September 28, 2009

My Dear Parents and Students:

CONGRATULATIONS TO ME!! I finally have my web page up and working and this is my final entry. As you can see from my schedule, I am teaching four different main subject areas plus a French Conversation class for WEI. Many of you are in more than one of my classes. The afternoon classes are electives called Global Awareness.

This is a class that I personally designed and wrote the curriculum and for which I am creating all the materials. The class is designed to introduce students to the world and help them become a global citizen by learning about the history, cultures, foods, and important achievements of other countries. The emphasis is to create an understanding and compassion for other cultures and peoples and to recognize how we are all the same despite our different governments and cultures. In this class I am taking them on a virtual reality trip around the world. "Around the World in 60 Days". The students have created passports and stamp them each day we enter a new country. They study the history, main tourist attractions, famous landmarks, and customs and foods of each country. Before we leave the country to enter another, the students are treated to a food from that country. So far we have visited England where we had tea and cookies, France where we had fresh hot crepes with hot fudge sauce, and this week we are leaving Italy to travel to Greece.

The students are expected to draw a picture or get a print and create a postcard from each country. On the back side of the postcard they are to write a message about something they found interesting or important from that country. They are also tested after each country . They take notes as well as listen to my stories and lectures. Students are to make virtual airline reservations as well as hotel accommodations. They are charting the "cost" of this trip. We also use some videos and travel videos of Rick Steves so they can see the country and the museums.

I have personally visited each of the places that I am taking them to visit. Travel has become a passion of mine and I have much to share with your student. The other countries we will be visiting include, Greece, Istanbul in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, South Africa, Australia, Bali in Indonesia, China, Japan, and Peru.

Please feel to contact me at any time for any questions or concerns. I hope you are enjoying "traveling" with your students.

Bon Voyage,

Mrs. Genzlinger