Teacher Aboard Logs
Part 2 of September 13, 2000 Log

Old Copenhagen

We were docked just around the corner from an area called Nyhavn, which is a stretch of canal bordered by a great collection of restaurants. The canal was filled with old boats that still serve as fishing vessels or homes for some of the city's people. I was happy to meet with a few owners who were pleased to tell me about their boats and how they make their living.

It was also here where I tasted some of the Danish foods served in a buffet style for lunch. I promised the students at the Danish school that I'd try the several kinds of herring and other fish, so I found a small restaurant where the waitress advised me what to order and then took a picture while I was eating. This is one course of a typical Danish meal. The open face sandwich that is so famous in Copenhagen is called 'Smorrebrod.'

Schools Ahoy!

I visited my first school in Barsvaerd, which is a twenty minute train ride out of Copenhagen. This school was very interesting in that students could actually attend from the age of one (kindergarten) all the way to eighteen due to the various sections of the school which are spread over a vast area. The school also includes a small boarding school right on the lake.

I saw a map hanging on one of the walls that identified all the countries that students at the school call home. I was amazed to find that students come from India, Russia, China, and other distant lands just to attend this school! My contact there was Lone Rieman who, like most people I've met in Europe, spoke excellent English. The picture shows Lone in one of her classes. She also doubles as a Guidance Counselor and stays very busy!

I also met Helle Thune, the headmaster, and found that she has family living in Martha's Vineyard in the USA.! She had a wonderful sense of humor that was immediately evident in that she has several sets of eyeglasses that are all different colors to match each school week! The school uses colors to identify weeks since their schedule isn't fixed like in American schools. Their students have different classes each day and so their 'color schedule' keeps them organized. Ms. Thune was wearing green glasses, so I knew where to look on the schedule to see what classes were taking place. Very chic!!

The students were very interested in their American counterparts and look forward to communicating with students in Maryland. The scrapbook I delivered to them from Perry Hall Middle School was an immediate hit. After a forty-minute discussion about Pride II and my mission as an Educational Ambassador, the kids all huddled around to look at the scrapbook. Almost every student I've met owns a computer and is very comfortable using the Internet, so I imagine Perry Hall is about to make some new friends!

Copenhagen International School

The next day the coordinator of the upper levels of the Copenhagen International School, David Muddle, picked me up. We took a taxi to the school, which is in Hellerup, about halfway to the school I'd visited the day before. This school has students from all over and sends many of its graduates to American Ivy League colleges. We met in an art room that was filled with student projects, some of which also adorn the walls of the school. The students were very interested in our theatre programs in American schools. Even the administrators asked many questions and voiced a strong interest in establishing a Theatre Arts program at Copenhagen International School. They stressed the need for well-rounded students and feel that putting too much emphasis on pure academic classes may produce an intelligent student, but not necessarily one that functions well in society.

I enjoyed my stay very much and was impressed with their school. So I said goodbye to my new friends and headed back to Copenhagen. I hope to stay in contact with them, and I know that they are ready to hear from a school back home!

Tivoli!

Copenhagen is also famous for its amusement park, Tivoli. Long ago the king was approached and asked if an amusement park could be built in the city. After pondering the question, the king decided that such a park would keep the public out of politics and leave him alone! So Tivoli was built in the middle of Copenhagen.

It is quite an amazing park. One area has lots of rides for all ages, while a short walk away finds several large outdoor performing stages. Talented acts come from all around the world to perform. I watched a sea lion act before I strolled away to check out a different area with shops filled with local folk art. Probably the most impressive part of the park is the gardens. There are water fountains everywhere and at night over 100,000 lights illuminate the gardens. I shot this picture just as darkness was falling.

Goodbye, Jesse

Back at the boat we were saying goodbye to yet another crewmember, Jesse Kenworthy. Jesse was the Bosun on board, which means that he was responsible for everything having to do with the rigging of the boat. Pamela who is to the left of Jesse in the picture replaces him as Bosun. Speaking of crew members, I'd like to start introducing you to the crew, so beginning with my next log I'll tell you a little bit about them, where they are from, and why they're here. Until then, I'll sign off and get this in the 'electronic mailbox!'

Your Teacher Aboard,
Lee Vogtman

YOUR THOUGHTS

1. How do the modern windmills generate electricity, and are they worth the expense?
2. Can you figure out how much travel distance we saved by using the Kiel Canal?
3. Do you know the Greek and Roman names for the two figures in the sculpture?
4. Why is it so important to include exposure to the arts in our educational system? What can we learn from the arts? Specifically, name the classes that are included in the phrase, 'The Arts.'

Return to Part 1 of the September 13, 2000