Khabarovsk ... Наконец! (Finally)

We've been here since Thursday but this is the first time I've had a chance to start blogging about our experience so far in Khabarovsk. We were greeted at the airport by our host teacher Marina and fellow teacher Elenia and a school driver. They took us to the hotel where we were able to check in and get some sleep before we met up with them later that afternoon. Another friends of theirs, Vera (a parent of one of Marina's students) volunteered to be our driver ands together we made our way around the city, stopping to see the many beautiful sights. Later was a dinner at a local cafe "Macadamia" for more great company and discussions.

 

My traveling partner from Ohio Eric, Marina (our Russian host teacher) and I touring around Khabarovsk on our first day here.

 

 

 

During our first day at the Lyceum school here, it became instantly clear what a great educational institution this is. We met with the Principal and Vice-Principal assisted by several teachers for their English language classes. They gave us a nice overview of the school system here and how they operate. The Principal is a recipient of the highest order of honors for teachers in Russia!



At the Lyceum, they have grades 3-11 and students must pass an entrance exam in order to be able to me admitted here. Thus is a high-level school for learning with a STEM focus and the competition to get in is very high.. The school has 506 students in 19 classes and the Parent Teacher Association is very strong. The parents advisory group helps to make important decisions for the school such as how to spend funding and where to place educational focuses.

From there, we sat in on several classes. I was impressed to see teachers here using the KWL teaching method (What do you already Know about a subject, What would you like to know, and what did you learn by the end of the lesson). We also sat in on some English language classes where we entertained several questions from their very inquisitive students. After school we visited the Robotic Club.

Later that evening, our host and her son took us to the local Khabarovsk zoo. I didn't know the tiger is not called a Siberian Tiger, but in fact it is known as the Amur Tiger -- because it doesn't live throughout Siberia, but only in this region around the Khabarovsk Krai. Then a fine dinner across the bridge over the Amur River to the "Left Bank," a shlashki place in the Jewish autonomous region ( an area set aside by Russia post WWII for Jews to leave Moscow and move to this area near Khabarovsk) T'was delicicious!