Culminating Activities

The last few days have been extremely busy. We presented our final project, toured Renton Technical College, and went to the zoo. We also had an opportunity to see the Greenwood Seafair parade and the Ballard Locks. Each experience added new insights.

Thursday night was a special evening at Salty's Restaurant in West Seattle hosted by Phil and Geta Condit. The food was delicious and the conversations reflected the power of bringing two cultures together. Today Phil Condit led a discussion about leadership. I am grateful to be a part of this program, and I will continue to think about leadership and how it is reflected in our schools and the classroom.

It is hard to believe that this part of our journey is coming to a close.

The next posting will be from Jordan.

I am very excited to see what all the tomorrows will bring!

The Mariners Game

It was a beautiful summer evening and a first baseball game for our Jordanian friends. However, our enthusiastic cheers did not help the Mariners as they played the Red Sox.

Pacific Science Center

We spent Thursday, July 16 and Friday, July 17 at the Pacific Science Center. We are very fortunate to live in an area that recognizes the value of science education. Michael led a session about questioning strategies and Zeta led a session about the phases of the moon. It made us realize how important it is to ask questions to move student thinking forward. There was also time to explore the museum, see an IMAX movie about the Grand Canyon, and time to try tasty bites at the annual Bite of Seattle at the Seattle Center. I am anxious to see what will happen tomorrow.

Learning at IslandWood

Just 35 minutes from Seattle, IslandWood is located on Bainbridge Island. The mission of IslandWood is to provide exceptional learning experiences and to inspire lifelong environmental and community stewardship.

When I reflect on our time at IslandWood, respect is the word that comes to mind. I felt respected as an educator and respected as an individual. Respect for the environment was an essential part of this learning experience. Thank you to all the individuals at IslandWood.

IslandWood Environmental Learning Center

Museum of Flight

We spent Thursday, July 10 and Friday, July 11 at the Museum of Flight. Melanie, Brian, Rich, and Seth organized and presented innovative activities. The Challenger Learning Center and the Aviation Learning Center provided hands-on experiences for students. We all learned how important it is to Dream, Discover, Soar.

Olympia

Today we traveled to Olympia and met with Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen, Secretary of State Sam Reed, and officials from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The discussions at O.S.P.I. focused on policy, nondiscrimination, anti-bias, cultural competence, and Washington State Reading First. I was impressed with the dedication and hard work of these individuals as they strive for success for Washington's one million public school students.

I am anxious to see what tomorrow will bring.

Tuesday, July 7th

Our morning started with a visit to Broadview Thompson Elementary School. We were able to watch math and reading lessons with second and third grade students. We also went to another school and watched a teacher teaching Arabic to elementary students. I watched and listened as he reviewed the Arabic alphabet with his students. That might be where I need to start!

In the evening we headed to Lake Washington for sailing lessons. Again, the evening was beautiful with a slight breeze. The volunteer sailing instructor was a young man who was a graduate of the U and worked at Boeing as an engineer. His patience and expertise were needed to make novice sailors feel like old salts.

Seattle Tourists

Monday was a great day to be a Seattle tourist. We went to the Pike Place Market and had a behind the scenes tour of the market. Then we went to the top of the Space Needle for breathtaking views of the city while Mt. Rainier loomed in the distance. The day ended with dinner at the Seattle Center and a movie at the IMAX theater. The side conversations were interesting as we chatted about the U.S. culture, the Jordanian culture, and the educational systems of both countries.

I am in awe of the intelligence of this group of people. It is my honor and privilege to be a part of this experience.

Sunday, July 6, was a busy day. We started at the downtown library with a tour. Then we headed for Debbie's parents' home on Lake Washington. Swimming in the lake, rides in a speed boat, and a salmon BBQ made a perfect day.

Snoqualmie Falls

Life at the University

Our days have been filled with stimulating lessons from UW professors and graduate students. Dr. McDiarmid facilitated a discussion about our own educational journeys and another about the U.S. educational system. Dr. Windschitl led us in an inquiry based science lesson. We also were involved in a critical literacy lesson and a mathematics lesson. This has been a great way to stretch all our of thinking. During the course of our study here we will answer question,

"What does it mean to be a global citizen?"

We also found time to visit Theo Chocolate, a roaster of Fair Trade Certified cocoa beans and the only roaster of organic cocoa beans in the United States.

Tonight we are off to the Seattle Art Museum.

I know a few words of Arabic now and continually keep my new Jordanian friends laughing as I attempt the correct pronunciation of a few meaningful words and phrases. You will be interested to learn the meaning.

JET Fellows

Dinner at the Condits

Last night Phil and Geta Condit hosted a fabulous dinner at their home in Redmond. We were able to greet the Fellows from last year as well as meet new friends. I am grateful to the Condits for their vision of seeing educators as individuals who are able to move into the next generation. I am excited to see what today as well as tomorrow will bring.