SchoggiLand - Chocolate Land

Last Thursday we went on an adventure (that’s what we call field trips) to Schoggiland in Flawil, Switzerland. Schoggiland is at the Maestrani Chocolate Factory.  We have been studying Technology and how it has changed the world. This trip was to give the kids an inside look at how technology changed the process of chocolate manufacturing and distribution.  It was a huge success and the best part of all (besides all that the kids learned of course) was the free chocolate samples.  Oh the chocolaty goodness!!!

Woo Hoo - Giveaway! (With Chocolate)

I am so excited for my first Giveaway! I have been torn for the last week between doing a digital “gift” and an actual one.  I don’t know about you but I LOVE getting a letter or a package in the mail.  I thought there might be others out there that feel the same excitement at the thought of an unexpected gift arriving in the mailbox.

Once I decided on a real giveaway I had to find the perfect thing.  Since I live in Switzerland I wanted to give away something from here.  I also wanted it to be something a teacher would love.

Here it is.  (There is a choice of two books depending on the grade level you would prefer)

The two books are both classics from my childhood.

The first is A Bell For Ursli by Selina Chonz and Alois Carigiet.  It is a picture book from the Engadine region of Switzerland (the Alps). 

It has been translated into English and I still have the original version in German from my childhood.  I love this story!!!

The second book is a chapter book by Otfried Preussler. He was born in Czechoslovakia and the book has also been translated into English.  This is a GREAT book for ESL/ELL kids because it helps with English language acquisition. It has certain words bolded and includes definitions at the end of the chapter.   The story is lovely and I remember it fondly to this day.  

Both books are amazing!! They are brand new (new car smell) and ready for a home in your awesome class library.

Last, but certainly not least, the chocolate. I'm sending along a variety of swiss chocs including the two in the picture.  Just thought they were cute because they are wrapped like swiss army knives. =

So...how do you enter (WIN) this fabulous giveaway??

It's simple just pick an item below, each item is one entry to win. Please remember to post once per entry. My fabulous friend Maya, who is coming all the way to Switzerland to pick your name out of a hat, will select the winner on Monday March 19th. Ok, she's coming to visit me and we will use the random generator, but she may be your lucky charm.

1. Follow my blog

2. Follow my store

3. Post about this giveaway

4. Add me to your blogroll

5. Grab my button and place it on your blog

Once I've picked a winner I'll contact you to find out which of the two books you'd like. All you have to do after that is wait for your fabulous gift to arrive!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Camp Verbier

One of the most obvious difference between schools in the States and schools here in Switzerland is the legal culture regarding school outings and trips. Going to camp and on over-night field trips is part of the culture and is valued as an essential part of the curriculum.

My class got the chance to go on Camp for the first time as it is only for grade 3 and up. The excitement was palpable and the kids were so eager and excited.

We went to a camp in Verbier, Switzerland. Verbier is in the French speaking part of Switzerland and nestled in the Alps. The views are incredible as is the hospitality of the locals. The camp we attended is called Les Elves and the staff was brilliant with the children and the staff. In fact, they provided a couple bottles of Wine every night after lights out for the teachers to enjoy. Of course the culture with regards to Alcohol is much more relaxed in Switzerland. It is not uncommon to have alcohol at staff events after school.

We were at Camp for 5 days. We met at the train station Monday morning and said goodbye to parents and proceeded to take four trains and one bus to make it to our destination. The trip was great but very hectic as we left during rush hour. It was difficult getting 56 children and 8 adults with all the luggage onto the train in the few minutes it stops at the station.

Our week was filled with lots of fun. We went hiking and had bbq's. We visited a local Zoo and saw wildlife from the area (including a Lynx which connected wonderfully to our endangered species unit). We had fun game nights with staff, rock climbing and ropes course outings. The entire week was a total smash!!

One of the PYP learner profiles is to be a Risk-Taker. It was fabulous to see my kids really getting a chance to be risk-takers in new situations. Some had never been away from their parents over-night, or been in a situation that was so new and foreign. But they all did brilliantly.

As part of the curriculum we try to make reflection on learning a daily habit. Camp was no different and kids took time to write in their camp journals and reflect while the events were still fresh in their memories. Here are some of what they said:

"Today I rock climbed for the first time ever! I got to try the easy, middle and challenging way up. The man was very nice and helped me a great deal. I can't wait to come here next year."

"The ropes course is my favorite thing I ever have done. I was so scared at first but after I tried it then it was so much fun. The zip line was sooooo scarry. I was thinking that I would fall but I was a risktaker and did it and it was good."

"Camp is the funnest camp I have been going to. I hope I get to be going again next year."

"Miss Pam helped us in the music game last night. She knew most of the songs and we almost won. Then we played musical chairs and I got out right away. It was so much fun but the food is not so good."

Hello from Switzerland!

Hello! My name is Pam and I teach third grade at an International School in Zurich, Switzerland. This experience is brand new to me and so is teaching in an IB school. IB is a program of study called International Baccalaureate. The vision of the IB is to "help develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world" (www.ibo.org).

Let me tell you a little about my class. I have 12 students in my class from 10 different countries. 11 of the 12 are English Language Learners (ELL). While many of them have parents at home that speak English, their primary home language is anything from Swiss German to Bulgarian. I myself speak Swiss German and this helps me daily as our students also take three hours of German instruction a week. In stark contrast to Amanda's school, the tuition for my student's is paid by their parents and costs nearly $30,000.00 a year. This allows for an element of financial freedom when planning lessons, adventures (field trips), camp and activities. Our school is relatively small in comparison to most International schools. We have a total of nine classes from K-5. I am lucky to teach one of two third grade classes and therefore have a great opportunity to collaborate with my grade level partner teacher.

Amanda and I studied in the same program at the University of New Mexico and earned our Masters in Elementary Education. We were taught the same fundamentals and we have a similar teaching style. This blog is our opportunity to share our experiences and to highlight not just the differences in our individual classrooms, but also the similarities.

As for me...

I'm 30 something years old.

I live in Duebendorf Switzerland.

I love to read and have a passion for children's literature.

And teaching makes me happier than anything I've ever done before