The TOP experience began in Hamburg, Germany with a city tour by boat on the Elbe River. The tour detailed some of the city’s distinct history and showcased the modern prosperity of northern Germany’s commercial shipping market. The port of Hamburg is one of the largest in Europe and is a remarkable study in water-borne commerce. The close proximity of the tour boat to the port facilities and container ships gave a unique perspective on the massive scale of the operation.
The afternoon of Day 1 was spent at the Federal Institute for Teacher Training and School Development for an overview of their programming and insight into the German educational system and how being a teacher in Germany compares to that of the US. The session was a valuable introduction to the nuances of the German system and the many ways that being a teacher in Germany has significant benefits! People here go into teaching for the money! In addition to tax breaks, low-interest loans, a no-input pension system, etc. the system seems great for educators yet they still face a teacher shortage similar to that in the US. It is very puzzling.
Day 2 of the Hamburg leg of the experience was actually in the city of Kiel in far northern Germany. It is Kieler Woche (Kiel Week), the third largest public festival in Germany after Oktoberfest and Karnival by my understanding. Last year the city welcomed over 3.8 million visitors for the maritime-based event featuring a sailing regatta of both Olympic and International class competitions, an International Market with vendors from several dozen countries serving their unique cuisines, a carnival, concerts, youth activities, and many other attractions. It was an amazing experience! One real takeaway for me was the lengths to which the community and organizers go to make things inclusive, culturally powerful, and representative of every age group and entertainment style. The director of Kieler Woche spent time detailing the planning and purposefulness of the event and gave our group some valuable lessons in leadership and management. This all-day adventure left us all exhausted but fulfilled. What a treat this experience was!
The agenda for Day 3 focused on two school visits within the city of Hamburg. We got an early start at the Winterhuder Reformschule Here we heard from the headmaster and a teacher about the unique style of independent, project-based learning they employ with their students and got to tour the facilities, speak with students, and experience their school culture. This school was in an upper-middle-class neighborhood within Hamburg and functions very differently from a traditional German school. Teachers function more as coaches than instructors and every student works on independent, self-selected projects. Students led the tours and answered questions along the way. There is a real sense of student empowerment within the school and a focus on pushing students to overcome limitations and gain confidence and maturity through intrinsic motivation and accomplishment. Students in grade 8 each have to complete a summer challenge of approximately 3 weeks that ranges from hiking and camping in the Italian Alps, biking across Germany, and developing sustainable projects in Hamburg. Each teacher leads a challenge team in a unique adventure. It is about overcoming and learning about oneself. Very interesting.
The second school visit was on the outskirts of Hamburg in more of a working-class neighborhood and has some distinct challenges because of its location. The Stadtteilschule Eidelstedt is supposedly a less desirable school for families to send students to yet it was a beautiful facility with a vast array of amenities, flexible seating, and open-concept spaces. In the US it could be a flagship school facility for a city but in Hamburg, they struggle to entice families into their doors. Nearly 90% of their students are from migrant backgrounds but it doesn’t seem to limit the school’s mission. A teacher talked to us about their situation and circumstances and it was very similar to the earlier school visit with a focus on flexible learning styles, independent and collaborative project-based learning, and an emphasis on student empowerment. She gave us a tour of the facility and it was impressive to say the least. It is difficult to believe they struggle to attract students!
The main event for the evening of Day 3 was the UEFA EuroCup soccer match between Turkey and Czechia in Hamburg. Turks are the largest non-German ethnic group in the country and were expected to show out in large force. A small group of us went to the stadium to watch the contest in person while many others attended a public viewing of the matchup in a city park in Hamburg. I had never attended an international soccer match and knew I was in for a treat. I was not disappointed! We had seats on the third row from the pitch just behind the goal and gained a thorough appreciation for the passion of soccer fans. I am so glad I decided to spend the money for the experience! Now it is on to Leipzig for Leg 2 of the TOP 2024 Tour…
Bill and Jeff's Historical Travel Blog 