Dutch Life and School Visit
Last Friday we took the train north of Amsterdam to the Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen. Students explored Dutch life as it was a century ago complete with tasting smoked fish and rope-making! Some of the students had a 'les' in writing in the preserved classroom. You'll see in one photo how teachers kept "ADHD" students attentive by throwing a beanbag bird at them!
Saturday was "Zaturdag Open Air Markt" which has been happening for 900 years!
On Sunday there was an optional excursion to The Hague to see "mini Holland". Madurodam is an magnificent testament to Dutch ingenuity allowing students to observe replicas of Schiphol Airport (with moving airplanes) and water treatment systems. Finally, we stopped at Scheveningen boardwalk in The Hague to get some ice cream and people watch on the North Sea.
Class is well underway with Professor Markos engaging discussion-based approach to learning about Dutch education. Today we took the bus outside of the city to visit a 'bassischool' (elementary) where lovely Dutch fifth-graders explained (in English!) how the school is run.
Did you know the Pilgrims lived in Leiden before setting out on the Mayflower? We walked about Gothic Pieterskerk (St. Peter held the keys to the gates of heaven) and paid our respects to the brave pioneers who made way for our American Life.
