Planning and Preparation

The date is rapidly approaching and plans are solidifying, at least on paper. For my stay, I am to be hosted by fellow science teacher Olga Chichigina. Olga is from the city of Taganrog in Rostov region. She graduated from the Taganrog State Pedagogical Institute with a diploma in Primary Education. Olga teaches Geography at Secondary School #28 and has been working as a teacher since 1995. On several occasions, Olga was awarded Certificates of Merit of the Russian Federation Ministry of Education and Science for preparing student winners of contests and Olympiads. Olga has been published several times and has written on curriculum development. Olga is interested in educational systems of other countries and the types of projects students do in these systems. I know that we will have a splendid time together and that she has much to offer. Much more that I can obtain in just two short weeks.
My trip itinerary is as follows:

March 7, Friday
1:50 pm Arrival to Rostov (travel to Taganrog by car)
1:00 pm Arrival at Tatyana Kovalyova’s
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Show Jennifer how to get by bus from the apartment to School 28
5:30 pm Dinner at Tatyana Kovalyova’s house

March 8 Saturday -Holiday-
9:00 am-12:00 pm City excursion (monuments to Peter I, A. Chekhov and other famous people; churches and other sights)
12:00 pm-1:00 pm Lunch (Cafe “Dyaday Vanya”)
1:00 pm-3:00 pm The Alferaki Museum (local history museum)
6:00 pm-8:00 pm Performance at Chekhov’s theatre

March 9, Sunday
10:00 am-12:00 pm Art Gallery
12:00 pm-1:00 pm Lunch (Cafe “Krasniy Mack”)
1:00 pm-4:00 pm City excursion (Chekhov’s sites, the Town-planning Museum)
4:00 pm-5:00 pm Visit to the Horse Riding School (horseback riding)
6:00 pm Dinner at Tatyana Kovalyova’s

March 10, Monday
8:00 am-8:40 am Visit to School № 28. Meeting with the principal of the School, T.N. Ternovaya.
8:50 am-10:30 am Class observation at school 28
11:00 am-1:00 pm Meeting with Town authorities and the Department of Education
1:00 pm-2:00 pm Lunch
2:00 pm-4:00 pm Science Departmental Teachers’ Meeting
4:00 pm-4:30 pm Coffee-Break
4:30 pm-5:30 pm Demonstration performance at school 28 (Members of Town Youth Club “Patriot”

March 11, Tuesday
8:00 am-9:30 am Class observation at school 28
9:45 am-1:00 pm Visit to Taganrog State Pedagogical Institute. Meeting with Institute teachers and students.
1:00 pm-2:00 pm Lunch
2:00 pm-4:00 pm Observation of the English Language Club and Biology Club
4:00 pm-4:30 pm Coffee-Break
5:00 pm-7:00 pm Conference with members of School Council

March 12, Wednesday
Rostov
9:00 am-10:00 am Travel to Rostov
10:00 am-12:00 pm Visit to The Department of evaluation and upgrading of teachers’ proficiency
12:30 pm-2:00 pm Lunch at the Russian Restaurant (peculiarities of Russian Cuisine)
2:00 pm-4:00 pm City excursion. Visit to Ice Skating Centre and Shooting-range
4:00 pm-5:00 pm Lunch
5:00 pm-7:00 pm Performance at “Belly Royal’”(Rostov Drama Theatre)

March 13, Thursday
9:00 am-12:00 pm Visit to a village school (Anastasiyevskaya School).Class observation
12:00 pm-1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm-3:00 pm Meeting with school teachers and students
3:00 pm-4:00 pm Returning to Taganrog
6:30 pm-7:00 pm Web Meeting with the University, Montana, USA

March 14, Friday
8:30 am-1:00 pm Old capital of the Cossacks, Starocherkassk
1:00 pm-2:00 pm Lunch
2:00 pm-6:00 pm Modern capital of the Cossacks, Novocherkassk

March 15, Saturday
8:00 am-10:30am Class observation at school 28
10:30 am-11:00 am Coffee-Break.
11:00am-12:00 pm Meeting with School Council
12:00 pm-1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm-3:00 pm Meeting with school administration and teachers

March 16, Sunday
10:00 am-12:00 pm Meeting with the Cossacks
12:00 pm-1:00 pm Lunch
4:30 pm Departure for Rostov by car, then for Moscow by train

Quite exciting!!!