Wednesday 31 August 2016
Teaching College of Education Students
Wednesday 24 August 2016
Classes started Monday 24th
This week is the first one for us at IU. I am taking two papers and attending another. One is on Education Psychology. The format is discussion based on readings. So the onus is on you to be prepared. The other paper is on motivation, engagement and thinking skills through IT in the classroom. Its on Saturday between 8am and 1pm. Another class, I am attending is one run by my IU Inquiry Project Supervisor. He is training young Science teachers for placement. The students today had to do a mock 5 minute teaching slot to their peers. I will also contribute in the lessons.
Still mastering the systems. Swam in the IU pool yesterday and vast Rec complex with huge gyms and great facilities. Still most of it was packed with young students. We have animals all around us on campus: birds, rabbits, bats, insects (a ripper of a preying mantis 10cm long), deer, squirrels, skunk, gopher, raccoon. All seemingly mingling into the outer areas of campus which is leafy and green with pasture and small forested areas. Here is a little rabbit that was 2 metres from our bus stop on a busy street - completely unperturbed by walkers and passing cars.
We catch the busses everywhere and then walk. The bus system is free to all students with the ID card. Sylvie pays a flat rate of a dollar. The Bloomington Worldwide Friends Organisation are a group of people who take in students like us Fulbrighters for some outings and dinners. Our hosts are Frank and Martha - who invited us to their house last Sunday night. We had a lovely dinner and found out a few more things we didn't know about our area. What a wonderful idea and we are very grateful for their interest and commitment to us.
Another part of our integration into IU are the staff at CIEDR. They have been just superb in orienting us to the University, helping us settle in to our apartments, shop (!) etc. and going through all the documentation that has to be completed. We have had total support and are very lucky to have such a committed and helpful department focussing us and our exchange. CIEDR promotes the international scholarship of engagement through cross-cultural educational research and development to improve education and the social condition in the U.S. and abroad. Here is the link: http://education.indiana.edu/ciedr/
Take a bow CIEDR team! Oarsome with a capital O (spell checker said Awesome - what!?)
Tornado Warning Today
We experienced our first tornado warning today. You receive text and email alerts telling you to head for a shelter. So, off we went with about 85 others to the basement of a building. IU staff were excellent in running the evacuation. We are in the yellow hashed zone. And here we are in the basement.
Thursday 18 August 2016
The Cafetaria
The school had a cafetaria that processes 1650 students in 1.5 hours for lunch. Triple the view u c to get an idea of the size.
Bloomington High School North
This afternoon we travelled about 35 minutes to the north fo the city to the school we will partner with. Bloomington High School North has about 1650 students and was founded in 1972. The interior of the buildings was redone and this finished in 2005. The classrooms are modern and well appointed. The classrooms are arranged in 'pods' clusters of rooms based on subjects. A teacher prep. room for all teachers in the pod are is in the centre. The school is vast with excellent facilities: 25 meter swimming pool inside with diving/water polo extra; own indoor gym - note the seating around the gym that can be pulled out and put away again easily to increase space; an auditorium that is like a city picture theatre and music rooms and space and space and. The school works on an 8 period block timetable. The students do four subjects one day and another 4 the next (making the eight). The subjects are Science, English, Mathematics, Social Studies and one other language. The remaining three are elective subjects and can be arts, physical education (weight training/conditioning is one), technology etc. Sport is very big at the school as are the arts. The 4 period days are 80 minutes long: 2 periods in the morning a break then 1 period, then lunch and one period in the afternoon. The students also have a homeroom time called 'cougar den' (the cougar is the schools emblem animal) for 40 mimnutes on a Monday, but on T, W, Th, Fr they have a tutorial time for all in the school. Teachers can put students into tutorials and the students MUST attend. The students may be put there based on not being able to complete set work, missed assessments or who are in need of remedial support.
The Sample Gates.
Sylvie is standing with Marina - a FDT from India. Kirkwood Avenue, one of the main streets of Bloomington is beyond.
Tourist Types Get in The Road of the Flowers
Nice shirt. Yes thanks, Karen. Those are fruit and vegetable assortments on the front!
The Tour Begins
These are Susanna and Maija from Finland
 |
| Here we all are at the welcome ceremony at IU SOE in mid August. From left to right are Wei Feng (Taiwan), Pratiksha (India), Nourit (Israel), Nazir (Singapore), Hanane (Morocco), Karina (Mexico), Hasna and Haya (Palestine), Ketsemetsie (Botswana), Sam (Mexico), Peiwen (Singapore), Gaone (Botswana), Simon (NZL), Diana (Mexico), Susanna (Finland), Lei Kheng (Singapore), Marina (India), Maija (Finland), Jhenyi (Taiwan), Sarah (NZL), Khalid (Morocco). |
Touring Indiana University Campus
Today we toured the University of Indiana campus at Bloomington. We had a guide show us around and talked through some of the stories that have grown with the campus. There was a stream going through the campus. Stone buildings - Indiana Limestone. It was orientation day and full on through the campus - students and parents in droves. We saw two squirrels not more than 1 meter from us. Did I say that one of our teachers had a bat in her room! The tour took us around fountains and arches and the University Union. The latter has a really good idea - a hotel built within in it for accomodation. The University was founded in 1820 (originally a seminary) and you can go tot he website here https://www.indiana.edu/
Wednesday 17 August 2016
Tornadoes!
The threat from tornadoes is very real in this part of the USA. The lower floor basement of this wing of the College of Education is a shelter
Fraternity Houses
Fraternity and Sorority houses are common on the IU campus. They are similar to OU halls of residence, but not the same. The houses are all grand affairs - like mansions.
Tuesday 16 August 2016
Bloomington Market
Most of the Fulbright teachers hit the market Saturday. Friday was full of infrastructure. Bank account, student ID, shopping for a new phone (Sylvie's was too old - oh the shame - and mine was 'locked') So new phones and plans all round. BIG supermarket for supplies and then a superb donner and blitzen show. Hot and humid. We've got squirrels and some household visitors of the indestructible insect type......
On the bus to Bloomington
The bus trip was only 40 minutes and we passed green field after green fields - lots of corn and a tricky wireless connection. Two glasses are better than one.
Departing Washington Hello Indianapolis
We departed Washington on the 11th August a flew directly to Indianapolis. A great flight with no ups and down. The route flew over green fields and hills with plenty of forest. We saw the Ohio River winding its way down to the Mississippi and some impressive thunder and lightening clouds gathering over the interior. Do you know you have to pay extra for your air ticket to include your bags on your flight? And all bags MUST be under 23Kg or you have to jettison before take off.
Washington Reagan National Airport is very close to town on the banks/flat areas of the Potomac River plane. Indianapolis airport is very modern and impressive. Easy to get to our shuttle and head south.
Monday 8 August 2016
Fulbright Workshop Starts Monday 8th
Today we listened to a great presentation on cultural differences that can lead to misunderstandings between host and home countries participants. We also heard about previous experiences from Fulbright Alumni around the world, practised our 'elevator talks' (a brief explanation we could give to someone we meet in a lift about who we are and what we are doing in the USA) and some pointers on what we should be doing input inquiry project. All very valuable.
Quotations on the walkway to the Martin Luther King Monument
Today we went on bus tour with the rest of the Fulbright International Teachers. We visited Capital Hill, the Treasury, the Lincoln Monument and that to Martin Luther King. Our last stop was to the Kennedy Performing Arts Center. All grand and expansive structures. A lovely day with a few laughs!
Mr King has described exactly where our loyalties to each other should really lie. Its also a fitting guide to progress with sustainable communities across the globe.
Saturday 6 August 2016
In front of the Washington monument Friday.
It's much bigger up close and can be easily seen 6 blocks away. Lots of people everywhere
National Mall Visit
Today we visited the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The display about the origins of mankind (and womankind!) was really interesting and we also viewed the Hope Diamond! Next we walked home to the hotel. Too far, but we made it. Hot and humid and even more so today Saturday - thunderstorms expected late.
Thursday 4 August 2016
Washington 2nd August 2016
Hi to All
Please note that this blog is my personal one and is not representative of the Fulbright Organisation in any way.
Arrived Washington 2nd of August. All in order re travel. Do you know how fast you are really going in a jet? Sure c. 600mph is fast but in relative terms I realised how fast this is when I saw another jet pass underneath us (well under!) between Dunedin and Auckland.
In Washington, we took a shuttle to the hotel. We were lucky to have a driver who showed us a bit of town on the way in. It turns out he was born in Guyana and knew all about cricket. We exchanged views and famous cricketers. Politics were also explored. The driver collected overseas currency as a hobby - so we left a 5$ NZD, thanked him and wished him well.
First mistake on checking in when we realised we didn't tip our porter. We made a note to make sure we dealt to this the next day.
On the 3rd of August we walked around the block and visited the National Geographic Museum. They were running an exhibition on ancient Greeks from Agamemnon to Alexander the Great. What a treat. It is sobering to understand human history and development. Markers in the mind were beautiful personal items of all descriptions and the ebb and flow of conflict and peace. I noted the years of foundation of democracy and the very human invention of the klepsydra or water clock. This was used to prevent advocates from speaking too long when presenting an argument. It seems that good talkers were also seen as a hazard all those years ago. Hit the sack with interest.
The next day we ventured around the city on foot. Walked a few km's and found a food store focussed on organic produce and local sources. Super spot with large deli for ready to go food.
Lots of humour from people in the store and on the street. I loved the banter: ' I see you lookin at me' 'What you want' ' No big game around here' (my hat looks a wee bit like Livingstone's!). The city is clean and lively, smartphones to the fore, wide main streets, solid large buildings c. 12 stories high, beaut small older buildings remain here and there, tree lined where-ever they can be put, people everywhere and a spectrum galore, its hot but few hats. Zoo tomorrow.
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