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Guest blogger Rita Mortensen’s repost from her Discovery Student Adventures China blog. Mortensen is posting from Luoyang-Dengfeng.

We have had such a wonderful experience and have seen so many breath taking and historical sights over the past ten days, however I will have to admit that interacting with the local merchants has been a really fun and interesting experience for me and the students. We are currently staying at this cute little local inn located in Luoyang-Dengfeng which consists of refurbished farm houses near the Shaolin Temple. Each day we walk by a few local merchants on our way to our day’s activities, and we have an opportunity to purchase some local goods. Although we do not speak the same language, we have no problem communicating about the price of the goods. Hand gestures, facial expressions and body movements all play a major roll as we both agree on the “right price”. It is these simple acts that make me realize and appreciate the fact that we might come from two different continents and speak different languages, but apart from that, we really share many similarities at heart!

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Posted by Ms. Mortenson at 8:27 PM

Discovery Student Adventures Travel
Shaolin Temple
Luoyang-Dengfeng
China
Rita Mortensen
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Guest Blogger Adam Controy from Shao Lin Temple, China

So we traveled from Beijing to Luoyang in an overnight train and the experience far surpassed my expectations. Why? Because I actually got a better night’s sleep in a passenger car that slept 4 then I did in my hotel room. There is something to be said for the rhythmic sound of a train traveling along its track. The next morning we visited the Longman Grottos and saw a collection of Buddhist cave sculptures, including one that was over 17 meters tall. It is the world’s largest Buddha. Next we traveled to the Shaolin Temple and listened to a lecture given by the “Top Monk” on Kung Fu. He taught us a great life lesson about how we should keep our hearts pure and resist greedy, anger, and envy. After the Shaolin Temple we took a bus over to the Shao Lin Temple Marshall Arts School where we had an opportunity to watch an impressive demonstration by students. The students performed some intense form routines and spared with each other. I was in awe at the number of students training at the school. We literally had to serpentine through the children on our way back to the bus. There were hundreds, if not a couple thousand, scattered throughout the campus. It was nice to see all the children. They were comfortable in their environment and very curious about visitors. It was great to watch the students walk in formation and chant out, “one two three four.” Occasionally we would get a wave or the peace sign and that put a smile on everybody’s face.
Today we went back to the Shao Lin Temple Martial Arts School and learned Kung Fu from trainers. Our bodies were twisted and contorted in ways many of us are not accustomed to. We learned a series of moves and forms while practicing our technique. The session was intense and quite the workout! These children take Kung Fu very seriously. After our lesson we visited a classroom. It was great to see children learning. They sang a song for us and we sang a few for them. The looks on their faces were priceless. Interacting with the students made me think about my own classroom. I am so excited for the school year and cannot wait to meet my new students. Today was an amazing cultural learning experience and one that I will certainly share with my 5th graders.
Tomorrow we will go back to the Shaolin Temple and have another opportunity to practice Kung Fu with students in the temple. This truly is an adventure of a lifetime!
Posted by Adam Controy at 2:20 PM 0 comments

Discovery Student Adventures
#dsac09
Discovery Student Adventures Travel
China
Shao Lin Temple
Adam Controy
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Just a friendly reminder that Discovery Education’s Back-to-School Webinars debuted yesterday with Scot McLeod’s Keynote: The Information Society is HERE–Are our schools up to the task?

The rest of the week’s webinars are listed below:

August 11th – Policies, Safety, and Social Networking

August 12th – Web2.0 for Administrators and Others: Schools, Tools, and the 21st Century

August 13th – Data Driven Decisions with Discovery Education Assessment

And, if you haven’t done so yet… check out what’s new for Discovery Streaming this year… and remember to check the DEN blog for archived Summer School sessions! (Thanks, Traci, for making this post so easy!)

Discovery Education
DE Back-to-School Webinars
Leadership
Educational Leadership
Social Networking
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If you are not following the Discovery Student Adventures in China, you are missing out on a fantastic trip–and a great education. Adam Controy’s post (from the BlackBerry Discovery Education gave to all participants):

Last night I slept in a tent at the base of the Great Wall of China. Today I did a 10k hike on the Great Wall. It was a surreal experience and put into perspective how I look at other parts of the world. We hiked a part of the wall that most people do not get a chance to see. The hike challenged my fear of heights. I could hear my fifth grade students in my head, “Don’t be afraid to take a risk. Challenge yourself!” Afterwards I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride. The students on this trip work so well together. It was great to watch their collaborative efforts and excitement, especially when we scaled part of the wall.
We are sitting on the bus and many students and teachers are taking a much needed and well deserved nap. This truly is an experience I will hold onto forever.

Jessica Keith posted 3 great videos on her China Adventure. What an education you can get from these short films (Jessica, you should enter them in a film festival contest).

Posted by Jessica Keith at 5:09 PM 3 comments

Posted by Jessica Keith at 5:16 PM 5 comments

Forbidden City & Olympic Park

Posted by Jessica Keith at 5:03 PM 1 comments

Discovery Student Adventures Travel
China

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