One Global Classroom: A Guide to Global Perspectives Education

I love teaching

9/26/2015

Today as I am organizing the files in my computer and I am reaffirmed that I love teaching. I am passionate about finding and using great resources. Continually reevaluating how, why and what I teach. It is my hobby. I know, I'm a nerd. It's not that I bring stacks of grading and work home with me, but I find happiness in looking for improved ways to help kids learn. Seriously, sometimes for fun I will troll educational resources sites or watch TV shows (usually Korean Variety) to get ideas to help students build skills they need to be successful in their lives.

Lately I have been working with newer teachers, either first year or pre-service, and I see some of them struggling. It's sad and I wonder why, maybe they realize that it is harder than they thought or there is more involved and aren't ready for a career that is not a normal nine-to-fiver. I give them advice, tell them why I love teaching, and try to help them process their role as educators or even analyze if this is what they really want to do. Because this is not a profession one should get into if they are not passionate about helping kids learn or learning themselves.

As for me I know this is what I need to be doing. I've really enjoyed talking with them and helping them through the challenges. Because really I think everything comes down to perspective. This goes for new and veteran teachers - It's all about how you see your role as an educator. It is not about us, it is about the kids. I think too often people get caught up in themselves that they forget why we teach - the kids.

If we can have a small positive impact on the kids, help them gain confidence, be able to solve problems, and to think among many other skills then we are successful.

I am truly grateful to my mentors who have guided me and helped me and continue to do so. I would not have had the opportunities and experiences that I have had without them. Anyone who thinks, acts or believes that teaching is an individual venture then they are unrealistic. It really does take a village. To those teachers who teach for personal gain, who have a 'closed door' policy, or who think they already know everything are not in it for the kids and should rethink their profession. There are those who would look at my resume or the dozens of side projects that I do as a ploy for personal gain do not know me or my passion for helping kids. While there are benefits to participating and going beyond, really it's about bringing resources and knowledge to my classroom for my students. I am really grateful for my school and for the Professional Learning Community [PLC] that is there, especially for my team this year. Collectively this is one of the best teams I have ever had the privilege of working with. I am grateful for the dialog and the shared resources, the mutual professional/personal respect that we have.

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Equality and Balance

8/8/2015

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Flower graden in Oslo, Norway. It was a rainy day. Oslo is the same latitude as Anchorage, Alaska, but because of the northeaster (nor'easter) it has more mild temperatures. By Merinda Davis

The Fram, the first ship to travel to both the North and South Poles. It is a historic example of human-environment interaction. By Merinda Davis

The Nobel Peace Museum. By Merinda Davis

Standing outside the Nobel Peace Center, definitely my favorite place to visit in Oslo, Norway. By Merinda Davis

The stage where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway. By Merinda Davis

Messages of Peace written by visitors from all over the world. By Merinda Davis

International messages of peace. Share the love. By Merinda Davis

Meet the North

The Lindblad Expedition Naturalists were amazing. They inspired me in so many ways by who they are and what they taught me. Jennifer Kingsley and my mentor Eric Guth who are young inspiring explorers. They are working on a project called, "Meet the North" #MeettheNorth @MeettheNorth MeettheNorth.org.

Talking with Jenny, she gave me the idea for the Model Arctic Council project that my students will be participating in. Eric taught me about the ice, the stories the ice tells. I could go on, but I will make another post specifically about all of the amazing naturalists. The take-away should be that you need to follow @meetthenorth.

Where are the people?

Prior the the expedition I was in Oslo and had the opportunity to go to the Nobel Peace Museum. It was such an inspiration that while on the Explorer ship visiting some of the most beautiful places in the world, I often thought back to that experience. I struggled with trying to find the 'right' focus, since I am so passionate about equality. As a social scientist, my interest lay with the people and the human impact on the environment. Then I remembered that equality is more than just the people, it is also the environment. Current climate change arguments have brought to mind the inspiration I gained from the arctic environment. Nowhere in the world is that argument about climate change more prevalent than in the arctic region. The egocentrism of people is such that they feel it is either all human caused or all natural, when really it is the environment's natural reaction to human action. It is not one or the other, but rather the interaction of both. I think this is a lesson, not just about how we understand and treat the environment, but also how we treat other people. There needs to be a balance and an understanding of the consequences of our actions.

A balanced curriculum

This is why I feel that I need to have a balance in my curriculum. The first semester is focused on teaching geography literacy skills with an emphasis on the environment. My goal is to facilitate opportunities for my students to become environmental stewards. Second semester is focused on the historical literacy skills with an emphasis on human rights. My goal is to empower my students to be positively involved in their local and global communities.

The Peace Garden inside the Nobel Peace Center. It is interactive and gave a real sense of peace and understanding. This has been an inspiration for not only the Peace Project, but also English projects at my school. By Merinda Davis

The Dalai Llama cartoon, an message of peace for youth. By Merinda Davis

Our hotel in Oslo, Norway. In the backdrop is the largest ski jump in the world. By Merinda Davis

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Day 3 on board: Going North! 80°15'.00"N 016°46'.50"E

6/6/2015

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We went further north today than most people will go in their entire life. We were north of 80° and it was awesome. It was a really great day gathering videos and information for the virtual field trip of the National Geographic Explorer that I plan to put together for my students. Thanks to the head chef I got an exclusive in depth tour of the Galley, the prep areas and the food storage areas. It was really great, I hope the video turned out because it was really informative. The National Geographic Explorer buys pretty much all of its food locally. Meaning in every port the cooking crew will go to the local markets to purchase the food. The meals they plan each day are based on the local foods that they have on ship, so every meal is unique.

Naturalist Keith Larson led my zodiac ride out to see a group of walruses up close -- we even saw a mama polar bear and her cub, granted they were small whitish blobs off in the distance, but still really amazing. Thank you to Doug Anderson, 2012 National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Alumni, who lent me his binoculars. He really saved me, because of him I was able to see a lot of wildlife. We saw a lot of Arctic Terns -- these birds have the longest migration of any animal in the world. They migrate from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back every year. I was disappointed to miss out on the Hot Chocolate Zodiac, but it was a really great experience -- we were probably one of the only zodiacs to see the bears.

One of the funnest parts of the day was kayaking. My husband and I are kayakers -- not extreme white water kayakers, but lake and river outlet kayakers -- Kayaking in the Arctic Ocean gave me huge bonus points.

There was a storm rolling in, it missed us, but we could see it and I was able to try some different settings on my camera to get some different lighting shots of the landscape. Let me know what you think, do they all just look the same?

Testing my camera settings on this scene of a storm rolling in. Which one do you like the best? June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

An Arctic Tern Flying by the National Geographic Explorer ship. The Arctic Tern has one of the longest migrations of any animal in the world. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

I am not sure what kind of bird this is, is it a black Arctic Tern? Please let me know. June, 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

A group of black Arctic Terns? flying away. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Heading back to the Explorer from an hour of kayaking in the Arctic Ocean. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Video of my experience kayaking in the Arctic Ocean. June 6, 2015 Video by Merinda Davis

Theta 360° Photo of the zodiac ride led by naturalist Keith Larson. He is a great teacher. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

The Hot Chocolate Zodiac -- Zodiac riders had the opportunity to stop for a warm treat while out exploring the area on zodiacs. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Keith Larson gave us a mini lesson about the ice and bird migration. Video by Merinda Davis

Naturalist Keith Larson giving a great lesson about ice and bird migration on our zodiac exertion. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Walruses with a zodiac in the background to give it some perspective. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Relaxing walruses on an iceberg. We were able to get pretty close to them on the Zodiacs. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Another zodiac with guests photographing the walruses. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Zodiac giving the glacier perspective. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Laura Schetter, my fellow teacher, and Roy waving hello from the other zodiac. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Panorama of the arctic landscape from the Explorer ship. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

Dinner! I know a little cliche taking food pictures, but it was as delicious as it was pretty. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

The midnight sun through the clouds on June 6, 2015. Photo by Merinda Davis

A little late taking the GPS picture of going to 80° North. We were further north than this picture indicates. June 6, 2015 Photo by Merinda Davis

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Day 2: Bellsund and an Abundance of Wildlife

6/5/2015

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Hiking on the island
When hiking is the outdoor activity they give us 3 options: Small, Medium and Large. I chose to do the medium hike/walk again today - Mostly because it was so fun yesterday. I'm glad I did too, because we saw so many things: arctic foxes eating birds. These foxes were in transition between spring and summer, which means their coats were transitioning between white and black. One of the foxes looked like a reverse skunk. We were able to get fairly close because the one was busy eating.

Then we walked towards the mountainside where all of the birds were flying around doing courtship flights. On our way we were stopped by 3 reindeer meandering by eating the vegetation. Then they laid comfortably in the snow. We passed another group up to the mountainside to sit and watch the birds, scenery and the foxes. I wasn't I would get a chance to see a fox because they (the staff) always said that they were fast and hard to see. We got lucky because we ended up seeing 2 foxes eating birds and playing. They were each very distinct with their changing fur. They were each distinct because their fur colors were so different.

It was really amazing. I also got to try out the GoPro and the Theta 360 degree Camera. I'm getting ideas for the virtual field trip. After lunch I went for another walk/hike, we saw lots of birds and reindeer. It was really nice to breathe in the clean air and standing on stable ground. I've decided that I do not want to ever go on a cruise. I think I can officially say that I have motion sickness. Most of my time on the ship has been spent trying not to feel too nauseous. With all of that said, this is an incredible experience. I feel so blessed and lucky to be here. The scenery is incredible and it is amazing to see these rare sights in person.

The view of the National Geographic Explorer from land. Photo by Merinda Davis

Fun Facts from the Natralists

- Only females can wear neck tags because male polar bears have thick necks and small heads to they fall off.

- Tracks tell us what's in the area

- Polar Bear and Arctic Fox were the two most important hunting animals for trappers in Svalbard

-White sand comes from ParrotFish Poop

A group of Geese:
- in the water is called a Plump
- in the sky is called a Skein
-on land is a Gaggle

The Arctic Foxes had a skunk look to them because of the changing seasons. Transitioning from the white of winter to the black/brown of summer. Photo by Christine Ikenaga

Trying out the Theta 360 Camera was fun. It gave me some trouble because it has to wirelessly connect to a phone or another device. The full 360 view can be seen through the link to Google+ Photo by Merinda Davis

Theta 360 Panorama -- The Tundra of Forsbladodden, Bellsund. Photo by Merinda Davis

Theta 360 Panorama --- The group watching the arctic foxes as they eat and play. Photo by Merinda Davis

I love walking on the tundra. It is like walking on a sponge. Thanks to Ship to Shore for letting borrow boots and water proof pants, they helped make the experience even more enjoyable. Photo by Merinda Davis

The reindeer walked very close to us, it is probably because they do not have any natural predators -- except for I would guess the occasional starving polar bear. Photo by Merinda Davis

Purple Saxifrage is one of the most abundant flowers that I saw in the Arctic. Photo by Merinda Davis

I thought this was a reindeer, but the more I look at it -- it looks like a moose. I need to double check with the naturalists on this one. Photo by Merinda Davis

Purple Saxifrage is a beautiful tundra flower, the blooms are about the size of my fingernail. Photo by Merinda Davis

Akselsundet, Bellsund -- Another part of the archipelago in Svalbard. This one covered in rocks rather than soft spongy tundra. Photo by Merinda Davis

Jenny Kingsley, Naturalist -- The inuit saying from Canada about Polar Bears -- So true and so interesting. This is why all of the guides had to be equipped for protection just in case any rocks turned into Polar Bears.

Rich 'Mad Dog' Kirchner, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor. He was our guide on the hike of Akselsundet, Bellsund. His nickname came from when he was on a ship and his name -Rich- kept getting mixed up with the Bridge through the walkie-talkies. There's more to the story, but he tells it much better than I. He was so great and welcoming, gave some really great information as well. Photo by Merinda Davis

Hikers on a hill in Bellsund on Svalbard. The perspective of how far and big everything is emphasized in this. Photo by Merinda Davis

The geology here is really interesting. There are many examples of tectonic plate movement. In this case you can see the vertical push of the rocks. Photo by Merinda Davis

Kent Kobersteen is the National Geographic photographer on board for this expedition. He also doubled as the life vest collector on shore during our hikes. The bin next to him also doubled as a trash bin as we collected trash from around the island on our hike. Photo by Merinda Davis

Perspective is everything. These cliffs don't look that big, but if you notice at the top there are some people who look really small standing on the lower of the two. Photo by Merinda Davis

Clear examples of the vertical pushing of the tectonic plates. I know my vocabulary isn't scientific, but please correct me in the comments. Photo by Merinda Davis

Trash collected during our hike, you can see how much we found by comparing to the size of the bin in the picture to the left. Photo by Merinda Davis

Much of the trash collected washed ashore from the ocean, most of it came from fisherman. Photo by Merinda Davis

Barnacle Geese hanging out on the tundra before continuing their migration. Photo by Merinda Davis

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1st Full Day on the National Geographic Explorer

6/4/2015

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So late last night or early this morning, depending how you look at it, I got really sick. Needless to say my stomach hasn't been doing well today. I feel fine, but my stomach doesn't.

I've tried to push through though. After a very light breakfast of toast and water we had an orientation for the day. Just before lunch there was a Polar Bear sighting. The first one on the first full day. The exciting thing was that it was eating a seal on a piece of ice. You know when the staff gets excited it's really something exciting. One of the crew members came out to the deck with a sign that read, "Lunch is Ready" -- he had to hold up a sign because we must be really quiet on the deck when there are bears so that we don't scare it away. We were able to watch it for a while before it went into the water in the opposite direction. That's when the seagulls swooped in.

Just when we thought we could go into lunch we started turning because one of the crew members on the deck had spotted walruses. I will tell you they looked like blobs in the distance, but one stuck its head up and we could see the tusks clearly (in my binoculars). The most unfortunate thing of this experience was my lack of a powerful camera lens. I could only get some small pictures, but you can clearly see, so hopefully it will be okay. On the upside, I do have 20 megapixel camera so hopefully that will make up for lack of lens.

Since I hadn't been feeling the best, well feeling queazy, I went to lay down for about 30 minutes after lunch. Then just before my alarm went off Lucho, the Expedition Leader came on the announcement to tell us that we were in a cove with the big glaciers. I got up and went outside and it was beautiful. It's difficult to describe the beauty and serenity of the ice here.

This was about the time they called for a hiking excursion, we had the option of a long or medium. After vacillating for a little bit I decided to test myself on the medium hike. It was a good choice. We did and saw pretty much the same things as the long hike with less strain. Walking on the tundra is a really fun experience. The ground is spongy and bouncy. It is a lot of fun. I stayed out there until the last zodiac came.

I had several great conversations with some of the guests. They are so interesting. Tonight for dinner I ate with sisters from Singapore. They were great dinner companions and we had an interesting conversation about education and life in Singapore.

Just before dessert there was another polar bear sighting. This time is was a momma bear with her cub and the cub was cute and playful. I will say my pictures weren't the best. I decided to get a video because the cub was running and playing. They came close to the boat then turned and walked away. Off in the distance we could see seals with our binoculars. They looked like blobs though.

I went back and had a very light rhubarb dessert (the only reason I ate any dessert was because I was feeling a little better and it looked really good) then decided to head up to the Bridge to type this daily recap. Now we are getting ready to go through big chunks of ice. It may be a little loud for a while, but the 2nd mate on duty is working on avoiding them. We've only hit one so far, so that's impressive.

I had a great conversation with Keith Larson a Climatologists professor in Sweden. He gave me some great curriculum project ideas. We talked about how the Earth's climate goes through warming and cooling cycles. Looking at the trend we should technically be going through a cooling cycle with the climate, but we're not. The climate is shifting into a warming trend. He said that although humans are only causing a small percentage of climate change, but it's enough to cause a big difference. Apparently there is more carbon frozen in the ice and as the ice melts even more carbon is let out into the atmosphere causing even more change. The human factor, although small is like a small diversion off a path, it starts out small but eventually leaves a huge gap.

This is the view from the front of the National Geographic Explorer. Photo by Merinda Davis

Mama bear and her cub. They are in search of food. Out in the distance there are seal holes and they are on the hunt. Photo by Merinda Davis

First polar bear sighting on the first day. This large male was eating "his lunch" as my nephew would say. Photo by Merinda Davis

Eating a bearded seal this well fed polar bear is the top of the food chain in the Arctic. Photo by Merinda Davis

The Gulls swoop in as soon as the Polar Bear leaves the iceberg. Photo by Merinda Davis

Walruses sunbathing on an iceberg, enjoying the summer weather. Really they are resting and saving their energy reserves. Photo by Merinda Davis

An algae hole in the snow of the tundra. Photo by Merinda Davis

Kittiwakes sitting on a iceberg. One thing that I wasn't prepared for was how clear the water is in the Arctic. The water is so blue and pretty. Photo by Merinda Davis

Kittiwakes fly away from the iceberg. Notice the clear water, you can see the iceberg under the water. Photo by Merinda Davis

Kittiwakes fly away. There are so many birds in the Arctic, more than you would think. Photo by Merinda Davis

Because of thin ice mama bear spreads her paws out wide to get a better stance on the ice, so she doesn't fall through. Her cub plays behind her, but always follows her commands. Photo by Merinda Davis

Short video of the momma bear and her cub as they came up to the ship during a hunting expedition. It was so fun to watch the cub play behind mom, but would also follow her silent commands. Video by Merinda Davis

The landscapes are beautiful here. The serenity and beauty are indescribable. Photo by Merinda Davis

The sunset of my first full day on the National Geographic Explorer was incredible. The beauty of the Arctic is unique. Photo by Merinda Davis

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Feeling Blessed

3/19/2015

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As I reflect on the experiences that I have had since 2012, I have been so blessed. In 2012 traveling to Japan, as my first major international experience, was life changing. I don't think I have been on a single international trip that hasn't changed me in some way. My teaching improves with each journey and I like to think that I improve as well.

In the last three years I have had the privilege to travel to 11 different countries, and each time I have brought something back to my classroom. My life and classroom has been transformed. In 2012 I was an alternate to go to Japan, this year in 2015, I found out that I was one of the top applicants for the 2015 National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowships. It is indescribable how privileged and blessed I feel.

I got the phone call when I was still processing the once in a lifetime opportunity to attend the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. All of these experiences continue to humble me.

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Reflections on Poland

2/7/2015

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“Silence is not an option,” said Paula Lebovics, a Holocaust survivor who was liberated from Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. Meeting Paula was a highlight for me; she is a beautiful, tenacious woman who is incredibly sweet. Without realizing it at the time, I think she taught me lessons that no other source could: There is strength in kindness — moving on from the anger and hate through being a positive force in the world.

There are many lessons I hope to pass on to my students as a result of participating in the Auschwitz: The Past is Present program. As one of 24 international teachers to embark on this journey, while honored, I feel the weight of the responsibility given to us.

We, as educators, are the bridge between the past and the present. In the words of Roman Kent, “Teach what happens when hate is allowed to flourish, we must teach tolerance and understanding, we must teach that hate is never right and love is never wrong.”

We must teach the lessons that will help our students “make this present a past we can be proud of,” said Soljane Quiles, a Rhode Island teacher.

Our hope is to teach the Holocaust in a humanizing way, to use testimony to help our students see into the soul of the individuals affected by these atrocities. My goal is to empower my students to make a positive impact on the world through their actions no matter how small; you don’t need to be courageous and put your life on the line. It can be the tiniest kindness as it is those small acts of kindness that are remembered 70 years later. I hope to be able to make my students into global citizens that recognize multiple perspectives. The profound impact of this experience has changed me. I will, “reflect the light,” as Johanna Soderholm from Finland said.

Teachers have the power to bring the world into their classrooms. It is increasingly important for teachers to be trained with international education experience as they have the greatest impact on student learning. The USC Shoah Foundation and Discovery Education have partnered to create classroom-ready resources for teachers.

While in Poland we were trained how to incorporate testimony into our classrooms. We designed student-approved projects using testimony and primary sources. Using these resources — the testimonies of survivors — we are better equipped to help our students understand the atrocities of the Holocaust and to empower students to have a positive impact in their communities. Like Roman Kent said at the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz Commemoration, "We do not want our past to be our children's future."

The power of information is truly astonishing and reinforces the importance of good teachers. Education is the most effective way to make positive long-term changes; the earlier you stop hate the more understanding you have in a community.

While in Auschwitz we had the opportunity to be there with survivors, who were there with their families. One survivor said, “The Germans were basically good people, but Adolf Hitler poisoned them — too much power, too much hate.”

It all started with an idea; that idea grew into something truly horrifying. We will never be able to precisely measure the loss caused by the Holocaust. Not only were generations of families and people destroyed, there is a void left in communities and in the world that we will never get back. Oświęcim, the Polish city that was named Auschwitz by the Germans, was more than 50 percent Jewish in 1932. By 1945 that number went to zero percent until 1962 when Szymon Kluger moved back and became the only Jewish resident of the town until his death in 2000. Today there are no Jewish residents of Oświęcim.

Attending the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz, meeting Holocaust Survivors and visiting authentic sites has been one of the most powerful experiences of my life. Although we were able to meet important people like Steven Spielberg and David Zaslav, it was the survivors and the lessons that were most poignant. I am not sure if I will ever be able to eloquently state what I learned or how profound of an effect it had on me, but I hope that my students will, in the words of Roman Kent, “embrace tolerance and understanding for all people and oppose antisemitism or any prejudice.”

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/community/education/alpine-teacher-recounts-th-anniversary-celebration-of-auschwitz-liberation/article_2165862b-91c3-5264-a901-6eaeb7347a06.html

Similar opportunities for educators

There are many chances for teachers from all content areas to have learning opportunities. The Utah State Office of Education offers an online teacher development course called, "Global Perspectives for the 21st Century Classroom.’" Discovery Education, Institute for International Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities are a few national sources. Internationally, Fulbright Japan is accepting applications until February 11 for their 2015 Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). In addition, I am creating a website as a resource for teachers to learn about international travel and incorporating global perspectives into their classrooms.

Here is my website/blog: TeacherTravelTips.weebly.com

Resource Guide:

http://iwitness.usc.edu/SFI/

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/

http://iie.org/

http://www.neh.gov/

http://www.iie.org/Programs/ESD

http://teachertraveltips.weebly.com/

http://www.uen.org/development/usoe/socstudies/

http://www.irex.org/category/projects/teachers-global-classrooms-program-tgc/

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Auschwitz: The Past is Present - Warsaw, Poland Days 1-2

1/25/2015

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January 22-23, 2015
Getting to the airport early I sat there listening to the talking-heads on CNN go on and on about the New England Patriots' deflated ball fiasco. It was rather ridiculous. I am glad that I didn't check my bag through Chicago, but I did have to check it once there, it worked out rather nicely.

Flying to Munich I sat next to a really interesting man from Munich, he is a 55 year old veterinarian who studied in San Francisco. He and his family travel the world on vacations, most recently to Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. We discussed travel, education, religion and the German perspective of World War II and post war Germany. From his perspective, post war Germany didn't have much national pride. Many people were afraid to fly the German flag, it wasn't until the 2006 World Cup. The new generations of Germans reclaimed their national pride.

The plane was so old that there were still ashtrays in the bathrooms. The in flight monitors didn't work and enough people complained, that they gave us all $25 vouchers. Although it didn't really bother me, but it worked out.

Arriving in Munich I remembered the passport check in and terminal from last June. I still can't get over how easy it is to fly into the continental European Union. We had a very short passport check in Munich and nothing in Poland. It's gonna take at least 2 hours when I get back to the US.

I immediately tried to get my phone to work, it didn't connect to any network, I tried rebooting, manually connecting, nothing. I thought, "Well, maybe it will work in Poland. That's where I told them I would be." Still didn't work in Poland. Since we had 4 hours until we had to meet for the opening session a group of us went out and explored. Well, explored with a mission. Tracy needed a brush, some needed money from a bank and I needed my phone fixed. Two hours and four phone stores later, my phone still didn't work. Eventually, meaning the next night, I got a hold of my husband and he was able to call someone to get my phone working.

At the opening dinner I realized how big this program really is, we have have a security detail. This is where I first met Paula Lebovics, Holocaust survivor, she is one of the cutest, strongest, women I have ever met. The most touching moment of the evening was when Olga Burkhardt showed up and saw Paula. The moment they saw each other there was a spark. I wish there was a way to capture that moment, it was beautiful. Like to souls separated and meeting after a long absence. Just watching them I could feel the affection between them.
You can read there store HERE on the USC Shoah Foundation website.

January 24, 2015
Today was our first sessions of the the conference and they were really great. I got a lot of really good information. There are several things I will be doing with my classes. (I will post a page of conference notes on the main pages of my website for those of you who are interested.) They talked to us about tomorrow, apparently there will be some VP people joining us. Word on the "Street" is that is is Steven Spielberg who gave the program its name, "The Past is Present."

I had the great opportunity to talk to some amazing junior interns about some of my class projects. They were able to help me work through some ideas from a student perspective. they even made connections that I hadn't seen before, I wish they were my students. I spoke to Paula again, this time about movies in the classroom. When I mentioned, "Life is Beautiful" she shuttered angrily saying that movies is a, "slap in the face to Holocaust survivors." When I asked her if there was a better movie and she said, "Shoah" is much better." We later had a lovely conversation about family and her travels to Australia. I want to keep talking to and learning from her.

This evening a small group of us went out and explored Warsaw. Adam (from Poland) and Steve (from England) make great tag-team tour guides.

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Auschwitz: The Past is Present: Days 3-4

1/25/2015

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I didn't realize how much pressure or stress I have been feeling until Donell and I exchanged texts. Honestly I hadn't realized that I had been feeling that way until his text, which for some reason filled me with calmness. It had such an immediate impact I had to reflect on how I was feeling.

This is an amazing experience that I will be eternally grateful for. I am really glad that we have the opportunity to talk with Paula, Lucia and Ruth. Paula Lebovics is a beautiful strong woman who is humble yet unyielding in her voice. She reminds me so much of Nanny, my father's grandmother, who was my favorite grandparent. She was another strong beautiful woman who really impacted my life. Lucia and Ruth are two high school junior interns with the USC Shoah Foundation. They are incredible young women who are bright and smart, they make really great connections that I hadn't made before. Talking to them reminds me of the LIA kids last year who, once they found their voice, are incredible leaders with infant amounts of potential. I feel so comfortable talking to them, I think because they remind me so much of my own students, who I enjoy talking to so much.

This morning we had a reflection session from yesterday. It was good to think about the lessons we have learned so far. We talked about authentic sites, while we were sitting in a Polish Jewish Museum in the middle of Warsaw Ghetto location. We went outside and talked about the memorials that were erected, just outside the museum, within the first 3 years of the end of the war. It was fascinating, though I was a little disappointed with the lack of visits to authentic sites in Warsaw. Luckily Adam, a Polish native, took me and Steve, a British teacher, to the Warsaw bunker. It was the last stand of the resistance, everyone inside died, there is debate whether they died from gas or suicide, but it was a block from the museum and the group did not go. Luckily we at least stopped at the Warsaw Cemetery. It is the most interesting and culturally rich cemeteries that I have ever visited.

We had a 'shark tank' where we had the opportunity to 'pitch' our project ideas to a panel, the panel being the junior interns. And by 'our' I mean a few "randomly" selected teachers, I was not one of them. Though I am going to try to find the kids later and talk to them about my project to get their feedback. Anyway, during this panel, Steven Spielberg came in, he was introduced to all of us. He sat one seat away from me, later the David Zaslav, Discovery CEO came in and sat between us. I met his [David's] wife, she teaches Math and it was an enjoyable chat. I would've liked to talk to her more. Later there was a panel of teachers and junior mentors from our group. Last night I was asked to be prepared to ask questions during the panel, at the time I thought there would be survivors so that's how I prepared my questions. Long story short, although I revamped my question I didn't ask any questions. I tweeted several great quotes and things from this panel check out #pastispresent

The ride to Krakow was supposed to be 4 hours, it is now 5 hours later and we still have another hour to go. We had a few stops and the other bus broke down for a while, so we stopped and waited for them. One of our pit stops was at the fun Dutch? themed restaurant with medieval elements thrown in, the hot chocolate was warm milk and chocolate, delicious. Now I am trying to get reflections typed and completed so that way I can sleep as soon as we get to the hotel.

Paula Lebovics Quotes:
"You can't hold onto the hate [anger], you have to let it go so you can move on."
About the displaced persons camps:
''It was wonderful, how could it not, we were free?"