5th day: Thursday, 27th November 2009

My last day at the school HAH/HAS. I am sorry to leave. I have seen so many interesting lessons, colleagues, who are trying their best to enable students to take responsibility to learn, widen their horizons and become involved citizens of the EU.
I had another German language lesson by Astrid Gessel Pingera. Some of her students in the second class of the vocational school have difficulties with the German language, since the language is not their mother tongue. She tried to encourage them to use proper spelling and grammar. I observed that the students respond to their teacher´s suggestions very well, although the subject is quite difficult for them.
The English teacher, Eva Schulze was kind enough to invite me into her class and show me the level of the students´ knowledge of English. They are specially good in business English which is absolutely necessary for any business communication.
I had an interesting experience staying at the school. By comparing the two systems I have found out that we are not that different. Most of the European teachers want the same, help their students to become better people, grow personally and professionally. To put it Mr Wagner´s words: “Is there anything more beautiful and rewarding for a teacher than watching one´s students grow and become adults.” I think teacher at the schools I have visited during my stay in Austria are doing exactly that.

3rd day: Wednesday, 25th November 2009

The German language lesson in the so called “Notebook class” by Barbara Aichinger.
Students became a homework which was written and sent to the schools Moodle platform. The teacher corrected die essays and sent them back with the comments to the Moodle platform. During the class each students access the platform and can see their essay and the essays of other students. Students try to do other things on their computer besides learning. They play computer games and switch quickly when they see the teacher approaching. Feels like home.

Krems - Dürenstein - Spitz - Melk - St. Pölten

Afternoon activities were much more interesting. Helmut, my personal tourist guide took me to all of the interesting places around the region Krems-Wachau. We stopped in different small villages along the way. The most exciting and beautiful was the visit to the Monestry Melk. The beautiful buildings, thr grammar catholic school, the museum, the Benedic orden monestry are a wonderful example of the barock architecture and design in Austria. The beautiful weather accompanied us on the excursion which finished in St. Poelten. The buildings in the capital of the region Niederoesterreich are modern and remained me of the EU buildings in Brussels.
In the evening I was invited to the most know tourist farm, which sells the latest wine production of the family Graf. Besides excellent wine we tried the local specialities. The teachers of the host school HAK/HAS have offered to join and we had a wonderful evening. This was the best way of getting to know the region and its people.

2nd day: Tuesday, 24th November 2009

The lesson of Entrepreneurship and Management by the teacher Karel Gutleder was very interesting. The student reported about “the practice day” they had last week in different firms of the region. They have interviewed the managers of successful firms and banks of the region. All of them were impressed by the hospitality of the leading management of the banks and firms and inviting art of welcoming the students. The students will have finished the portfoilio reports by the next week. The portfolio consists of the questions for the leading management, the data about the companies they have visited and their impressions. A thanking letter of the students with a plea for a possible matura seminar in the following year will accompany the portfoilio, which will be sent to the receiving firms.
The students had to report about their project work they have been working on since October. The project is a preparation project for the last year matura seminar, which is a part of their final exam.
The project report consists of: project title, project summary, project aims, pros and cons,starting/finishing point/date, project mentor´s name, project group members (each group has a leader and two group members, project financial plan. The projects take about six months to finish. In the last year they have to pass their final exam by preparing a work which is divided into: explanation of the choice for the project theme, thanking and declaration of authenticity, members of the group presentation, each group members´ working plan, working process plan, timeline, questionnaires, possible working shits.
Students work in groups, take time to discuss things, they ask the teacher for support. Teacher has organised a plan of possible interviewees, all important managers of the region in all possible branches of industry, social life, non-profit organisations. Two groups of students have to deal with one firm. One group organises the event, which is the actual interview, the other prepares for the interview of the manager. Some managers are happy to come to school and spend some time with students, some invite the whole class to their firm. Students organise trips to the firms as far as to Vienna.
I observed a relaxing, working atmosphere in the class. Students work in groups without much help from the teacher. The teacher is available for the questions, any kind of help, but will not interfere with the students’ work. Students have been prepared for such kind of work since their 3rd year. They start by choosing a small project, finding a firm in their surrounding and asking them for the data, possible interviews and anything they want to tell them. They continue with a bigger project in the 4th class and finish with their matura seminar.
Communication and social studies class by the teacher Christian Matern.
He teaches so called Personality Building and Social Competences Class. The students were given the text explaining different ways of communication. The teacher explains about one way communication, two way communication, the possible difficulties and better ways to a better understanding of one another. The task, where one person explains the group what a picture represents, was successful, since they had simple figures to describe. In the description of more complicated subjects, even by asking questions they encountered more problems. Explanations of students feelings while they were doing the tasks was interesting, since they haven’t been made aware of the problems in communication before. The last task was for the students find out in small groups what are the most important circumstances for successful communication and understanding.
The stress in this subject is on learning plans, time management, personal hygiene, dressing code in a business environment, presentation of oneself.

Afternoon trip to the neighbouring towns Und and Stein
The two towns are actually a part of the town Krems an der Donau. The two parts Und, which used to be a village and the little town Stein are now a part of a bigger picture. They are both picturesque. The small village Und has a big university, the Danube University. The bigger part of the university buildings are new, but they combine wonderfully with the old tobacco factory which used to situated at the same place.
There is a nice walk from there to the Stein. The little place used to be under constant threat of the river Danube. New precautions and moder technology have been used to protect the beautiful medieval part with its Frauenkirche and the Minorbrothers church. Both are no longer churches. The first has been made into an important reminder of all those who were killed in the two world wars, the later has been converted into a beautiful restaurant, ball and performance hall. Near the Danube reiver baks there is Kunsthall, cultural centre and Caricature Museum. The banks of the river Danube offer a romantic walking path back to town Krems.

7th day: Sunday, 22nd November, 2009

Krems and Heuriger with Maria und Helmut

6th day: Saturday, 21st November, 2009

Sacherhotel, Albertina, shopping, Schloss Belvedere

5th day Friday, 20th November, 2009

Bundelshandelsakademie und Bundeshadelschule Wien 10, Peter Slanar