We are about to board the bus heading to Bayeux, France, with a tour of Omaha Beach tomorrow. Camera is charged and ready to go! Back with more soon!
*Nota Bene* Last night was the very last night of class in my doctoral program! Just a little more writing to do, and I will be ABD. Celebration to follow...
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Visits around Maastrict
Click below to see the newly uploaded photos from around Maastrict!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2260973763921.2143064.1235756360&l=a6a693cca2
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2260973763921.2143064.1235756360&l=a6a693cca2
CHRISTIAN UNION PARTY--THE HAGUE
We met with Rob Nijhoff who works with the Scientific Institute of the Christian Union Party in Parliament. He has a degree in Information Sciences from Delft Technical University as well as a degree from the Theological University of the Reformed Churches. He explained that each party has a scientific institute to conduct research and provide information to influence policy decisions. This is similar to the role which we observed that Michelle Chin plays as a policy advisor to Senator Cornyn in Texas.
There are many political parties here, which makes decision-making more difficult. There is even an animal rights party. While we visited, the animal rights party was objecting to the ritual slaughter of animals in the Jewish tradition because it is done without anesthesia. This includes any type of "kosher" preparation of meat, which of course is legal in the United States. The Christian Union party supports the free exercise of religion, so in this case was opposing the animal rights party on this issue.
He explained that currently, out of 150 members of Parliament, there are 30 social democrats, 30 liberals, 20 Christian democrats (more liberal than the Christian Union party), 30+30 more on the right and left, and 5 in the Christian Union party. The party identity is NOT to be a lobby for "Christian goals" but to stand on biblical principals, such as family values, right to life, etc. etc. etc. (They say "etc." three times in a row a lot here!) Abraham Kuyper was a "founding father" of this party, having served as a vicar and professor, he looked to the US as an example, and called it the "anti-revolutionary party" referring to the French revolution.
The primary philosophical bent which Rob shared with us was that no one is truly neutral in their view. The government is not neutral. All governments have a worldview, and every budget is a moral document. The example he gave was the decision to exclude prayer from American schools. He said this was a religious decision. He elaborated in the notes which he gave us (but didn't have time to share verbally, as we ran out of time) that everything reflects the identity of a school: the people, the emphasis in different subjects, the methods/rules, and even the atmosphere, including furnishing, architecture and environment. This is an interesting point, reflecting on what we learned at the Bernard Lievegoed (Waldorf-type) school. The teacher there said that a "free school" should be out in the country, built of wood, with lots of open spaces in the architecture, rather than the traditional institutional look and feel of an American high school, which is how the BL school was built.
In conclusion, Rob noted that it takes a coalition of minorities (it takes at least 3 parties to equal 52%) to make decisions in the Netherlands.
There are many political parties here, which makes decision-making more difficult. There is even an animal rights party. While we visited, the animal rights party was objecting to the ritual slaughter of animals in the Jewish tradition because it is done without anesthesia. This includes any type of "kosher" preparation of meat, which of course is legal in the United States. The Christian Union party supports the free exercise of religion, so in this case was opposing the animal rights party on this issue.
He explained that currently, out of 150 members of Parliament, there are 30 social democrats, 30 liberals, 20 Christian democrats (more liberal than the Christian Union party), 30+30 more on the right and left, and 5 in the Christian Union party. The party identity is NOT to be a lobby for "Christian goals" but to stand on biblical principals, such as family values, right to life, etc. etc. etc. (They say "etc." three times in a row a lot here!) Abraham Kuyper was a "founding father" of this party, having served as a vicar and professor, he looked to the US as an example, and called it the "anti-revolutionary party" referring to the French revolution.
The primary philosophical bent which Rob shared with us was that no one is truly neutral in their view. The government is not neutral. All governments have a worldview, and every budget is a moral document. The example he gave was the decision to exclude prayer from American schools. He said this was a religious decision. He elaborated in the notes which he gave us (but didn't have time to share verbally, as we ran out of time) that everything reflects the identity of a school: the people, the emphasis in different subjects, the methods/rules, and even the atmosphere, including furnishing, architecture and environment. This is an interesting point, reflecting on what we learned at the Bernard Lievegoed (Waldorf-type) school. The teacher there said that a "free school" should be out in the country, built of wood, with lots of open spaces in the architecture, rather than the traditional institutional look and feel of an American high school, which is how the BL school was built.
In conclusion, Rob noted that it takes a coalition of minorities (it takes at least 3 parties to equal 52%) to make decisions in the Netherlands.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Weekend in Amsterdam
We traveled by bus from Maastricht to Amsterdam on Saturday morning. The weather was rainy and cold--very cold. The minute I got off the bus, I ran around a corner, and said, "I need a sweater, please!" and got a lovely tunic-length sweater. Half an hour later, I bought a scarf and Amsterdam hoodie, and *then* I warmed up! The Anne Frank house was a moving and inspiring experience. It has been nearly 40 years since I read Anne Frank's diary, but being in the physical space where this Jewish family spent 25 months in hiding was profound. One video of an interview with Otto Frank, Anne's father, who was the only survivor of the concentration camps where the family was eventually sent, revealed the importance of her diary. He said that he never imagined that little Anne had such deep and profound thoughts. The small, dark room where she lived, and hoped and dreamed for the day when she could dance in the sunlight again...I can't even describe how it felt to stand in that room. Extremely moving.
The majority of the group went to the Van Gogh museum, but Dr. Zipperlen and I went to the Riks Museum, which houses the famous "Night Watch" painting of Rembrandt. Although the majority of the museum is under renovation, I saw several Vermeer's and Rembrandt's, and it was the experience of a lifetime. What is interesting is that I was in Amsterdam (for a day) at the age of 16, and I remember two things: Night Watch and ice cream! It was cool to see that painting again.
A train ride, and only a bit of wandering, brought us back to the NH Hotel in the City Centre. Dr. Zipperlen was a good hiking buddy!
I had dinner in a traditional Belgian restaurant with Dr. Zipperlen and Henk (our trip facilitator), and went out on a limb and had calf liver and onions, and *finally* had some delicious Dutch ice cream. We partook of dessert in true "Marian/Dolly Parton" style by ordering two different choices--pear helene and peach melba--and then sharing, although I didn't stop at Dolly's "one bite" rule, I have to admit!
On the walk back from Anne Frank, we did see several "red light" windows, and one with a young woman, scantily clad, in the window, waiting for a customer. I am still reflecting on the society here which openly allows drug use and prostitution. I saw many drug addicts, obviously suffering, on the street. "Coffeehouses" allow pot smoking, and the aroma permeates downtown alleyways. The major criminal issues arise, they tell us, from tourists who travel here to partake of what is illegal in other countries, as well as foreign drug dealers who peddle harder drugs (still illegal here).
It was good to come "home" to the castle in Maastricht, a small university town. We suffered a 3-hour bus ride in 90+ degree temperatures without AC, and no windows to open. Cohort 3 is gifted with a great sense of humor (especially in the person of Ron Knight) helped to lighten the atmosphere with one rendition of a sermon on what it feels like to be in hell (envision relating the message to the "red light district") as well as a performance of "Ice, Ice Baby." Cohort 3 continues to welcome me as an adopted member, which I truly appreciate!
Now we start another 3 12-hour days of intense academic coursework. Rested and ready...
Click here to see the album from my Weekend in Amsterdam
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2256220125083.2142830.1235756360&l=39259b4150
The majority of the group went to the Van Gogh museum, but Dr. Zipperlen and I went to the Riks Museum, which houses the famous "Night Watch" painting of Rembrandt. Although the majority of the museum is under renovation, I saw several Vermeer's and Rembrandt's, and it was the experience of a lifetime. What is interesting is that I was in Amsterdam (for a day) at the age of 16, and I remember two things: Night Watch and ice cream! It was cool to see that painting again.
A train ride, and only a bit of wandering, brought us back to the NH Hotel in the City Centre. Dr. Zipperlen was a good hiking buddy!
I had dinner in a traditional Belgian restaurant with Dr. Zipperlen and Henk (our trip facilitator), and went out on a limb and had calf liver and onions, and *finally* had some delicious Dutch ice cream. We partook of dessert in true "Marian/Dolly Parton" style by ordering two different choices--pear helene and peach melba--and then sharing, although I didn't stop at Dolly's "one bite" rule, I have to admit!
On the walk back from Anne Frank, we did see several "red light" windows, and one with a young woman, scantily clad, in the window, waiting for a customer. I am still reflecting on the society here which openly allows drug use and prostitution. I saw many drug addicts, obviously suffering, on the street. "Coffeehouses" allow pot smoking, and the aroma permeates downtown alleyways. The major criminal issues arise, they tell us, from tourists who travel here to partake of what is illegal in other countries, as well as foreign drug dealers who peddle harder drugs (still illegal here).
It was good to come "home" to the castle in Maastricht, a small university town. We suffered a 3-hour bus ride in 90+ degree temperatures without AC, and no windows to open. Cohort 3 is gifted with a great sense of humor (especially in the person of Ron Knight) helped to lighten the atmosphere with one rendition of a sermon on what it feels like to be in hell (envision relating the message to the "red light district") as well as a performance of "Ice, Ice Baby." Cohort 3 continues to welcome me as an adopted member, which I truly appreciate!
Now we start another 3 12-hour days of intense academic coursework. Rested and ready...
Click here to see the album from my Weekend in Amsterdam
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2256220125083.2142830.1235756360&l=39259b4150
Saturday, June 25, 2011
6/25
Friday's workshops included Henny van der Stel, a leadership consultant who coaches executives in change management. This was my *BIG* day because I had the privilege of giving my LAST presentation in my doctoral coursework. The only thing left is the dissertation defense, which will happen in late October (hope, hope). Henny's presentation was my favorite so far because it was very interactive. Even when discussing attributes of bureaucratic (what they call "Anglo-American") versus participative (what they call the "Rijnland model") consisted of sheets of paper with one attribute in large, bold type each, which we had to lay out on the floor, matching left (bureaucratic) with right (Rijnland). I enjoyed presenting with Roz and Peter. Everything that Roz says seems to resonate with the audience. She is a communications lecturer at Baylor University, and is not fearful of telling things as they are and as they should be! I got to share (very briefly) the systems model of organizational development, and got lots of good feedback afterward from the cohort. All in all, contrary to the names given to organizational types, we also strive toward participative management in the US, and I've seen plenty of "Anglo-American" management in action in the Netherlands, so I think I would call it even!
As a group project, we designed a new organizational structure for a school district, and my group came up with a cosmic atomic model which is enormously creative (even if we do say so ourselves). The student is at the center of the universe (draw a circle) with a thin outer ring consisting of parent. Many orbits exist around the student in the school system. Each orbit consists of a teacher and all of those in the school system who interact with that teacher and student, including staff support services (we were very clear that this includes janitor, security, administrative assistants... everyone), leadership team (counselors, principal/president, advisors, etc.). We struggled with where the Board of Directors fits in all of this, since they have less daily interaction with the system. We decided that, ideally, the Board should function like electromagnetism, attracting all of the forces, resources, and attention on the student, and working against gravity (drugs/alcohol, bureaucracy, politics, lack of funding) that seeks to pull attention away from students. In reality, everyone from the teacher to the custodian to the leadership team has to have that *electromagnetic* energy focusing attention and resources on students. It was very inspiring, and a picture is worth a thousand words, as they say.
Henny also had us draw a Venn diagram--on the left listing how we functional as an educational manager, and on the right how we function as an educational leader. In the middle, we were to come up with what we should be doing, ideally. Then we shared ideas with others, and engaged in dialogue. It was a very fruitful exercise.
The rest of the day was spent with two inspectors of schools from the National Education Inspectorate of The Netherlands. As one of them shared, the Inspectorate is the "eyes of the government." They look at rest results, and if those are below average for 3 years, they will visit a school. The ideal is that every school is visited once every four years, but in reality, mostly low performing schools are targeted. There are 88 inspectors for 10,000 schools in Holland. One of our groups had been assigned to give a presentation on the TAKS test and assessment in Texas. I learned a lot from their presentation since I am not in P-12 education. The inspectors also shared information about assessment in the Netherlands, and then we had break-out sessions where we compared similarities and differences. While it seems extreme to us that children are tested at age 12, and this test determines whether they go to university or not, once and for all (usually), the truth is the Netherlands does a very good job of placing children in educational tracks that are suited to their skills and abilities. Instead of a drop-out rate of 25%+ in the US, it is closer to 10% here. We also have high stakes testing, and one could argue that repeated high-stakes tests are very stressful for children. I found it interesting that one of the inspectors has a degree in mechanical engineering and work experience in business.
We are up early this Saturday morning to take a bus to Amsterdam. There we will visit the Anne Frank house, the Van Gogh Museum, The Hague, and the House of Parliament. We have a meeting with a member of the Christian Union party, as well as a meeting at the Ministry of Education. It should be really interesting!
As a group project, we designed a new organizational structure for a school district, and my group came up with a cosmic atomic model which is enormously creative (even if we do say so ourselves). The student is at the center of the universe (draw a circle) with a thin outer ring consisting of parent. Many orbits exist around the student in the school system. Each orbit consists of a teacher and all of those in the school system who interact with that teacher and student, including staff support services (we were very clear that this includes janitor, security, administrative assistants... everyone), leadership team (counselors, principal/president, advisors, etc.). We struggled with where the Board of Directors fits in all of this, since they have less daily interaction with the system. We decided that, ideally, the Board should function like electromagnetism, attracting all of the forces, resources, and attention on the student, and working against gravity (drugs/alcohol, bureaucracy, politics, lack of funding) that seeks to pull attention away from students. In reality, everyone from the teacher to the custodian to the leadership team has to have that *electromagnetic* energy focusing attention and resources on students. It was very inspiring, and a picture is worth a thousand words, as they say.
Henny also had us draw a Venn diagram--on the left listing how we functional as an educational manager, and on the right how we function as an educational leader. In the middle, we were to come up with what we should be doing, ideally. Then we shared ideas with others, and engaged in dialogue. It was a very fruitful exercise.
The rest of the day was spent with two inspectors of schools from the National Education Inspectorate of The Netherlands. As one of them shared, the Inspectorate is the "eyes of the government." They look at rest results, and if those are below average for 3 years, they will visit a school. The ideal is that every school is visited once every four years, but in reality, mostly low performing schools are targeted. There are 88 inspectors for 10,000 schools in Holland. One of our groups had been assigned to give a presentation on the TAKS test and assessment in Texas. I learned a lot from their presentation since I am not in P-12 education. The inspectors also shared information about assessment in the Netherlands, and then we had break-out sessions where we compared similarities and differences. While it seems extreme to us that children are tested at age 12, and this test determines whether they go to university or not, once and for all (usually), the truth is the Netherlands does a very good job of placing children in educational tracks that are suited to their skills and abilities. Instead of a drop-out rate of 25%+ in the US, it is closer to 10% here. We also have high stakes testing, and one could argue that repeated high-stakes tests are very stressful for children. I found it interesting that one of the inspectors has a degree in mechanical engineering and work experience in business.
We are up early this Saturday morning to take a bus to Amsterdam. There we will visit the Anne Frank house, the Van Gogh Museum, The Hague, and the House of Parliament. We have a meeting with a member of the Christian Union party, as well as a meeting at the Ministry of Education. It should be really interesting!
6/24
I must go back and watch the movie, "If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium," because that's kind of how I feel! I log onto my computer, and it shows Texas time. The agenda tells me what day it is, because I truly have no idea! Being in a different country, living and working in a castle (if only for 10 days or so), really changes your perspective. It is surreal.
Last night (Wednesday), we heard Mr. Ron Bonekamp speak. He is a member of the Limburgs voorgezet Onderwys, which is a Board of Directors that oversees secondary schools in the Limburg province. Mr. Bonekamp comes from the education side of the house, having served previously as a principal. Others who serve in similar roles may also come from politics or business. These directors are appointed by a Board of Supervisors which is *not* elected. The Board of Supervisors appoints new members whenever there is a vacancy, which means it is a "closed shop" so to speak. I can't imagine how a board is accountable to the public if there is no connection to democratic choice as to who is in power. One thing that has been interesting is that people seem to accept the way things are done as acceptable, though we have not had much contact with citizens on the street.
The biggest challenge here seems to be decreasing population, resulting in decreasing numbers of students. The general public sentiment is that trust in schools has diminished, but expectations have increased. Accountability has increased dramatically. In the 1990's, all a school had to do was declare a need, and money was there to meet the need. There was equality in funding between public and private schools, so that if a public school asked for funding for a certain need, that funding was also given to private schools, just to be sure it was equal. There was a big move in the 1990's toward decentralization--less control by the government, and more control by the local schools. This required them to become more professional about how they managed schools (more businesslike). Foundations were created with professional boards of directors, such as the one of which Mr. Bonekamp is a member. The trend now, with the new administration in government (Christian Union Party) is in the opposite direction, with cries for more control by and accountability to the government. There is a desire for smaller schools (less bureaucracy), and the feeling is that the government cannot be held responsible for results if all the power goes to the schools.
This is very similar to political debate on education in the United States.
Full-time teacher work 1659 hours per year, preparing 750 lessons, with 450 hours of prep time and 100 hours of professional development. This leaves hours for things to accomplish at school, one of which could include service on the Participation Council of the school. Participation Councils include employees of the school as well as parents. The Participation Council advises the board of directors of the foundation which controls school funding.
While schools are funded based on an October 1st head count of students (lump sum funding), the new government will give money for evidence-based results. The population is declining by 2.5% per year, which results in budget reductions. However, overhead costs cannot easily be cut in such small increments, so management is a challenge.
Class starting... more later!
Last night (Wednesday), we heard Mr. Ron Bonekamp speak. He is a member of the Limburgs voorgezet Onderwys, which is a Board of Directors that oversees secondary schools in the Limburg province. Mr. Bonekamp comes from the education side of the house, having served previously as a principal. Others who serve in similar roles may also come from politics or business. These directors are appointed by a Board of Supervisors which is *not* elected. The Board of Supervisors appoints new members whenever there is a vacancy, which means it is a "closed shop" so to speak. I can't imagine how a board is accountable to the public if there is no connection to democratic choice as to who is in power. One thing that has been interesting is that people seem to accept the way things are done as acceptable, though we have not had much contact with citizens on the street.
The biggest challenge here seems to be decreasing population, resulting in decreasing numbers of students. The general public sentiment is that trust in schools has diminished, but expectations have increased. Accountability has increased dramatically. In the 1990's, all a school had to do was declare a need, and money was there to meet the need. There was equality in funding between public and private schools, so that if a public school asked for funding for a certain need, that funding was also given to private schools, just to be sure it was equal. There was a big move in the 1990's toward decentralization--less control by the government, and more control by the local schools. This required them to become more professional about how they managed schools (more businesslike). Foundations were created with professional boards of directors, such as the one of which Mr. Bonekamp is a member. The trend now, with the new administration in government (Christian Union Party) is in the opposite direction, with cries for more control by and accountability to the government. There is a desire for smaller schools (less bureaucracy), and the feeling is that the government cannot be held responsible for results if all the power goes to the schools.
This is very similar to political debate on education in the United States.
Full-time teacher work 1659 hours per year, preparing 750 lessons, with 450 hours of prep time and 100 hours of professional development. This leaves hours for things to accomplish at school, one of which could include service on the Participation Council of the school. Participation Councils include employees of the school as well as parents. The Participation Council advises the board of directors of the foundation which controls school funding.
While schools are funded based on an October 1st head count of students (lump sum funding), the new government will give money for evidence-based results. The population is declining by 2.5% per year, which results in budget reductions. However, overhead costs cannot easily be cut in such small increments, so management is a challenge.
Class starting... more later!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Visit to Bernard Lievegoed school
Below is a link to the album from my visit to the Bernard Lievegoed school.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2215301702148.2142196.1235756360&l=185e61a4d8
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2215301702148.2142196.1235756360&l=185e61a4d8
Visit to Geography Class in a Dutch "Free School"
When I first found out that I was assigned to visit a secondary school in the Netherlands I was disappointed. I work in higher education administration, and wanted to visit a college or university. Having visited the Bernard Lievegoed school, I am delighted to say that things happen for a reason, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Our host, Marcel Notermans, was lively and gracious. He invited us to observe his 5th grade (comparable to 11th grade in the US) geography class, which was taught in Dutch. I could understand about a third of what was taught, which surprised me. (Ce' Oh Tve' = CO2) There were 11 students in the class, and they were highly engaged in discussion of the subject matter. When the teacher asked a question, they answered quickly and in depth. There was no whispering, texting, or goofing off. Students were respectful and attentive. This is different than my experience of US classrooms. Toward the end of the period, Marcel invited us to ask questions. We asked what students planned after university, and one wanted to make films, another to build cities. One hoped to have a career and family (though she didn't know what career yet), and another said he wanted to leave Holland and travel the world for awhile. None of the students drive yet because legal driving age is 18, and cars are more scarce than in the US. Some students ride the bus as far as 3 hours per day to get to this school. All students reported having 2--3 hours of homework per night.
We had a nice lunch with teachers, including two English teachers: one was Dutch, the other English. He said to be sure to say we met an English English teacher! We also met an art teacher. All seemed very happy to be teaching at this school.
The architecture of the school is modeled after American high schools, we were told, though it seemed light and airy. Marcel mentioned that a tradiitonal Waldorf school would have much higher ceilings and more windows, plus more land outside for hiking and nature-related activities. He said that the primary "free school" in Maastricht is constructed of wood, and has a completely different feel to it. The final presentations that students make upon graduation is given in the amphitheatre at the primary school.
Time for a power nap, and then off to share experiences with everyone else from the days visits. Small groups visited 8 or 10 different school and college sites around town. Then we have an evening speaker and late dinner, followed by group practice for a presentation we have to make tomorrow morning on leadership.
We had a nice lunch with teachers, including two English teachers: one was Dutch, the other English. He said to be sure to say we met an English English teacher! We also met an art teacher. All seemed very happy to be teaching at this school.
The architecture of the school is modeled after American high schools, we were told, though it seemed light and airy. Marcel mentioned that a tradiitonal Waldorf school would have much higher ceilings and more windows, plus more land outside for hiking and nature-related activities. He said that the primary "free school" in Maastricht is constructed of wood, and has a completely different feel to it. The final presentations that students make upon graduation is given in the amphitheatre at the primary school.
Time for a power nap, and then off to share experiences with everyone else from the days visits. Small groups visited 8 or 10 different school and college sites around town. Then we have an evening speaker and late dinner, followed by group practice for a presentation we have to make tomorrow morning on leadership.
6/22-23
Tuesday, our educational travel host, Henk Van Hezel, gave us an overview of the education system in the Netherlands. I did find out that The Netherlands would fit inside Texas 16 times, and I shared that the next day with teachers at the school we visited, and it made them laugh. You think we have it bad with two major political parties, and some smaller ones besides? The Dutch have to deal with 10 political parties, so compromise is essential in order to accomplish anything. Right now, the Christian Union Party is in power (a minority party), and they only have 50 members in Parliament (out of a total of 150), so it will be a challenge to accomplish anything. This is the first time since World War II that a minority party has been in power.
The Netherlands has a queen, Queen Beatrix, but she has no political responsibility. When the Dutch people are asked if they would rather not support (through taxes) the monarchy, they say they want to keep the Queen. Henk shared with us that the educational system is centralized, with decentralized management and administration. He said that "freedom of education" is guaranteed by the constitution. I asked if homeschooling of children by their own parents was allowed, and the answer was unequivocal--home-schooling is illegal. Parents who attempt to home-school are fined and children are forcibly sent to school. Parents may also be sent to prison, and children removed to the custody of the state.
Students take an exam (designed by CITO, discussed later) at the age of 12 which determines whether they continue in a vocational track or a pre-university track. Parents can choose any school, but popular schools may choose students. On the other hand, the birth rate in the Netherlands is declining, and some schools are being closed, creating competition for students. The goal of the government is to raise average Cito scores from 535 (reported in 2010) to 537 by 2015. A lot of resources and attention are paid to low-performing students, but little recognition is given to gifted students or high-performing schools.
Differences from the US educational system include: separation of special needs students from the general population, one major test that decides your educational and career path at age 12, more vocational training earlier in life to prepare for careers, government subsidies of all schools public and private, low university tuition rates (2000 Euros for an entire year).
Our second presenter was Frans Kleintjes, who is a consultant in educational measurement and a senior research scientist with Cito, which provides many assessment instruments for both education and business, but is the unique provider for the test which children here take in the 8th grade to determine their future education and career path. Students are tested on language, arithmetic/mathematics, study skills and environmental studies. At the website: www.citotoets.nl, parents can find 20 sample questions from the previous year's Cito test. Frans said that parents with money pay to have their children tutored and coached for the test outside of school. This is *similar* to ACT/SAT prep in the United States, which is the most similar in terms of a high-stakes test.
After the test, students progress to VMBO (preparatory intermediate vocational education--provides admission to senior secondary vocational education (MBO) after final exams after 4 years), HAVO (senior general secondary education--provides admission to higher professional education (HBO) or senior secondary vocational education after 5 years) or VWO (pre-university education--provides admission to higher professional or university education after final exams after 6 years). While in theory it is possible to move from one track to the other, it is extremely rare, and highly unlikely. The claim by the testing company is that "The Cito Test is a reliable measure of what children have learned during eight years of primary education." Also considered is the assessment of the primary school, and the desire of the parents, but the test is the primary determination. The other controlling factor is that secondary schools get to decide whom to admit, and the test score plays an important part in that decision. About 50% of students score well enough to be recommended for the university track. The percentages used to be 60/40.
Lastly on Wednesday, we met in small groups with teachers from Porta Mosana College, which is a senior secondary (pre-university) school. Marie Luise, whom my group had the pleasure of visiting with, had been an exchange student in high school in Arvada, Colorado. She said the American high school seemed much easier than European secondary school.She discussed "talent-based learning" in which teachers aim to discover the strengths of the student and aim to teach to the student's strengths. She was trained in English at a teachers' college, which is a level slightly lower than university in the European model. She is now a deputy head of her school, which is like an assistant principal.
When choosing a university, Dutch students can study anywhere in the European Union for the same cost due to the Bologna Treaty.
Thursday morning, I traveled by taxi to the Bernard Lievegoed school, which is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolph Steiner. This is similar to Waldorf schools in America. In the Netherlands, they call this a "free school." It has only recently been supported by the government, and that relationship has moved the curriculum to more accountability and testing than the classic Waldorf model of learning. This is a secondary school, and the first two hours of the day look most like what is a traditional Waldorf school. Students spend three weeks on a single subject with a single teacher (just the first two hours of each day). They produce a learning book, which contains research, writing, drawings, etc. on the topic. There is no rubric or guidance for what these books are to contain. We were shown examples of some of these books, and they were quite interesting. Some were rather ordinary, and others extraordinary. In a typical school year, students will produce 12 learning books. The rest of the school day is spent in traditional classes organized by subject (English, Dutch, math, science, etc.). These are called "vak leren." You do not want to hear me pronounce this! I looked it up, and it means "learning box." Marcel explained that much of this secondary school is much more structured than a "free school," especially at the primary level, would be. I imagine more of that is outside the learning "box"!
Our host was Marcel Notermans, a geography teacher. He explained that this is the only school in Maastricht that is growing. (Remember, most schools are shrinking due to low birth rates.) Interviews determine admission to the school, which is competitive. Ten years ago, they had only 60 students, now they have 500. They share some building space with the neighboring United World College, a primary school headed by Catherine Copeland, who we met yesterday. Marcel explained that the focus is on quality education in small groups, concentrating on the talents and skills of the students. The relationship between teacher and student is very close. Cultural artifacts include shaking hands and greeting students before and after every class. This is not the norm in Holland. At other secondary schools students would either take exams in the arts *or* in science, but at Bernard Lievegoed, all students are required to pass exams in both science and the arts.
From 2 to 4PM in the afternoon, students have practical lessons in things like carpentry and hands-on crafts. This is based on Steiner's philosophy that learning should engage 3 things: head, heart, and hands. In addition to the end-of-secondary school exam, "free school" students must prepare a research paper and 20-minute creative presentation on a topic that they are interested in. Another graduation requirement is two weeks of full-time volunteer work for each of 3 years, which is called "stages." In other schools, service learning is performed during a student's free time. Here, it is incorporated into school, and learning competencies must be demonstrated through assignments that a teacher monitors.
The ideal teacher for a "free school" is open to real contact with students, not just "teaching the student" but developing them as a person. Teachers take 10 days of training over a two year period once they are hired here.
The Netherlands has a queen, Queen Beatrix, but she has no political responsibility. When the Dutch people are asked if they would rather not support (through taxes) the monarchy, they say they want to keep the Queen. Henk shared with us that the educational system is centralized, with decentralized management and administration. He said that "freedom of education" is guaranteed by the constitution. I asked if homeschooling of children by their own parents was allowed, and the answer was unequivocal--home-schooling is illegal. Parents who attempt to home-school are fined and children are forcibly sent to school. Parents may also be sent to prison, and children removed to the custody of the state.
Students take an exam (designed by CITO, discussed later) at the age of 12 which determines whether they continue in a vocational track or a pre-university track. Parents can choose any school, but popular schools may choose students. On the other hand, the birth rate in the Netherlands is declining, and some schools are being closed, creating competition for students. The goal of the government is to raise average Cito scores from 535 (reported in 2010) to 537 by 2015. A lot of resources and attention are paid to low-performing students, but little recognition is given to gifted students or high-performing schools.
Differences from the US educational system include: separation of special needs students from the general population, one major test that decides your educational and career path at age 12, more vocational training earlier in life to prepare for careers, government subsidies of all schools public and private, low university tuition rates (2000 Euros for an entire year).
Our second presenter was Frans Kleintjes, who is a consultant in educational measurement and a senior research scientist with Cito, which provides many assessment instruments for both education and business, but is the unique provider for the test which children here take in the 8th grade to determine their future education and career path. Students are tested on language, arithmetic/mathematics, study skills and environmental studies. At the website: www.citotoets.nl, parents can find 20 sample questions from the previous year's Cito test. Frans said that parents with money pay to have their children tutored and coached for the test outside of school. This is *similar* to ACT/SAT prep in the United States, which is the most similar in terms of a high-stakes test.
After the test, students progress to VMBO (preparatory intermediate vocational education--provides admission to senior secondary vocational education (MBO) after final exams after 4 years), HAVO (senior general secondary education--provides admission to higher professional education (HBO) or senior secondary vocational education after 5 years) or VWO (pre-university education--provides admission to higher professional or university education after final exams after 6 years). While in theory it is possible to move from one track to the other, it is extremely rare, and highly unlikely. The claim by the testing company is that "The Cito Test is a reliable measure of what children have learned during eight years of primary education." Also considered is the assessment of the primary school, and the desire of the parents, but the test is the primary determination. The other controlling factor is that secondary schools get to decide whom to admit, and the test score plays an important part in that decision. About 50% of students score well enough to be recommended for the university track. The percentages used to be 60/40.
Lastly on Wednesday, we met in small groups with teachers from Porta Mosana College, which is a senior secondary (pre-university) school. Marie Luise, whom my group had the pleasure of visiting with, had been an exchange student in high school in Arvada, Colorado. She said the American high school seemed much easier than European secondary school.She discussed "talent-based learning" in which teachers aim to discover the strengths of the student and aim to teach to the student's strengths. She was trained in English at a teachers' college, which is a level slightly lower than university in the European model. She is now a deputy head of her school, which is like an assistant principal.
When choosing a university, Dutch students can study anywhere in the European Union for the same cost due to the Bologna Treaty.
Thursday morning, I traveled by taxi to the Bernard Lievegoed school, which is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolph Steiner. This is similar to Waldorf schools in America. In the Netherlands, they call this a "free school." It has only recently been supported by the government, and that relationship has moved the curriculum to more accountability and testing than the classic Waldorf model of learning. This is a secondary school, and the first two hours of the day look most like what is a traditional Waldorf school. Students spend three weeks on a single subject with a single teacher (just the first two hours of each day). They produce a learning book, which contains research, writing, drawings, etc. on the topic. There is no rubric or guidance for what these books are to contain. We were shown examples of some of these books, and they were quite interesting. Some were rather ordinary, and others extraordinary. In a typical school year, students will produce 12 learning books. The rest of the school day is spent in traditional classes organized by subject (English, Dutch, math, science, etc.). These are called "vak leren." You do not want to hear me pronounce this! I looked it up, and it means "learning box." Marcel explained that much of this secondary school is much more structured than a "free school," especially at the primary level, would be. I imagine more of that is outside the learning "box"!
Our host was Marcel Notermans, a geography teacher. He explained that this is the only school in Maastricht that is growing. (Remember, most schools are shrinking due to low birth rates.) Interviews determine admission to the school, which is competitive. Ten years ago, they had only 60 students, now they have 500. They share some building space with the neighboring United World College, a primary school headed by Catherine Copeland, who we met yesterday. Marcel explained that the focus is on quality education in small groups, concentrating on the talents and skills of the students. The relationship between teacher and student is very close. Cultural artifacts include shaking hands and greeting students before and after every class. This is not the norm in Holland. At other secondary schools students would either take exams in the arts *or* in science, but at Bernard Lievegoed, all students are required to pass exams in both science and the arts.
From 2 to 4PM in the afternoon, students have practical lessons in things like carpentry and hands-on crafts. This is based on Steiner's philosophy that learning should engage 3 things: head, heart, and hands. In addition to the end-of-secondary school exam, "free school" students must prepare a research paper and 20-minute creative presentation on a topic that they are interested in. Another graduation requirement is two weeks of full-time volunteer work for each of 3 years, which is called "stages." In other schools, service learning is performed during a student's free time. Here, it is incorporated into school, and learning competencies must be demonstrated through assignments that a teacher monitors.
The ideal teacher for a "free school" is open to real contact with students, not just "teaching the student" but developing them as a person. Teachers take 10 days of training over a two year period once they are hired here.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Photo album
The two links below will take you to both of the EdVenture photo albums. Enjoy!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2207679791605.2141855.1235756360&l=10ee48a270
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2210639785603.2142021.1235756360&l=33411274fb
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2207679791605.2141855.1235756360&l=10ee48a270
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2210639785603.2142021.1235756360&l=33411274fb
Tuesday 6/21
Tuesday's introduction to Dutch culture was fascinating. We started with a visit from Catherine Ann Copeland, the head of the primary division of an international school here in Maastricht. I found out so many interesting things about the Netherlands. Dutch are statistically the tallest people in the world. Space is a luxury in Europe. Probably not so good if you're over 6 feet tall. Holland is the 3rd most populous country in the world. WRONG! Holland is actually a province which in included in the Netherlands. This equates to 400+ people per square kilometer. There are more Holstein cows here than people, hence the proliferation of fabulous dairy products. Not many obese people. Everyone bikes or walks mostly.
Our home base is at a castle in Maastricht, where the treaty was signed to form the European Union. So much history here, I wish I had more time to experience it.
The Dutch are very economical and practical. Things here are very organized, which also means lots of bureaucracy. Directness is a virtue. People are not afraid of stating their opinion, which may not always be politically correct. They don't pretend problems don't exist, but prefer to expose and deal with them.
While taxes are high (40-60% of income), the government provides everything from healthcare to subsidized housing. They will even pay your mortgage if you become unemployed. Yesterday, we saw multi-million dollar apartments nearby student housing for the university. A university education costs the equivalent of $2000 dollars per year.
I could never live here. Ms. Copeland told us that a lot of ideas in Dutch culture derive from Calvinism. One reflection of this is the lack of heavy drapes. Windows are truly a view into people's lives, because they believe everything should be seen. I could never live here! Close those curtains!
OK, this was kind of random, but that was the gist of yesterday's presentation and Q&A. Today is a 12-hour academic day, starting with a presentation on the important tests that children take here which determine their educational track and path in life. This evening, we have a chance to interact with local college students, which should be interesting. More soon...
Our home base is at a castle in Maastricht, where the treaty was signed to form the European Union. So much history here, I wish I had more time to experience it.
The Dutch are very economical and practical. Things here are very organized, which also means lots of bureaucracy. Directness is a virtue. People are not afraid of stating their opinion, which may not always be politically correct. They don't pretend problems don't exist, but prefer to expose and deal with them.
While taxes are high (40-60% of income), the government provides everything from healthcare to subsidized housing. They will even pay your mortgage if you become unemployed. Yesterday, we saw multi-million dollar apartments nearby student housing for the university. A university education costs the equivalent of $2000 dollars per year.
I could never live here. Ms. Copeland told us that a lot of ideas in Dutch culture derive from Calvinism. One reflection of this is the lack of heavy drapes. Windows are truly a view into people's lives, because they believe everything should be seen. I could never live here! Close those curtains!
OK, this was kind of random, but that was the gist of yesterday's presentation and Q&A. Today is a 12-hour academic day, starting with a presentation on the important tests that children take here which determine their educational track and path in life. This evening, we have a chance to interact with local college students, which should be interesting. More soon...
Monday, June 20, 2011
Transatlantic at last
I left home in San Antonio at 5AM Sunday, with the first stop on my trip being Charlotte, North Carolina. It is my new favorite airport--way more cosmopolitan than I expected. I had a chair massage, and could have sat in a rocking chair for a spell, but didn't have time. The ladies restroom even had an attendant (from Russia--I asked!) who whisked out the paper towels for me (so of course, I tipped her). I told her we didn't have restroom attendants in Texas, and she seemed very surprised. I guess she thought it was regular American culture! Another funny sign in the airport in Charlotte said, "Don't plan on sleeping too much!" I'm taking that as my mantra for the next two weeks. I know I will be tired even today, when I get to Brussels, but I just have one day, and can't spend it sleeping!
An 8-hour flight is really not great fun. The last time I did this, I was 16, and everything was possible. Today, my back hurt and my legs ached. All I wanted was to recline fully. Makes me understand why people pay for first class! I eschewed headphones (big mistake). By hour number six, I was so ready for a movie! Of course, there was the obligatory crying baby. No wait! It was an Airbus (8 seats across, two aisles), so I drew two crying babies, one in front and one in back of me. Thankfully no one sat next to me who needed "extra leg room." Two sweet girls from Russia, and an elderly couple from Germany. It was so delightful hearing two different languages, one in each ear. Makes me understand why people don't take weekend trips to Europe.
A quick stop in Frankfurt, Germany, and then a 40-minute flight to Brussels. I had been told how casual everyone dresses in Europe, so didn't bring suits or heels. Well, nearly everyone on the plane to Brussels was wearing a very expensive suit, and only three of us (on a 737) were women! It was very interesting. I felt totally like a tourist, but it didn't bother me much. In reading about Brussels, and driving (100 kph) past the European Parliament, I realized that lots of important business and politicking goes on in this picturesque city. It would be fun to spend more time here sometime in the future.
The taxi cab ride from the airport to my hotel on the Grand Place, Lower Town, Brussels, was hair-raising. It reminds me of the way I used to drive before I had kids! Very fast, zipping in and out of traffic. The hotel is on a beautiful square (see photos) flanked by two museums. Unfortunately most museums in Brussels are closed on Mondays, so will miss them this trip. The hotel itself is a very old building, and most everything except the lovely deep bathtub in the room is old as well. It was worth it to fling open the windows over the market square and watch tourists taking pictures of the front of the building. Wait! I will be in tourist photos! I should have given them a princess wave! I took photos of the buildings all the way around the square on the other three sides.
After a cheat sheet from the proprietor (Hotel Saint Michel only has 15 rooms, and is family-owned), I ventured out to find St. Catherine's cathedral. I had been told that St. Nicolas' cathedral was something to behold, and stopped there first. Many signs pointed out that it was a place for prayer and meditation, so I didn't feel it was appropriate to snap pictures. Man, alive, though, when you are in a church that is hundreds of years old, with beautiful icons and architecture that just takes your breath away, it is really an experience. The streets all the way to St. Catherine's are cobblestones, and my sandals didn't fare so well (nevermind that it had rained all morning, and continues to drizzle this afternoon). I finally made it, and found the church ensconced in scaffolding, and what there was to see of the facade was disappointing (hence the restoration, I guess). No admittance to the inside, so St. Nicolas wins the day!
On the walk back, I stumbled upon Restaurant Chez Patrick. Would totally have eaten lunch there, but it was closed. Instead, I took a chance on the pub next door, and had a spectacular Belgian beef stew made in a beer sauce. Literally spectacular. Nothing but the beef. No veggies (though it was served with pommes frites on the side). Melted in my mouth. Delicious.
Up at dawn tomorrow for another taxi ride back to the Brussels International Airport to meet the UMHB cohort to begin Marian's Excellent EdVenture in Europe. Stay tuned! Should be fun.
An 8-hour flight is really not great fun. The last time I did this, I was 16, and everything was possible. Today, my back hurt and my legs ached. All I wanted was to recline fully. Makes me understand why people pay for first class! I eschewed headphones (big mistake). By hour number six, I was so ready for a movie! Of course, there was the obligatory crying baby. No wait! It was an Airbus (8 seats across, two aisles), so I drew two crying babies, one in front and one in back of me. Thankfully no one sat next to me who needed "extra leg room." Two sweet girls from Russia, and an elderly couple from Germany. It was so delightful hearing two different languages, one in each ear. Makes me understand why people don't take weekend trips to Europe.
A quick stop in Frankfurt, Germany, and then a 40-minute flight to Brussels. I had been told how casual everyone dresses in Europe, so didn't bring suits or heels. Well, nearly everyone on the plane to Brussels was wearing a very expensive suit, and only three of us (on a 737) were women! It was very interesting. I felt totally like a tourist, but it didn't bother me much. In reading about Brussels, and driving (100 kph) past the European Parliament, I realized that lots of important business and politicking goes on in this picturesque city. It would be fun to spend more time here sometime in the future.
The taxi cab ride from the airport to my hotel on the Grand Place, Lower Town, Brussels, was hair-raising. It reminds me of the way I used to drive before I had kids! Very fast, zipping in and out of traffic. The hotel is on a beautiful square (see photos) flanked by two museums. Unfortunately most museums in Brussels are closed on Mondays, so will miss them this trip. The hotel itself is a very old building, and most everything except the lovely deep bathtub in the room is old as well. It was worth it to fling open the windows over the market square and watch tourists taking pictures of the front of the building. Wait! I will be in tourist photos! I should have given them a princess wave! I took photos of the buildings all the way around the square on the other three sides.
After a cheat sheet from the proprietor (Hotel Saint Michel only has 15 rooms, and is family-owned), I ventured out to find St. Catherine's cathedral. I had been told that St. Nicolas' cathedral was something to behold, and stopped there first. Many signs pointed out that it was a place for prayer and meditation, so I didn't feel it was appropriate to snap pictures. Man, alive, though, when you are in a church that is hundreds of years old, with beautiful icons and architecture that just takes your breath away, it is really an experience. The streets all the way to St. Catherine's are cobblestones, and my sandals didn't fare so well (nevermind that it had rained all morning, and continues to drizzle this afternoon). I finally made it, and found the church ensconced in scaffolding, and what there was to see of the facade was disappointing (hence the restoration, I guess). No admittance to the inside, so St. Nicolas wins the day!
On the walk back, I stumbled upon Restaurant Chez Patrick. Would totally have eaten lunch there, but it was closed. Instead, I took a chance on the pub next door, and had a spectacular Belgian beef stew made in a beer sauce. Literally spectacular. Nothing but the beef. No veggies (though it was served with pommes frites on the side). Melted in my mouth. Delicious.
Up at dawn tomorrow for another taxi ride back to the Brussels International Airport to meet the UMHB cohort to begin Marian's Excellent EdVenture in Europe. Stay tuned! Should be fun.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Marian's Excellent Ed-venture to Europe starts tomorrow!
I've been packing and preparing all day, and tomorrow I set off on my epic ed-venture to Europe! I will be completing the final six credit hours of a 60-hour doctoral program, so by the end of July, I will be officially ABD (all but dissertation). Today, as I planned wardrobe and footwear choices, it finally sank in that I am really going. I'm really going! Because of the demands of my job, this is a trip delayed by a year. Rather than being disappointed, I realize that God has a plan, and I may encounter new opportunities and connections in 2011 that would not have been available to me in 2010.
For now, I'm clutching my Eyewitness Travel Guide to Brussels, planning a walking tour, with a visit to the church of St. Catherine first on my list to do on Monday. Nancy Cavender-Garcia gave me three excellent recommendations for cameras, so you will be seeing my take on things worth seeing along the way. The blog will also serve as a journal for one of the classes, so it may be more in-depth than some readers care to indulge in. That's cool, too. I anticipate a full immersion in the European education system, and good fellowship with like-minded professionals. If you choose to have a window on my world, I am honored, and look forward to your comments!
For now, I'm clutching my Eyewitness Travel Guide to Brussels, planning a walking tour, with a visit to the church of St. Catherine first on my list to do on Monday. Nancy Cavender-Garcia gave me three excellent recommendations for cameras, so you will be seeing my take on things worth seeing along the way. The blog will also serve as a journal for one of the classes, so it may be more in-depth than some readers care to indulge in. That's cool, too. I anticipate a full immersion in the European education system, and good fellowship with like-minded professionals. If you choose to have a window on my world, I am honored, and look forward to your comments!
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