European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 12 the stars and stripes education monday january 17,1994 Courtesy of Margo Perry. �.�s4s kengeor9epupils show Margo Perry wearing White hat in left photo what they do when it shows in Yaroslavl Russia while Nadia Isaeva reviews the russian alphabet with Pitburg Middle school pupils. Pair learns changing places can be educational by Jimi Jones education writer Pitburg a Germany in Early november Nadia Isaeva of school no. 18 in Yaroslavl Russia moved into a classroom at Pitburg Middle school where for six weeks she taught Ameri can pupils russian language culture and history. Meanwhile Margo Perry a social stud ies teacher at Pitburg set up shop at school no. 18 in Yaroslavl about 250 Miles Northeast of Moscow to teach English and american culture. The six week stays by Isaeva and Perry were part of the first teacher Exchange Between Russia and the department of defense dependents schools. The Exchange continued a Long stand ing relationship Between the schools. Perry who has taught for 13 years had visited an English class at the Yaroslavl school in 1987. As a result her pupils at Pitburg started corresponding with the russians. Then the american pupils made their first trip to Russia and Yaroslavl in 1988. The school s next trip to Yaroslavl is planned for april and will be the sixth such trip since 1988. A 10-Day visit in March will be the fourth one to Pitburg for Yaroslavl pupils who also made their first trip in 88. It definitely was the most wonderful experience i be every had personally and professionally said Perry of her teach ing time last fall in Russia. I expected it to be difficult. I expected the worst but to get the most out of it. I can t believe that i be actually done it she said. Being thrust into completely foreign teaching situations set the stage for Many learning experiences both teachers said. And even though Isaeva had visited the Pitburg school three times before her Exchange trip there were still a lot of surprises awaiting her. My first three weeks were breathtaking hectic said Isaeva who has taught for 23 years. I did t notice How the time flew. Everything absolutely was new Here for me. I have Learned so much and my English is getting  Perry compared some aspects of the russian school to an american school of the 1960s, while the Pitburg school appeared futuristic to Isaeva. I be been spoiled by the facilities in Dodds its budget the facilities Perry said in a Telephone interview. But Over there i had to get used to not having things like the Xerox machine Stu dents copied things from. An old  Stark facilities and the building that re minded her of her elementary school of the 60s were warmed More by kids and personalities than heat said Perry a native of Elizabethton Tenn. But roles and responsibilities of rus Sian teachers Are generally the same As of american teachers Perry said with a lot of demands put on them that maybe should be Home affair just like in  for Isaeva there were differences in equipment the number of test papers to Correct teaching conditions Breaks be tween classes that Are too Short and the number of classes taught daily. We just Don t do this Isaeva said. For example a workday for a russian teacher lasts from 8 . To 1 30 p.m., and teachers instruct Only three classes a Day As compared with five or six in Dodds Isaeva said. However russian pupils do attend school on saturdays. Isaeva said she found it Odd that american children wore their jackets in the classroom because they were afraid of losing them. The frantic Rush Between classes was new to her also. She soon Learned the strict accountability of pupils and the consequences of being tardy a new word for her she said. In addition pupils at her russian school clean the classrooms where Lino Leum covers the floors instead of carpets Isaeva said. Everything is so Well organized Here Isaeva said of Dodds. Every time i come there is something new for  Mary Micallef teacher of talented and gifted pupils at Pitburg said the school wanted Isaeva to meet a Cross Section of All fifth through eighth graders. School officials particularly wanted her to meet those pupils interested in travelling to Russia or those families interested in having a russian Pupil As a guest in March. Isaeva generally taught fifth graders at Pitburg but pupils of other Grade Levels also reaped benefits from her visit either through the school wide enrichment pro Gram or other opportunities. To have experienced another society s teaching methods was a Benefit Perry said and despite tangible differences teachers share the common Bond of Edu Cating pupils she said. Teaching is a skill and you Are Able to get the message across even if there is a language Barrier Perry said. I basically found that kids Are kids some very serious very eager can t wait to get to work while others come to school to socialize she said. Many times i Felt like i was in a class room right Back Here at Pitburg Perry said. It s a common thread that runs among  kids get feel for Shaf communism kind of thing by Jimi Jones education writer Pitburg a Germany before russian teacher Nadia Isaeva taught a language and culture class at bit Burg Middle school Heidi Ramer said she thought All russians were hard cold people. Heidi Belg eyed the people had changed Little since the collapse of the Berlin Wall and you Don t talk to anyone but your family that communism kind of thing the seventh grader said. But Heidi has Learned that russians Are a festive people attempting to Cope with communism falling apart. They re trying to catch up with what s been going on in the rest of the Western world Heidi was one of More than 500 pupils at the Pitburg school receiving instruction from Isaeva who taught rus Sian culture and language during a six week stay As part of a teacher Exchange program. Pitburg teacher Margo Perry spent six weeks teaching English and american Cul Ture at Isaeva s school in Yaroslavl Russia. For Katie Wilson 12, russian was a hard language to  however understanding the russian teacher s English was easy Katie said we have trouble keeping up with her. Every Day she has something new they were isolated for so Long with not much Opportunity to travel. But they do now and students have been coming to Pitburg since 88. It s a tradition we have to uphold Katie Wilson Pupil at Pitburg Middle school for us to  when Isaeva arrived at Pitburg Katie and her class mates had just finished lessons on russian geography. But Katie had other experiences to build on too. She was among the Pitburg pupils who visited school no.18 in Yaroslavl last year. Perry was just As pleased Ith her experiences i Russia. Teachers pupils and parents kept me Busy and took care of me. Sometimes it was like they read my mind Perry said noting that her russian is weak. Being in Yaroslavl about 250 Miles Northeast of Moscow helped Perry get a truer picture of How rus sians Are reacting to world changes including the Rise of russian Ultra nationalist Vladimir v. A Mirinovsky who wants to see his country return to its former order. They Are worried about a Mirinovsky his position and what can happen politically she said of the rus sians. During the election they were apprehensive and they were confused. There were so Many parties they did t know who to vote for but were hoping that russian president Boris a Yeltsin would come Outon  while shelves Are stocked with russian As Well As Western products inflation is growing so rapidly the people earning $40 to $60 per month barely make enough to live she said. Money is scarce. No one really knows anything there Are so Many re form suggestions Perry added. They want to see re form continue but they want it to be Over  Heidi plans to make the trip to Russia this year since ,  part of the school s  Ney the russians were isolated for so Long with not much Opportunity to travel Katie said. But the yep now and students have been coming to Pitburg since 88. It s a tradition we have to