Reprinted with permission from Albany Democrat-Herald
Learning from other cultures
By JENNIFER MOODY
Albany Democrat-Herald
Superintendent Pat Bedore once considered offering only Spanish as the foreign language study choice at Albany's two high schools.
That was before she took a two-week trip to Germany on behalf of the Fulbright Program, an international education program.
Now, she'd not only keep South Albany's German class but expand it — along with the Spanish, French and Latin offered at West Albany — to lower grades.
"I just believe it's an important perspective to keep, that people don't all speak the same language," said Bedore, who returned Oct. 25. "It honors people's culture and history to recognize they have a language of their own and be able to communicate in it."
Traveling with superintendents from across the United States, Bedore visited the German cities of Rostock, Stuttgart and Berlin. All expenses were paid by the Fulbright Program.
She was a guest in classrooms from primary through university levels, visited the program's four major business sponsors, took in the opera in Berlin and saw as many monuments, cathedrals and other cultural high spots that could be packed into two weeks.
She even got a ride in a Porsche 911, going 160 mph on the speedway track at Porsche's research and development plant. That was both fun and terrifying, she said. "I was laughing the entire time, I remember that."
The best part of the trip, she said, was learning how another country teaches.
Germany has been known for a three-way school system that, as early as about fourth grade, separates students into university, business or vocational study tracks.
That system doesn't work as well in a world where technology has replaced most manual labor jobs, so German schools are beginning to change, Bedore learned.
Some places are experimenting with school designs similar to those in the United States, where children are educated together from first through 12th grades. Bilingual and "magnet" schools, which focus on particular subjects such as science or the arts, are also in the works.
Bedore was particularly impressed with the requirement, in all schools, that students learn English. She visited one 10th-grade class where the discussion, in English, centered on controversy about the "Harry Potter" books. Students then were assigned to write — also in English — about the pros and cons of book-banning.
Bedore came armed with questions about how the Germans handle special education and how partnerships with businesses are formed.
Special-ed students appear to be segregated, she found, at least partly because many German schools operate out of old buildings without ramps, elevators or other handicapped-accessible facilities.
As for businesses, they are expected, rather than encouraged, to offer student training programs. Businesses that refuse must pay fines.
"I just see that as a very strong school-to-work program," said Bedore, who is already working with Albany-area businesses to develop closer associations. "I'd love for our businesses to feel some responsibility towards that."
Reprinted with permission from Albany Democrat-Herald
