Jubilee Christian School makes Germany a monthlong lesson
-
Post-Gazette photo Students at the Jubilee Christian School pose for a photo directed by school director Mary Wolling on Monday.
Share with others:
"It's an unusual way of teaching not found in many schools," said Jubilee Christian School Principal Mary Wolling about the Mt. Lebanon private school's intense All School Unit on Germany, which is going on this month.
"We want the children to experience learning firsthand. So, this month they will be just immersed in the culture of Germany, even dressing and eating as do Germans."
The entire school of 92 children in kindergarten through grade 6 is taking a monthlong look at the country, combining instruction with good old-fashioned fun as they learn using all senses: hearing about it from eye-witnesses, seeing historical re-enactments, smelling and tasting authentic German food and touching pieces of history, including a brick from the Berlin Wall.
Each year in March for the past 18 years, pupils have done an intense unit of study on a subject they and their parents vote on.
Germany won big this year, because it is the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Blockade and Airlift, which occurred shortly after World War II when the Soviets blocked access to western-occupied areas of Berlin.
On opening day March 4, pupils, wearing traditional Tyrolean hats and carrying walking sticks, had a chance to walk back in time to four historical destinations, through a "time machine" made from a wooden frame fashioned with flashing lights and silver tarp.
Each destination in "Germany'' and its history came alive, with the help of volunteers using elaborate handcrafted props made by parents and painted by artist Shelley Gredlein, of Center Township, Beaver County.
A "soldier" from that time told pupils about the desperation of some East German people who tried any means to get across the Berlin Wall to freedom.
A statue of composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1784) came to life and gave a narrative of his life as well as that of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Hansel, from the Grimm Brothers Fairy Tales, outfitted in lederhosen, escorted the children to a ''Castle in the Black Forest'' and recounted the lives of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
The commanding presence of Martin Luther dressed in a black academic robe greeted pupils in the 1500s at the Wittenburg church, where he nailed his 95 theses to the wooden door.
"The kickoff event gets the kids psyched for the whole month," said Lori Cook, a coordinator of the event, and mother of two boys at the school.
During the month, pupils receive instruction about Germany for an hour each day geared to their level. Each of the seven full-time teachers is given a portion of the unit to teach -- economy, history, geography, people, art, music and food. On Friday, pupils in kindergarten through grade 2 learned about the economy in Germany and saw German-made cars in a PowerPoint display.
Guest speakers are scheduled throughout the month and are often friends and family, such as the grandparents of a pupil who lived in Germany.
"The kids get so excited about the visitors," Mrs. Wolling said.
Parent Amy Smith enlisted the help of her neighbor, Werner Philipp, who grew up in Germany during WWII.
"He's been an amazing advocate for the school and helped us make vital connections for this unit," Mrs. Smith said. As a result of Mr. Philipp's efforts, Honorary German Consulate David Murdoch will speak to the pupils during the closing event on April 2.
Mr. Philipp, who grew up in Germany during WWII, visited the school to lead a Deutscher Klub one hour per day with each grade level. He teaches them German words, songs and traditions.
Other special activities are Bavarian dance lessons by The Mueller Family Plus, a day set aside for tasting authentic German food prepared by parents and an all-school lunch also with traditional German food.
It takes hundreds of hours of planning by teachers and parents, Mrs. Wolling said. It starts in the spring with ballots sent to each family listing three countries to choose from. Once the votes are tallied, parents help with gathering artifacts, decorating the rooms, locating books and possible speakers.
It's a lot of work, but "God provides," said Mrs. Cook, who saw her neighbors' fallen tree as an opportunity to provide walking sticks, which are popular in Germany.
"I love trying to find interesting and exciting ways for my kids to learn," Mrs. Cook said.
She learned about "stoknagels," metal emblems that walkers attach to their sticks to remember places they have visited, and arranged to use cards for the emblems. Pupils receive a stoknagel at each destination on their time travel tour.
"It's a wonderful example of people working together," Mrs. Wolling said.
"We can grow up so focused on our own lives here in the United States. The way the unit is presented it gives the kids a unique and exciting way to learn about other people and cultures.
Mrs. Cook added that "since we are a Christian school, kids become aware of another people to pray for and their needs.''
The unit will end with an evening celebration on April 2, when pupils share with their parents the songs, dances and culture they have learned.
Next year, the monthlong unit will focus on Egypt, Canada or Japan.
The 20-year-old Jubilee school is non-denominational, is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International and offers an integrated-based curriculum organized into thematic units. The school integrates all of the state-mandated requirements for subjects like spelling, reading, math, science, plus activities into units such as "transportation" and "the circulatory system."
"It's a very innovate approach to education, but research shows this is how children learn best," Mrs. Wolling said. Pupils work on units within their grades throughout the year and one "All School Unit" per year. The school meets in the education wing of Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church and tuition is $3,780 for a child in grades 1-6.
For more, call 412-561-5917.
First Published March 13, 2008 6:48 am
