Schedule and agenda of the exchange in Latvia

If you wish to have an idea of where I will be at any stage of the exchange, take a look at the tentative schedule below!

RIGA ARRIVAL SAT, 9 APRIL 2011

SUNDAY, 10 APRIL
Orientation to Riga, some sightseeing

MONDAY, 11 APRIL
7:00-8:00 am: Breakfast
8:30 am: Arrival at school
8:45-11:55 am: 2 periods (80 min) – grade 12th and 2 periods – 10th grade
12:00-12:30 pm: Post-lesson discussion
12:30-1:00 pm: Lunch
1:15-1:55 pm: Touring the school
2:00-3:00 pm: Meeting with school administration
3:00-4:00 pm: Discussing the next day's teaching activities; senior graders’ choir rehearsal

TUESDAY, 12 APRIL
7:00-8:00 am: Breakfast
8:45-9:25 am: 1st period - 11th grade; Mary T. McCullagh meets the students of grade 11 to discuss the U.S. political and economic system and to answer their questions, and to start the Civic Voices discussion
9:45-11:30 am: Presentation on the history of our school and the education system of Latvia; visit to the school museum (students as guides)
11:30 pm: Lunch
12:25-2:00 pm: 5th and 6th period - 11th grade - Mary T. McCullagh meets the students of grade 11 to continue the Civic Voices discussion and interview activity in the computer lab
2:15-3:00 pm: Visit to the junior students' school building: touring the building, and participating in the junior graders' folk dance group rehearsal
3:0-4:00 pm: Planning for the next day's workshop for regional EFL teachers
6:00-8:00 pm: Teacher-parent meeting at school./Meeting with the former biology teacher Tamāra Zitcere on Holocaust.

WEDNESDAY, 13 APRIL
7:00-7:30 am: Breakfast
8:00 am: Basic school students' choir rehearsal
9:25-11:55 am: 2nd, 3rd and 4th period - observation of lessons in different subjects and grades according to Mary McCullagh’s interests
12:00-1:00 pm: Debrief with the teachers to discuss the importance of effective lesson planning
1:00 pm: Lunch
2:00-4:00 pm: Workshop for regional ESL teachers on the U.S. education system and American values, and Civic Voices Project
5:00 pm: Sightseeing in Riga and a visit to Riga History Museum or Occupation Museum

THURSDAY, 14 APRIL
7:00-8:00 am: Breakfast
10:30am-6:00 pm: Visit to Valmiera State Gymnasium: meeting another TEA alumna of 2010 Ms. Vaira Vira; classroom observations; Mary T. McCullagh meets the senior graders to discuss the U.S. educational, cultural, political and economic system; workshop for EFL and History teachers.


FRIDAY, 15 APRIL
9:00 or 10:00am: Visit to the Ministry of Education
11:00 am: Visit to the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy. Meeting with Amy Storrow, Cultural Affairs Officer and Scott Simpson, Cultural Affairs Officer

7:00pm: opera ‘Turandota’

SATURDAY, 16 APRIL
9:00-10:00am: Breakfast
10:30 am: Visit to local market
12:00 am: Visit to Latvian Ethnographic Open-air Museum
1:00 pm: Lunch at traditional restaurant

SUNDAY, 17 APRIL
9:00-10:00 am: Breakfast
11:00 am: the Gauja National Park, the Gauja Premival Valley, Turaida Castle (13th century) and museum; the Secret Soviet Bunker in Līgatne – some 60 km from Riga

MONDAY, 18 APRIL
7:00-8:00 am: Breakfast
8:45-11:55 am: 1st to 4th period – 10th, and 12th grade - a comparative lesson on significant Latvian and US democratic events and documents: analysis of the similarities and differences.
12:00-12:30 pm: Post-lesson discussion
12:30-13:00 pm: Lunch
3:00-4:00 pm: Discussing the next day's activities in Secondary school No 34
4:00 pm: Field trip to the resort town Jurmala - seaside

TUESDAY, 19 APRIL
7:00-8:00 am: Breakfast
10:30 am-2:00 pm: Visit to a minority school in Riga - Secondary school No 34: meeting another TEA alumna of 2010 Ms. Marina Grecanina; classroom observations; Mary T. McCullagh meets the senior graders to discuss the U.S. educational, cultural, political and economic system; workshop for EFL and History teachers.

Afternoon

WEDNESDAY, 20 APRIL
7:00-8:00 am: Breakfast
9:25-11:55 am: 2nd, 3rd and 4th period –10th, 11th and 12th grade classes
12:00-12:30 pm: Post-lesson discussion
12:30-13:00 pm: Lunch
12:15-3:00 pm: Debrief with the teachers to discuss the role and organization of a differentiated teaching/learning process; meeting with the school administration and teachers to evaluate the U.S. teachers's visit
3:30 pm: Visit to Riga City Education, Culture and Sport Department

Evening in Andernovics family (Silvija and her father)

THURSDAY, 21 APRIL

9:00-11:00: U.S. teacher - roundtable discussion with the members of History Teachers’ Society

Last-minute shopping

Field trip to Bauska Castle (15th century) and museum, Rundale Palace and Jelgava Palace (18th century, Italian architect Rastrelli) - 70 km from Riga

FRIDAY, 22 APRIL GOOD FRIDAY

Last-minute sightseeing
Getting ready for departure

DEPARTURE FROM RIGA ON SATURDAY, 23 APRIL