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Our Trip to Paris – Vive la France
At The Frederick Douglass Academy, all students have the opportunity to travel to different countries in order to have authentic learning opportunities. A group of 14 students, parents and teachers spent an exciting week during Spring break visiting Paris, Versailles and Normandy. During our walks through Paris we visited many important places including the Louvre, the Centre Pompidou, the Musee D’Orsay, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur and the Tour Eiffel. These were sites to behold. Much time was spent hiking throughout the city while admiring the architectural designs that embraces and symbolized aspects of the past. We were also able to admire the beauty and grandeur of Paris during a boat ride on the seine. We practiced our French using the metroi shopping and ordering our food, as well as socializing with the locals. In Versailles, we visited the palace and magnificent gardens of Louis XIV. We also learned firsthand about World War II when we visited the D-Day beaches, the American cemetery, the Caen Memorial and Museum in Normandy. This was a valuable and moving experience for everyone. The trip to Paris was a memorable learning experience for all participants. The students learned about appreciating different cultural norms, overcoming obstacles and improving interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. In addition, students learned about interpreting and appreciating art; they made parallels between Paris and New York and elaborated on these parallels from which many passionate discussions ensued in the hotel during our debriefing and project time. There is no doubt that their trip was wonderful, insightful, passionate and educational. We look forward to next year’s trip to Paris/France and Brige/Belgium.
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