Meetings

November 9, 2011
The Cleveland Facing History Leadership Team met on November 9, 2011 at the Cleveland Heights Office. Kristen Wingate, Garet Libbey, Anisha Mahone, Stephanie Hiedemann, Gala Gates, Joe Lobozzo, David Slutzky, and Megan Eadeh all attended. These teachers and Facing History staff shared snacks, resources, and spirited conversation.

We opened with introductions and connections, quickly discovering that two Facing History teachers are pregnant and two attended a Rochester, NY high school prom together!

Teachers shared a few of the ways they are using the Facing History approach in their classrooms. Some highlights: Garet is using David Cash again this year, but sending out a letter to parents beforehand, explaining why she is using such a powerful and potentially disturbing story – and suggesting that parents talk to their students about the story. She also explained how she used the Universe of Obligation in teaching Achebe’s //Things Fall Apart//. Joe described the powerful impact that //Schindler’s List// is having on his students and his discussion with students around the new Not in our Town film, Light in the Darkness. His students will be working on interviews with immigrants and create a gallery on the theme of “Who is Your Neighbor?” Megan’s classes are also looking at immigration and discussing whether or not they know their neighbors; they read //Enrique’s Journey// and had an email discussion with the author.

We turned to our group to address a dilemma that one of our teachers is facing around the teaching of identity. Some students do not feel comfortable sharing personal information about themselves, especially at the beginning of the year; students or other teachers or administrators sometimes ask, “When do we get to the history or content?” The group shared insights from their teaching of identity. Megan finds that some boys in her classes will not share personal information with the class, but will write about these same questions. Garet shared that the Hawken art teacher does a “Culture of Me” project that allows students to do art projects around struggles within their own identity. Joe spirals back to identity throughout in the semester. Kristen finds that teaching identity at the outset of the year is necessary to create a common classroom culture of respect; her students need to connect to each other before they can connect to the history. Some discussion ensued about having discussions with students about their “real” identity versus their online identity – and how these might be the same or different.

We discussed some other common dilemmas that Facing History teachers face. The topic that participants found most compelling was how to teach a case study for which resource guides do not exist and that does not easily fit into the Facing History journey. We will share some ideas at the next meeting.

Finally, we showcased and shared some of our newer resources: //Freedom Riders// film and guide, the //Worse than War// study guide, //Light in the Darkness//, and the upcoming film, //The Bully Project//.

We will meet again in the winter to again share ideas, resources, and brainstorm around our new challenge.