Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Night in the Tram

So I have written that I am teaching Night. A few days after passing out the book. One of my students came to school with a pretty amazing anecdote. He said that he had been reading the book in the tram, and an old man approached him. The old man asked him if it was the first time he read the book. My student said yes. Then the old man said that everything in the book is true and that he had been in a concentration camp.

Wow.

Teaching Night

I ordered the book Night by Elie Wiesel in the beginning of the school year. I have found that this book with a compelling message and a jarring exposure of not so distant history is enough to enrapture even the most resistant readers. I taught it during both my years of teaching in the US (it is fairly universally on the Freshman English curriculum) and I understood that my students would be at about that equivalent level. What I failed to consider is the protective nature of Swiss parents, especially when it comes to violence.

So I realized that I need to tread lightly. I talked to my students about the prospect of reading the book - I wanted to find out if any had a reaction against it, even personally talking to the younger and/or more sensitive of my students. I do not want to expose kids to something that they think they are not ready for. Then I discussed it with my principal - he supported me.

Another argument for teaching the book is the not so subtle undercurrent of intolerance that I find in my students. They can be quite nasty - as children can be- when it comes to issues nationality, race, religion, and sexuality. I am not usually one to be become so worked up - it takes a lot. But when I hear my students saying incredibly insensitive and disturbing things with the confidence that they are right, it does incense me. This is an the aftermath of a very anti immigrant election with undertones or racism. A popular image was a group of three white sheep then a black sheep being kicked out.

So, I see Night as a book that can be used to teach methods of tolerance, and help students become a bit self reflective. Hopefully, that will learn to question. What am I saying? Why am I saying it? How does it impact other people? Why is it dangerous?

We will see.

I´m Going to Egypt

So, I have been a negligent blogger for the last few weeks due to being both very very busy, and being continuously sick and tired. I seem to pick up every cold, every stomach bug there is. Or to be fighting ongoing illness. However, I have not stopped thinking about blogging. Every few days, something happens and I think - hey, I should write about that. So now I will put a string of tidbits from my life for the last month up.

But before I look to the past, here´s to the future! I am going to Hurghada, Egypt on Friday for a week. I am very very excited for this adventure. It all started when a coworker mentioned that she found a last minute deal to the Canary Islands during our two week Feb. vacation. That got me thinking - maybe Jan and I can find a last minute deal. So I brought up to Jan, we looked at the possibilities, and then we decided - naw, not the right time. His big exams are 4 weeks away and he has to devote himself to studying. As for me - I do I have German class which I would miss. So we were good and decided at a future date and time we can travel.

Then , to my surprise, Sunday night, Jan said - ok, we need a vacation. At first we were into the Canary Islands, but it turns out that Egypt is cheaper and offers more for the money. So we are going! I have to admit I had some reservations going to an a potentially volatile region which the American Embassy recommends against traveling to. Let´s find a quote: U.S. citizens who still plan to visit the Sinai in spite of the persistent threat of terrorist attacks should exercise great caution. Ok, so I am not visiting the Sinai (Well, there is a slim possibility that we will check out the pyramids - I mean, they are the pyramids. But the prospect of 5 hours in a police escorted convoy across the desert is a bit off putting.) but after some research I found out that in 1996 60 tourists were killed in Hurghada - that is where I actually am going. So despite the allure of Ancient Egypt - and it is alluring, I have decided it may be best to stay in my hotel complex and enjoy the sun and the ocean. That prospect doesn't sound so bad.