philosophenweg but the atmosphere around it is beautiful. The breezy feeling made me relaxed and peaceful. Studentenkarzer is a reflection of school’s culture in history. The graffitis on the walls made it ossible for me to grasp the students’ creations and innocence."

Cologne & Bonn

In Beethoven's Footsteps

In Beethoven's Footsteps.

Halie: "Cologne is the largest city in the German federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The Cologne cathedral was declared a world heritage site by the UNO. It is enormously high, and the details inside are so exquisite. When I went to the top of the church, I was so surprised. I could see the exterior design of the cathedral in close detail and have a magnificent view over the entire city. It was really impressive.

Bonn is the birthplace of Beethoven, and I knew more about his life.  Eventhough he met lots of difficulties in his life, he is still a celebrated musician even today."

EJ: "Cologne is diversified and one of the most famous cities in Germany. Couples lock their love on the Hohenzollern Bridge; Chocolate lovers learn the process of making chocolate as well as taste it in Chocolate Museum; History lovers visit Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria -also a world heritage site- to experience the magnificence of human’s work.

One of the main reasons that I wanted to go to Bonn is because of Beethoven. When I was young, I learned to play the piano. I always wondered what kind of man can create so many extraordinary works, some of which are romantic, some of which are pathetic, and some of which are complicated. In his birthplace, Bonn, I visited his former residence where through the introduction, I know more about his tough life. I can now better comprehend his assemblage.

Brussels

Enjoying sublime Belgian Chocolate.

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is a beautiful city. The atmosphere is very friendly and lets tourists feel welcome. The streets and buildings are perfectly combining historic elements and modern ones. What impressed us most is the food, especially chocolate. No wonder people say chocolate in Belgium is the best in the world! The sublime taste suprises people and is never dull. Food such as mussels and waffles are also amazing. The Belgians knwo what tastes good. This city is full of vitality.

Berlin

Weekend in Berlin

Berlin gave us a strong sense that this is a place emphasizing high importance to history. We visited Brandenburg Gate, East Side Gallery, the Holocaust Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie and many other places. World War II strongly influences Berlin, as war inflicted heavy losses on both sides. Living in an era of  peace is such a good thing that should be valued highly.

Munich

Hello, Bavaria!

Their last weekend in Germany, E.J. and Halie planned to go to Munich in beautiful Bavaria, and explore this wunderful city. Please return later for a full report.