Dag 13 (20 feb): Verkoudheid en gebakken kip

My nose feels like it’s three times bigger than usual, not a pleasant feeling. Because of this (and because once again I didn’t sleep very well) I was very pleased to find a text message of Ana (Spanish student) on my mobile telling me that the morning lesson was cancelled. This meant that I could stay in bed until 10 o’clock, I could: take a long shower, do the dishes, read some texts of Dewey and relax. After lunch I left one hour before the lesson began because I was going to check out a new bicycle route (through the Maastunnel instead of over the Erasmus bridge). Because of my cold I really wanted to go by bicycle. This trip turned out to be very pleasant: once through the Maastunnel, you pass a beautiful park and you can ride really relaxed and save.
It did took me 30 minutes to get to school (I can do the Erasmus bridge route in 20 minutes) but it was worth every minute. I discovered a lot of new things: water at the end of the Slaghekstraat, the park and some interesting shops.

Once arrived at school it took me 5 minutes to lock up my bicycle (I still have to get used to the two locks) and it took me 10 minutes to wait for an elevator. In the end, I was tired of waiting and I walked to the sixth floor, using the stairs.
The lesson this afternoon was about the community school. These are schools in which the community around the school is involved in school activities and where the community and school benefit from each other. Community schools are especially very useful in ‘dangerous’ areas where they offer the children a world of the streets, in the school buildings, with a range of activities going from dancing to cooking. In this way, the community helps the school (because these activities are organized by the city of Rotterdam) and the school helps the community (by keeping the children and youngsters of the streets).
I really liked this idea and I think it really works. Off course you can’t reach everybody in the neighbourhood of the school but it will make some difference.
The teacher also showed us a scene from the film ‘Dangerous Minds’. She asked us what the teacher (Michelle Pfeiffer) did good and what she did wrong.
Then we discussed punishing: is it useful or not? How can you punish? I think that ignoring the pupil and his/her behaviour is the best way to punish them. Then they get the feeling they don’t exist and that’s not a pleasant experience for a human being.

After the lesson I treated the others with some Belgian chocolate (as a treat for my birthday). They really loved it.
Then I went home the same way I came, got lost, took my map, found my way again, got home and I cooked! Yes, it’s not a spelling error, I cooked a meal. I baked some chicken. Now, you might think: “Only chicken? Then you’re not quite the chef then,” but it was the first time I baked chicken. For me it’s a big step because I’m afraid of gas and I’m especially afraid of gas cookers but nevertheless I used my gas cooker. It even tasted like a chicken should taste!