Estonia Educational Trip 2024: Day 4

4/30/2024

55 Comments

(30 Apr) The day I had been looking forward to has arrived. Day 4 is the day we go visit schools. Half of the Hong Kong delegates went to a secondary school in the morning while Principal Chan, Mr Kwan and I chose to visit another school, which was named Tallinn German Gymnasium (the word "Gymnasium" in the German language refers to high school, not a place for workouts!). This school provides education to students from Year 1 to 12 (or in their saying, 1st Class to 12th Class). Therefore, that's a "through-train" school like Ying Wa!

As expected, the school was impressively big with plenty of space for students to run around and release their endless energy. The school impressed me with a high level of respect to students' independence. That could be seen through the fact that:
1. Students were basically not required to wear uniforms, particularly the high forms.
2. Mobile phones were allowed to be used during recess time from Year 5 onwards.
3. Students were encouraged to freely run around the campus and enjoy the different apparatuses around the school like gymnastic rings and a range of climbing areas.

Another cool thing about this school is that they are using a lot e-tools to help teachers do marking, like a lot of homework and even tests are done through computers and they are marked by computers. This saves a lot of time for teachers and students. But of course, the effectiveness of this concept is still debatable if used in our school's context.

Principal Chan, Mr Kwan and I were arranged to watch a Year 4 Maths lesson. There were 18 students in the classroom and they were actively engaged in the calculation activities. Although we didn't understand the language they used (Estonian that was), we could feel the energy of the lesson and the clarity of the teacher's instruction.

It was a pity though that we didn't have a chance to speak to their students. I hope that in our later visits, we will be given this chance.

Overall, this day can be described as "energetic" as the vibrant children in the school gave me this impression. And the biggest blessing today is that we had very sincere and helpful presenters from Tallinn German Gymnasium who showed a very high level of courtesy and hospitality. We are all very grateful for that.

Thank you for reading. Write you more soon!

Dr Lee
_________________________________

QUESTION TIME:

1. We found these interesting chairs at corridors of the school we visited today. Why were they designed like that?

2. By looking at these pictures taken from the Year 4 Maths lesson I observed, what difference(s) do you see comparing to your Maths learning experience in YWPS?

55 Comments

6D 25 Yau Cheuk Yuen

4/30/2024 11:03:24 pm

Q1)I think they were designed like this because the chairs were for outdoor uses and the covers can block sunlight.
Q2) The lesson itself doesn’t look very different, but I am sure that the mathematics is a lot more harder than what we are learning right now.

5E 28 Cadence Wong

4/30/2024 11:17:56 pm

Question 1 : These chairs are designed like this because for the privacy among every student in the school. Students can rest or read comfortably without any disturbances.

Question 2 : In Ying Wa, we don’t use a projector but we use computers or I pads. And the students in Estonia sit together in columns unlike our system which we sit in individual desks and chairs.
In the math class, there are two teachers teaching and we only have one, one using the projector and one walking around the classroom .I also see that students do not wear uniforms and wear casual clothing like students in America or Canada.

Jasper Yeung

4/30/2024 11:24:44 pm

Q1 I think it designed like that is want to let the guests fell the school style when the guests sit down.
Q2 The difference between us is the maths book.The maths book looked not full of words but it is very hard and it could 1 day for just 1 page.

Rino Law 6A

5/1/2024 12:01:32 am

Q1: I think the chairs are designed like that because some of the guests are shy so they want to sit themselves have more privacy. And more outgoing people could sit on the couches which could fit multiple people.
Q2: There isn't much difference between the things we are learning now, but what they're learning is significantly more difficult than ours. Not just that, they use projectors and not screens like we do.last but not least, the students could wear casual wear not like us.

6D 12 Anders Kan

5/1/2024 07:24:55 am

Q1. I think they were designed like that because of the personal privacy. When some of the students are using their devices to enter some passwords, their friends maybe want to know what they are doing and look at their devices. Therefore, this kind of designs can solve this problem.

Q2. Actually, I do not see what what difference comparing to our Maths learning experience in YWPS. However, when I use my feeling to feel, I feel that their Maths learning experience is more hard than ours.

1D 20 Howard l

5/1/2024 08:10:06 am

Q1: I think they are designed for students to rest and do homework with computers in a more quiet environment.

Q2: The maths level is seemed to be easier and there was no projectors at YWPS classrooms.

3D(15)Evan Lam

5/1/2024 08:57:27 am

Q1:I think the chair is for school guests to sit & have some privacy.

Q2: I think the difference is that the student’s tables are sticked together and YW classrooms doesn’t have a projector.

6C04 Aiden Chan

5/1/2024 09:50:48 am

Q1:I think the chair is for students to get relaxed beside of sitting hard chairs. Q2:I think the difference is students can answer questions outside by use projector instead of our blackboard. Their desks are also connected to discuss easier.

Darren Luk 5E17

5/1/2024 10:08:15 am

Question 1:

I think this design makes the chair more relaxing since the upper board blocked some of the dazzling lights in the corridor.

Question 2:

They learn almost the same thing as our school, but I noticed some of the differences between their school and our school.

1. They used projectors but we use enormous TVs in our school.

2. Our desks have table hooks to hang our schoolbags so the classroom is more tidy, but they put their schoolbags on the floor.

Daniel CHU 6D

5/1/2024 10:26:41 am

1. I think the reason is that the people sitting on them will have more privacy.

2. The classroom has a projector so that students can go up front to write things on the 'screen' and YW's classrooms don't have this design.

6C27Ayden Yeung

5/1/2024 10:49:50 am

Q1 : I think it is because this designs can let the students read the books or study comfortably and wouldn’t be disturbed by the sunlight.
Q2 : There are two things that are different
1. The students sit in pairs while having a lesson, but in Hong Kong, we don’t sit in pairs.
2. The teachers don’t use iPad or computers to teach the students, they use projectors to teach the students, but in Hong Kong, the teachers seldom use the projectors.

5C 17

5/1/2024 10:51:35 am

Q.1 It is because they can use them to read books in a private place.
Q.2 In Estonia, they use projector instead of touchable screens and they study higher level maths.

5A16

5/1/2024 11:06:02 am

Q.1 I think they are designed for the students to read and study outdoor when there is no rain.
Q.2 I think there aren't any difference between our math lessons, but I am sure their maths would be more difficult then ours.

5B20IsaacNg

5/1/2024 11:34:12 am

Q1 : this designs can let the students read the books or study comfortably and wouldn’t be disturbed by the sunlight.

Sze Cheuk Man Preston

5/1/2024 11:45:01 am

Q1: It can be used to block sunlight or raindrops, which creates an undisturbed environment.

Q2: There are three major differences:
1. The students wear casual clothes.
2. There are two teachers.
3. There are real-life photos in the book.

6B 19 Elliot Liu link

5/1/2024 11:57:31 am

Q1: I think the chairs were designed like that for more privacy.
Q2: I don't think there's much difference in the maths lesson, but it might have been a bit harder than Hong Kong maths.

6D13 King

5/1/2024 12:08:02 pm

Q1.I think it is to block the sunlight and let the students can have more space and private place to work or rest.
Q2. It is mostly the same, but there’s some difference:
1. In the second picture of Q2, I found that they used a dot "." instead of "x" for multiplication. (It is very normal, but our math teacher doesn’t allow us to do that)
2.They used whiteboard and they have more than one teacher in the same classroom.

6D21

5/1/2024 12:14:26 pm

I think the chairs' design is for the privacy of the students and guests.Also,I think the things that they learn is easier than mine.

6D 27

5/1/2024 12:54:57 pm

Q1: I think it’s design is to put things on top of the chair
Q2: They have a book to take notes and calculate.

Bryan Tse Tin Yat 5A

5/1/2024 04:35:04 pm

Q1: I think these chairs provide privacy for students because of the frame that separates the students from each other.
Q2: I noticed that the school bag placement is different. However, I do not notice much difference from the homework.

6B27 Jayden Yeung

5/1/2024 07:23:38 pm

Q1: They are designed to protect students from when an earthquake occurs.
Q2: The Maths are more simple than ours. It is just simple math like 100+200,

William

5/1/2024 08:45:24 pm

1.I think it can put some book on the the chair.
2.A little of homework is the difference.We got a lot of homework to do in math.

6D 24 Pascar Wong

5/1/2024 09:22:49 pm

Q1: I think the chair may use in outdoor because the top of the chair can block the sunlight. However, it may use in indoor too since it may have a sensor on the top of the chair, then when we sit down, there may have light come from the top of the chair.

Q2: I think there are a few differences between us. The lesson was relax but I am sure that the mathematics in school are a lot harder than us.

Karlos Ching 6D 07

5/1/2024 09:23:19 pm

1. I think that the chairs' special design is for privacy. If someone is doing something private ( passwords,chats etc ) , no one can see them as there are two boards protecting the person from other's view.
2. The biggest difference I can spot is that there were two teachers in one class. We have only one teacher per class. Also, I can observe that the Tallinn German Gymnasium adapts an 'open book' policy during tests.

Jason Cheng 6D 05

5/1/2024 09:43:49 pm

I think those interesting chairs are quieter if you sit inside ,there are sound absorbing materials around it

Caspian Yeung

5/1/2024 09:45:09 pm

Q1. I noticed a slight gap between the top board of the chair and the walls on the side, plus a large gap in the side walls. My guess is that the top board of the chair can be removed and placed in the “wall gaps” for a temporary table, letting the students do homework or study in a comforting and relaxing environment away from home.

Q2. The classrooms project a grid onto the whiteboard instead of a screen, saving space by letting students write on the gridded whiteboard instead of the blackboards beside the screen which we have. Their textbooks contain handwritten examples on how to do the sums instead of computerised information, showing that the teachers put a lot of effort into the student’s education, so much so that they provide handwritten examples of the work. The tables are more spread apart compared to our tables’ placement, utilising the large space of the classrooms.

6C 19 Owen Ng

5/1/2024 09:46:52 pm

Q1: I think the chairs were designed for more privacy, also, the sides are soft so the students could have a good rest.
Q2: The design of the classroom desks are different to Ying Wa's, and there are no hooks for the students' backpacks. The equipment used is also less advanced than Ying Wa's, such as the projector.

5A31 Vito

5/1/2024 09:51:37 pm

Q1 is have more privacy during the time when they are chatting
Q2 they are all girls and we are all boys

5D 16 Nathan Miu

5/2/2024 12:48:10 am

1. I think these interesting chairs offer a safe comfy seating area to students who require time out or private space such as reading/ food break/ need time alone etc

2. First, they are 2 students sitting altogether, not single row. And, their desk drawers are opened (like, barbed wire basket, everyone can see what you put inside). On the other hand, they posted the Maths grid paper by the projector, and let students came out and did some countings, but we used “white board” with “class exercise book”.

Adam Chan 6D02

5/2/2024 11:29:28 am

Q1)I think they were designed like this because the chairs were for blocking the sunlight.
Q2) The lesson itself doesn’t look different, but I think that the recess would be a lot longer and lessons would be more fun.

6B15 Charlton

5/2/2024 02:06:54 pm

1. I think the chair are helping to prevent any light reflection on the screen the person is using while sitting on the chair.
2. I think the students are way more focused than we are, as some of us seldom focuses on the teacher and the students there are all focusing on their books of note-jotting.

Karston Chan 5E 35

5/2/2024 04:56:31 pm

For question 1 , I think why the chairs were designed like this was because it was meant for students to sit and relax , also to block the chit-chatting voices in the corridor and to protect the students' heads from bumping their heads to the hard wall .

For question 2 , in Ying Wa , we use the interactive blackboard to teach but they use the projectors.In Ying wa , the teachers use the microphone to teach us , but they don't need to use the microphone.In Ying Wa , our maths book are in chinese , but their maths book are in English.

6D 11 Fok Siu Hei

5/2/2024 06:02:21 pm

Q1 I think it is because it can block the sun.
Q2 I think it is pretty similar.

Sylvester Chan 6E

5/2/2024 06:23:23 pm

Q1. This is a clever design because the "walls" can not only slightly block the fluorescent lights hanging above to prevent the bright light from damaging the students eyes when reading, it can also give students a better sense of security while concentrating on the book. Our school should have some of these too!

Q2. From their clothing and the layout of the classroom, I can see that the lesson is much more relaxed, but still the students manages to keep up with the hard work. It is quite impressive.

5D10 Clayton Kwan

5/2/2024 06:26:16 pm

1. I think it is to protect the students bumping their head into the wall , block the sunlight when they’re outside and keep their privacy when they are using their phones.
2. Although it seemed the same level of difficulty from our school, I think it might be a lot harder, and we learn maths in Chinese, not an English.

5C14 Nathan Leung

5/2/2024 09:12:15 pm

Q1.I think they are designed like this because the students can have a quiet environment.
Q2.I don't see much difference.However,they use projectors and we seldom use them.

Nathan Chan 6C01

5/2/2024 09:38:08 pm

Q1: In my opinion, I think it helps the students concentrate more on their schoolwork by shading the lights.
Q2: I don't think that we have major differences, but they wear casual uniform.

Yi Cai-5D01

5/2/2024 11:22:42 pm

Q1: The design of these chairs may be attributed to two main reasons: Firstly, some are longer and others shorter to cater to different needs. In scenarios where a group of students gather to discuss homework, longer chairs are necessary; whereas, when a student requires space for independent thought, a single-seater design is preferred. Secondly, they are not simply designed as benches, but include backrests and overhead covers. Despite being indoors, such design choices are likely made to enhance privacy for individuals or small groups. Moreover, the semi-circular design can create an echo within a confined space, preventing disturbance to the wider public area.
Q2: If this textbook is for the fourth grade, then the major difference from our school's curriculum is that it introduces the addition and subtraction of decimals earlier. In our school, decimal operations are not taught until the second semester of the fifth grade.

5E 2 Torres Chiu

5/3/2024 12:48:01 pm

Q1.Because it can make the school more special, when the new schoolmate come will feel more interesting at the school.
Q2. They just wear casual cloths and they had close the curtain on the sides.And they use a projector but not a computer to attend class.The other things are no change.

6D04 Jordan Cheng

5/3/2024 06:06:05 pm

1.I think those seats are for students to sit more comfortably.
2.The biggest difference are that they don’t need to wear school uniform, and they uses a white board instead of a black board.

6E23 Terry Wong

5/3/2024 07:20:09 pm

Q1. It was made for the students to do their assignments or discussions privately.
Q2. They use projectors instead of Apple TV in teaching and they also can wear normal clothing instead of wearing school uniforms.

6D 15 Tayo Lee

5/3/2024 10:04:09 pm

Q.1 It is because they want more privacy.
Q.2 Their calculation method is different from ours.

6D03 Samuel

5/4/2024 11:47:37 am

1. I think these chairs were designed so that students could have some privacy.
2. They seem to be practicing calculation instead of learning different types of mathematics, such as geometry.

5A24 Jenson Ng

5/4/2024 05:37:46 pm

Q1. I think these chairs are designed so they match the school's decor.
Q2. I see the difference is mostly on how interactive these students seem, as they seem to be paying much attention to the lesson, and are not passively learning.

5C10

5/4/2024 08:58:29 pm

I think these chairs were designed to ensure privacy and to block rain/sunlight when outdoors.

Jaden Leung 6D16

5/4/2024 09:56:53 pm

Q1: I think these chairs were designed for people how like privacy.
Q2: There are no table hooks for school bags, so they need to place the school bag behind themselves or on the floor. Also, they used projector but YWPS use TV and blackboard.

6D (19) Moses Poon

5/5/2024 12:26:43 pm

Q1. I think the chairs are for the workers to sleep there if they need to work overnight.

Q2. I believe those lessons are kind of the same, we use the same materials.

6A17

5/5/2024 01:25:42 pm

Q1. I assume these chairs were made during the pandemic due to the rules of social distancing. When an occupant of the chair coughed or sneezed, it would be blocked by the fashionable ‘wall’ separating one sofa from another.

Q2. Upon a vague glance at the textbook, the textbooks in Ying Wa are adorned with colourful pictures and there are fictional characters and scenarios to further illustrate concepts and ideas while the Estonian textbooks cut straight to the point and are more informative regarding concepts and formulas.

6E Lincoln Yung

5/5/2024 04:25:15 pm

Q1: I think the designers of the chairs wanted the chairs looked more unique?

Q2: Our classrooms are bigger and students are a lot more. ID

Lincoln 6C

5/5/2024 06:50:26 pm

1. If I were to guess, I would say it is because the chairs make the person sitting on it's back straight.
2. The teaching style is not very different I suppose, but instead of sitting individually like in YWPS, the students sit 2 by 2.

5B02 Zech Chan

5/5/2024 08:25:51 pm

For Q1, I think that the chairs (more like sofas) are shaped like this to give the person(or the pair of people) more personal space.
For Q2, l think that the teaching style in Estonia is similar to the teaching style in YWPS, but the children sit two by two and wear casual clothes in a classroom at school. They also use a projector.We don’t use projectors, but we use touch-screen Apple TV monitors.

isaac chan

5/6/2024 09:18:43 pm

Q.1
Maybe because it would give the students a private space to watch books or phones?

6A27

5/7/2024 04:07:13 pm

Q1 I think the chairs are used to block sunlight.
Q2 They use projectors but we don’t.

5/18/2024 08:41:58 pm

Q1 : These chairs are designed for the privacy of students in the school. Students can rest comfortably without disturbances.

Q2 : In Ying Wa, we use computers or I pads instead of projectors. And the students in Estonia sit together in columns unlike our system which we sit in individual desks and chairs. I also noticed that students do not wear school uniforms.

6B18 ocean leung

6/7/2024 09:50:38 pm

q1. i think it is in order to let the students have a more encorfortable enviroment.
q2. they can wear casually.

Estonia Educational Trip 2024: Day 4

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