Today was our last lesson, and I want to think about what I've learnt in the last three weeks.
I think, I could improve my English grammar and my pronounciation. Unfortunatly I had the impression, that my English didn't improve during the last week, but remaind on the level I reached before. I think, that three weeks are a too short time to become completly fluently in English.
I've learnt a lot through listening to other people, for grammer and pronounciation. I also think that my corrections from the blogtexts helped me to see my own mistakes. I think, learning here was more effective than all my English lessons at home because in Cincinnati someone told me my own grammar mistakes and I could correct them.
I could acquire new knowlege in the importance of culture and the unterstanding of culture. More about that topic I will write in my next blog.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Reflection of our experiences
This is our last day in the United States, and our last blog.
Today I talked about stereotypes Germans have about Americans, I must admit that I had some too. For example, I thought that most Americans go to Fast Food restaurants, that they drive around in cars most of the time, that they are very strong religious, and that most of the Americans have guns.
I've learned during the last three weeks and my preparations that a small part of stereotypes is most of the time true, The important thing is to understand why Americans behave like that, or why they have things, which Germans don't want to have.
Gestures, discussions, religious, status symbols are parts of culture and we have to learn and accept them, even when we don't understand them. We can't be integrated in a new country, when we don't know anything about it, and when our only knowledge are stereotypes.
I have learnt how different culture is, and in how many parts of life it is integrated. I got a new impression how important it is to be prepared and open minded when you go abroad, even when it doesn't safe you completly from falling down.
Today I talked about stereotypes Germans have about Americans, I must admit that I had some too. For example, I thought that most Americans go to Fast Food restaurants, that they drive around in cars most of the time, that they are very strong religious, and that most of the Americans have guns.
I've learned during the last three weeks and my preparations that a small part of stereotypes is most of the time true, The important thing is to understand why Americans behave like that, or why they have things, which Germans don't want to have.
Gestures, discussions, religious, status symbols are parts of culture and we have to learn and accept them, even when we don't understand them. We can't be integrated in a new country, when we don't know anything about it, and when our only knowledge are stereotypes.
I have learnt how different culture is, and in how many parts of life it is integrated. I got a new impression how important it is to be prepared and open minded when you go abroad, even when it doesn't safe you completly from falling down.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Yesterday we went to the famous Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.
In comparison to the railway underground museum, the Hall of Fame and the Museum were not so impressive. For me it was a real museum with old cloth, guitars, history etc., but no shrine. They tried to use as much media as possible, for example, with movies, computers, and music. The famous songs in the background should create a feeling of being part of this time.
I think for a person who is interested in music and the musicians, this museum would be a perfect place. For people like me, who have no greater knowledge and interest in musicians, and who listen to music because they like to hear it, this museum was no so impressive and extraordinary.
In the museum were different display cabinets, and on their side were huge display boards which shown the history of this period. In the display cabinets were different cloth, guitars, records, and other things from musicians from this period. They tried make the history more real by showing this important things from a period.
I think that the museum wanted to show how the American culture influenced the different kinds of periods and different kinds of style, for example, the influence from the Afro-Americans in the 50-thies. Music is an important part of the American culture because the musicians are heroes and examples.
It's a little bit like the story of the "American dream", to have a dream himself, and then to make the dream come true. For a lot of Americans, musicians are an example, an ideal, someone who made his or her dream come true, even when they behave strange, or take drugs. They are heroes for normal people because they can fascinate thousands of people, while a normal man has problems to fascinate, and to speak in front of five people. On the other hand musicians are an example especially for teenager who often imitate their behavior.
In comparison to the railway underground museum, the Hall of Fame and the Museum were not so impressive. For me it was a real museum with old cloth, guitars, history etc., but no shrine. They tried to use as much media as possible, for example, with movies, computers, and music. The famous songs in the background should create a feeling of being part of this time.
I think for a person who is interested in music and the musicians, this museum would be a perfect place. For people like me, who have no greater knowledge and interest in musicians, and who listen to music because they like to hear it, this museum was no so impressive and extraordinary.
In the museum were different display cabinets, and on their side were huge display boards which shown the history of this period. In the display cabinets were different cloth, guitars, records, and other things from musicians from this period. They tried make the history more real by showing this important things from a period.
I think that the museum wanted to show how the American culture influenced the different kinds of periods and different kinds of style, for example, the influence from the Afro-Americans in the 50-thies. Music is an important part of the American culture because the musicians are heroes and examples.
It's a little bit like the story of the "American dream", to have a dream himself, and then to make the dream come true. For a lot of Americans, musicians are an example, an ideal, someone who made his or her dream come true, even when they behave strange, or take drugs. They are heroes for normal people because they can fascinate thousands of people, while a normal man has problems to fascinate, and to speak in front of five people. On the other hand musicians are an example especially for teenager who often imitate their behavior.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Religion in America
Religion in America is a different and more difficult topic as in Germany. On Sunday we visited the Crossroad Church in Cincinnati and today a mosque.
The Crossroad Church is a Baptist Church and the majority of Americans belong to that one. The bulding and the service there is completly different that in a traditional churche. The building is hugh and modern, and the auditorium has seats for nearly 4000 people. There are no crosses, no bibles, no sacraments, no traditional prayers and songs. The prayers in the service are done through their songs, which are very powerful, rhythmical and emotional. The music and the priest speech is supported by movies and pictures from hugh screens.
Cossroads try to reach their people by being open, untraditional and helpful, and that makes it interesting for younger people who do not want to hear biblestories and interpret them. They can reach people who want to change the world active, help other people back into life and give poor people and children a few beautyful moments.
Religious experience means at Crossroad to continue the work and the idea of Jesus, by action and by proselytize, even when they don't say it so open.
On the other side we see the traditional Islam
The Crossroad Church is a Baptist Church and the majority of Americans belong to that one. The bulding and the service there is completly different that in a traditional churche. The building is hugh and modern, and the auditorium has seats for nearly 4000 people. There are no crosses, no bibles, no sacraments, no traditional prayers and songs. The prayers in the service are done through their songs, which are very powerful, rhythmical and emotional. The music and the priest speech is supported by movies and pictures from hugh screens.
Cossroads try to reach their people by being open, untraditional and helpful, and that makes it interesting for younger people who do not want to hear biblestories and interpret them. They can reach people who want to change the world active, help other people back into life and give poor people and children a few beautyful moments.
Religious experience means at Crossroad to continue the work and the idea of Jesus, by action and by proselytize, even when they don't say it so open.
On the other side we see the traditional Islam
Friday, August 28, 2009
Medical Care in America
Today we visited the high-tech genetics laboratory in the Childrens Hospital in Cincinnati, and a general purpose pharmacy called Wallgreens.
At Walgreens people can buy drugs for a cold, a flu, or pain releivers, and creams for cuts, and burns. The drugs are good for "household care" and first aid, for example, when you have a headache, or cut your finger. You don't get any help from a pharmacist,so you have to find the right drug for you on your own.
People in the laboratory (short: lab) want to find the reason for a serious disease, by testing your blood, and if necessary our genome. After the tests, the doctor gives you the right medication.
At Walgreens there are only drugs for "normal" diseases like a cold or a burnt finger. If you're seriously ill, you can't find anything. That's very important because otherwise it would be very dangerous. There are drugs with different kinds of price levels, so that everyone can buy the most important things.
Testing in hospital is very expensive, especially when your insurance dosen't pay everything, or nothing because you are out of the ordinary classification.
The hospital wants to find out how diseases work and what human beings can do to prevent or to stop them, so their purpose is reseach and development. To be successful, they need patients who go to the hospital and want to know what's going wrong with them.
The purpose of pharmacies is gaining money. For that, they need people who can not afford to see a doctor or don't want to go.
In my opinion, nobody can be forced to go to the doctor or to the hospital for checking. Nor can a doctor force you for a treatment, or a special test, for example, a gene test. It's always up to you, and you have the personal autonomy. Of cause you have to bear the consequences, for example the insurance doesn't pay for you after you rejected the treatment.
At Walgreens people can buy drugs for a cold, a flu, or pain releivers, and creams for cuts, and burns. The drugs are good for "household care" and first aid, for example, when you have a headache, or cut your finger. You don't get any help from a pharmacist,so you have to find the right drug for you on your own.
People in the laboratory (short: lab) want to find the reason for a serious disease, by testing your blood, and if necessary our genome. After the tests, the doctor gives you the right medication.
At Walgreens there are only drugs for "normal" diseases like a cold or a burnt finger. If you're seriously ill, you can't find anything. That's very important because otherwise it would be very dangerous. There are drugs with different kinds of price levels, so that everyone can buy the most important things.
Testing in hospital is very expensive, especially when your insurance dosen't pay everything, or nothing because you are out of the ordinary classification.
The hospital wants to find out how diseases work and what human beings can do to prevent or to stop them, so their purpose is reseach and development. To be successful, they need patients who go to the hospital and want to know what's going wrong with them.
The purpose of pharmacies is gaining money. For that, they need people who can not afford to see a doctor or don't want to go.
In my opinion, nobody can be forced to go to the doctor or to the hospital for checking. Nor can a doctor force you for a treatment, or a special test, for example, a gene test. It's always up to you, and you have the personal autonomy. Of cause you have to bear the consequences, for example the insurance doesn't pay for you after you rejected the treatment.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Today we went to the Ohio University in Columbus, which is the capital of the state Ohio. We saw an exibition about the fall of the Berlin wall and another exhibition about the changes of Berlin houses within 10 years.
There was nothing new to learn about the fall of the Berlin wall, because the exhibition was very small and their were only photos but no or less explanations.
The exhibition of the fall of the Berlin wall is from a German class, so it is a German perspective. Some photos were extraordinaiy, some I didn't understand, but the main part of the exhibition was nothing special.
The comparision between the houses after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1992/1993 to 2002/2003 was more interesting, but not extraordinary, and their was no new perspective.
I think that the fall of the Berlin wall was and is a sign that nothing is forever, even when there is totalism and fear. As we could see after the election in Afghanistan people don't like to be foolished and betrayed. Even if they haven't been sucessfull until now they could have been inspired by the fall of the Berlin wall and the power of people.
For me it is important to keep history alive through maintenance and reconstruction, because faults from the past could as prevent from the same faults in the future, but we have to know them and be aware of them.
I'm from the western part of Germany and study since two years in the East part. Unfortunatly there are still boarders in the minds of people and a lot of prejudices. Even younger people in my age think that eastgermans are strange and maybe stupid. For them it's more a feeling, but when you ask them why they have prejudices they don't know any reason.
When you visit Berlin, there is nearly nothing left from the fall of Berlin. Everything is modern, wealthy, and openmind. But as we know, there are still prujudices in the mind of people, and I think it is the task of my generation, from people, who come from the West and live in the East, to reduce these prejudices.
There was nothing new to learn about the fall of the Berlin wall, because the exhibition was very small and their were only photos but no or less explanations.
The exhibition of the fall of the Berlin wall is from a German class, so it is a German perspective. Some photos were extraordinaiy, some I didn't understand, but the main part of the exhibition was nothing special.
The comparision between the houses after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1992/1993 to 2002/2003 was more interesting, but not extraordinary, and their was no new perspective.
I think that the fall of the Berlin wall was and is a sign that nothing is forever, even when there is totalism and fear. As we could see after the election in Afghanistan people don't like to be foolished and betrayed. Even if they haven't been sucessfull until now they could have been inspired by the fall of the Berlin wall and the power of people.
For me it is important to keep history alive through maintenance and reconstruction, because faults from the past could as prevent from the same faults in the future, but we have to know them and be aware of them.
I'm from the western part of Germany and study since two years in the East part. Unfortunatly there are still boarders in the minds of people and a lot of prejudices. Even younger people in my age think that eastgermans are strange and maybe stupid. For them it's more a feeling, but when you ask them why they have prejudices they don't know any reason.
When you visit Berlin, there is nearly nothing left from the fall of Berlin. Everything is modern, wealthy, and openmind. But as we know, there are still prujudices in the mind of people, and I think it is the task of my generation, from people, who come from the West and live in the East, to reduce these prejudices.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Study in the Childrens museum
Today we went to the Cincinnati Childrens museum to observe the different styles of play, the intensions of the instructors and the childrens activities and reaction to the purpose.
This museum is specially designed and built for children between two and ten years. There are fewer objects to have a look at, but a lot of interactiv stuff and play for children. Everything is colourfull, and it's possible for the children to touch and play with it. There are no ancient objects, but every-days stuff. Children don't have to be quitly, they can talk, and laugh, and run around.
The purpose of this museum is to let children learn while they are playing. It's important to have different areas for different ages, especially for younger childeren (from one year to the age of 5 years) because they develop very quickly.
There should be one area for children between the age of seven to twelve month because in this space of time, they like to explore, to find hidden objects, and to shake things. For example, there should be balls and cubs and other stuff from foam plastic children can play with.
The next area should be for children between the age of one and two years. Children in this age like to walk, to climb stairs, to run and to hear stories. There should be different books with interesting short stories and a lot of pictures, different kinds of steps like a ladder od some ropes to go up. The ground should be coverd with different kinds of material, for example, foam plastic, carpet, plastic stones etc., and a lot of room to run around.
Children from the age of two and 3 1/2 year like to learn new things and explore. Water, sand and different kinds of material would be very interesting for them.
Children between the age of 3 1/2 and 5 years want to know a lot of things. They like doing arts and like to play with "real stuff". For example girls like to do their own household, care about the dolls and do all the stuff their mums used to do. It would be good for the girls to learn during the play to use fresh and healty food, or do do fresh cooking. There should be a lot of interesting information for the children about food, and care for pets etc.
Children between the age of 5 and 8 years like to learn a lot of new things and want to know how the world works. In the Childrens M-useum there was a place where the children could build a door. There should be books for children with different kind of stories in big letters, so that they can read them on their own and their should be some instruments to play with, or for the boys technical stuff.
In the veterinarian exhibit, children should learn to care about their pets. On the wall was a list with some instructions for the exhibit, for example to look at the pet ears, and eyes, and feet, to clean the teeth, and to brush it. Unfortunaty most of the children weren't able to read the instructions because they were too small. They played a little bit with the dogs and cats, looked at the instruments, and gave water to the pets. The main purpose to have a look at the health of a pet has not successfull achieved.
Traditional classroom learning is still very important to get the basic of an idea or the solution of problem, but it's also very important to let children learn by doing it on their own. For example, during an exhibit like the Childrens Museum, or a physical experiment, or to create something new and extraordinary.
The difference between traditional and interactive learning is that children get only information about things work, but they do not really understand how this thing is going on. For that reason, interactive learning is very important.
Children should know how things work, and when they are doing it on their own, they will lose their fear of new and unknown things and just try it, even if they have no idea what will be the result.
To try things without knowing the result is very important for adults, and it's also very important to lose the fear of new things.
This museum is specially designed and built for children between two and ten years. There are fewer objects to have a look at, but a lot of interactiv stuff and play for children. Everything is colourfull, and it's possible for the children to touch and play with it. There are no ancient objects, but every-days stuff. Children don't have to be quitly, they can talk, and laugh, and run around.
The purpose of this museum is to let children learn while they are playing. It's important to have different areas for different ages, especially for younger childeren (from one year to the age of 5 years) because they develop very quickly.
There should be one area for children between the age of seven to twelve month because in this space of time, they like to explore, to find hidden objects, and to shake things. For example, there should be balls and cubs and other stuff from foam plastic children can play with.
The next area should be for children between the age of one and two years. Children in this age like to walk, to climb stairs, to run and to hear stories. There should be different books with interesting short stories and a lot of pictures, different kinds of steps like a ladder od some ropes to go up. The ground should be coverd with different kinds of material, for example, foam plastic, carpet, plastic stones etc., and a lot of room to run around.
Children from the age of two and 3 1/2 year like to learn new things and explore. Water, sand and different kinds of material would be very interesting for them.
Children between the age of 3 1/2 and 5 years want to know a lot of things. They like doing arts and like to play with "real stuff". For example girls like to do their own household, care about the dolls and do all the stuff their mums used to do. It would be good for the girls to learn during the play to use fresh and healty food, or do do fresh cooking. There should be a lot of interesting information for the children about food, and care for pets etc.
Children between the age of 5 and 8 years like to learn a lot of new things and want to know how the world works. In the Childrens M-useum there was a place where the children could build a door. There should be books for children with different kind of stories in big letters, so that they can read them on their own and their should be some instruments to play with, or for the boys technical stuff.
In the veterinarian exhibit, children should learn to care about their pets. On the wall was a list with some instructions for the exhibit, for example to look at the pet ears, and eyes, and feet, to clean the teeth, and to brush it. Unfortunaty most of the children weren't able to read the instructions because they were too small. They played a little bit with the dogs and cats, looked at the instruments, and gave water to the pets. The main purpose to have a look at the health of a pet has not successfull achieved.
Traditional classroom learning is still very important to get the basic of an idea or the solution of problem, but it's also very important to let children learn by doing it on their own. For example, during an exhibit like the Childrens Museum, or a physical experiment, or to create something new and extraordinary.
The difference between traditional and interactive learning is that children get only information about things work, but they do not really understand how this thing is going on. For that reason, interactive learning is very important.
Children should know how things work, and when they are doing it on their own, they will lose their fear of new and unknown things and just try it, even if they have no idea what will be the result.
To try things without knowing the result is very important for adults, and it's also very important to lose the fear of new things.
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