Sometimes, visiting another country is all that is needed to feel inspired and reinvigorated. And in May 2024, that is what happened when Oberlin City School District teachers Mrs. Bronwen Fox and Mrs. Margo Trinter traveled to Germany with Dr. Jody Kerchner from the Oberlin Conservatory.
With the support of the Oberlin City School District, and a grant from the National Education Association, Mrs. Fox and Mrs. Trinter were able to travel to observe music classes. The entire musical journey began in the Fall of 2022 when University of Hannover doctorate music educator students and their professor arrived in Oberlin and visited local classrooms. Additional Germans visited Oberlin City Schools in Spring 2024.
“While they visited all the times, they were able to have conversations about music education and music pedagogy in America,” Mrs. Fox said.
But when an opportunity presented itself for Mrs. Fox and Mrs. Trinter to visit and explore the University of Hannover and Lübeck, they knew what they wanted to do: travel.
Both teachers were able to visit Lübeck for four days and the UniversityHannover for two days. Between the two cities, the Oberlin City School District teachers visited schools, with observations of first grade classrooms all the way up to college courses.
“We were able to build connections with fellow music teachers, including being able to visit an International Baccalaureate school. At all places they had great conversations. During these visits they were able to see similarities and differences in their teaching and music education between America and Germany,” Mrs. Trinter said.
And when they left Europe, they came back to Oberlin with a new perspective.
“We saw students having authentic conversations about music and the world today. Students were creating their own raps with a focus on themselves. And, students were preparing for their end of year concerts,” Mrs. Fox said. “It was definitely an inspiration and we are thankful for a great opportunity to study abroad.”
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