High School

Since I'm in the US, visiting a High School, I'll treat my regular readers to an English blog post. This way my hosts here in the States can read as well.

So, I'm a High School student today. I'm at Decorah High, visiting different classes. Right now I'm in a speech class, the students are doing research for a debate they are having. The issues are quite familiar to me – abortion, gun control, drinking age, things like that.

Decorah High has 650 students. Today 22 Lundeneset-students and 3 teachers are running around getting an impression of what it's like being in High School in this part of the US. Everyone is really friendly, and we feel like we're all welcome.

I was in a History class earlier today. I was able to take a look at curriculums, textbooks and tests they use. I think my students would like the American style better than the one I use – a combination of multiple choice and writing an essay on a topic. Maybe I'll try it out and see what happens.

It's really strange being in an American High School in real life. I've seen this a hundred times in movies and TV series. The lockers, the sports banners, the cafeteria. It all looks more or less like the ones I've seen on the screen. There are a few things I have noticed so far, that I would like to implement in my classroom back home.

1. If I was a teacher in an American High School, the studetns would call me Mr. Vignes. I'd like that.
2. When the students here are told to do research on the Internet, they actually do research on the Internet. Well, most of them… They don't play Tetris, read each other's blogs, chat, and so on. They are working. Great.
3. They seem eager to learn. I don't always get that impression back home. Realising my students back home probably are going to read this: GET A HOLD OF YOURSELVES! THE AMERICANS ARE BETTER THAN YOU!!

Later today we're having lunch, then I'm off to an English class. Their teacher has told me that they have questions prepared for me – hopefully I'll be able to give them sensible answers.

Tonight we're going to see at show performed by the Peking Acrobats at Luther College.