Category Archives: Education

NJ’s Robert Fenster inducted into National Teachers Hall of Fame

Posted on by

New Jersey Social Studies educator Robert Fenster is one of only five 2022 inductees into the National Teachers Hall of Fame (NTHF) Photo Credit: NTHF

After a Covid-related hiatus in 2021, the National Teachers Hall of Fame (NTHF) has resumed honoring teachers for their exemplary work in the classroom. The five inductees for the class of 2022 have been announced. One of them is Robert Fenster, a high school teacher from Hillsborough, New Jersey.

Robert earned his Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science in 1991 from Rutgers University. He earned his Master’s degree in Social Studies Education in 1993, also from Rutgers. His career in education started in 1993 at Hillsborough High, where he teaches Social Studies to sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Hillsborough High School in Hillsborough, New Jersey. His entire 28-year career has been spent at this school.

In addition to his responsibilities in the classroom, Robert serves as the advisor for his school’s Mock Trial team, Model United Nations, Model Congress, the Amnesty International Club, and the Podcasting Club. He also serves on the Township Recreation Committee. As if all this were not enough, Robert is a member of the National Education Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the National Council for History Education.

“Mr. Fenster’s teaching had such a profound impact on my life that I have mentioned it while testifying before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee,” declared his former student Nina Jankowicz. “I credit his classes and mentorship during my high school years not only with my interest in Political Science and international relations in college, which led me down the career path that took me to the halls of Congress, but also for instilling in me (and my classmates) the importance of being an active citizen,” she continued. “He is not only an excellent educator, but an empowering mentor, emboldening each student – male or female, quiet or outspoken, history buff or not – to truly shine,” Jankowicz concluded.

The honored educator’s induction into the National Teachers Hall of Fame is one of numerous honors this Chalkboard Champion has earned. He garnered the 2021 Paul A. Gagnon Prize from the National Council for History Education; the 2019 Secondary Education Teacher of the Year Award from the New Jersey Council for Social Studies; the 2019 Law-Related Education Teacher of the Year Award from American Lawyers Alliance; and the 2017 Claes Nobel Top Ten Educator of the Year Award from the National Society of High School Scholars.

This honor is not the only one Robert has earned. He received the 2021 Paul A. Gagnon Prize from the National Council for History Education, the 2019 Secondary Education Teacher of the Year Award from the New Jersey Council for Social Studies, the 2019 Law-Related Education Teacher of the Year Award from American Lawyers Alliance, and the 2017 Claes Nobel Top Ten Educator of the Year Award from the National Society of High School Scholars. To read m ore about Robert Fenster, see the link to Central Jersey.com.

The National Teachers Hall of Fame was founded in Emporia in 1989 to honor outstanding educators through a recognition program and museum. Nominees must be certificated public or non-public school teachers, active or retired, with at least 20 years of experience in teaching grades preK-12. Since the inaugural induction ceremonies in 1992, 140 educators from 40 states and the District of Columbia have been inducted. This year’s class of inductees represents the 30th anniversary of NTHF induction ceremonies when both the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2022 will be officially installed.

Include the UNESCO World Heritage site of Petra in your classroom curriculum

Posted on by

Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell and her husband, Hal Marzell, experience a camel ride at the foot of Petra’s spectacular multi-story Treasury building. The structure features Hellenistic architecture, including Corinthian capitals, friezes, and figures. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Summer has finally arrived, and this is traditionally the time of year when many educators are eager to incorporate travel into their vacation plans. Teachers know that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities available for both themselves and for their students.

I recently returned from a trip to Israel and Jordan, and while I was there I could see many opportunities for incorporating travel experiences into classroom curriculum. I’ve already written about my visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Museum, and the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. Today I’d like to share with you my experience of Jordan’s Petra, truly a place of wonders.

Petra is an archeological site which served as the center of the caravan trade since Biblical times. The Nabataeans, a nomadic Arabic tribe, designated the location as their capital city. The Nabataeans were skilled at stone carving, and capturing and storing rainwater, and agriculture, which was no easy feat in the middle of a desert.

Visiting the site required a lengthy hike from the hotel, which I happily circumvented by renting a seat on an electric-powered golf cart. While zooming through the Siq, a narrow passageway through which we could see glimpses of the structure known as the Treasury, I observed the water conduits constructed to capture and convey rainwater for use by residents of the city. The Siq opens into a large plaza over which towers the stunning Treasury building. The structure features Hellenistic architecture, including Corinthian capitals, friezes, and figures, all carved into the beautiful red stone native to the area. There we were treated to a short camel ride, which was tons of fun. (Tell your students they must ride a camel at least once in their lives!) Then we hiked back into the site to explore a small amphitheater, the royal tombs, and the Great Temple. Of course, by the time we had done all that hiking we were both quite worn out, so a golf cart ride back to our starting point was a must. If you ever visit the place and intend to hike the entire length, be prepared to hike five or six miles, minimum.

Petra, which is also known as the Rose Red City, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The location is Jordan’s most visited tourist attraction; in 2019 alone, 1.1 million tourists made a pilgrimage to the place. For these reasons, it is well-worth a tour, and worthy of incorporation into classroom lesson plans. I can easily envision a discussion of Petra in a World History class, or even as part of a course on environmental strategies for managing resources.

To learn more about this extraordinary archeological site, click on this link to the official Petra website.

 

California’s Eliza Robbins Crafts was a pioneer educator and local history author of the Wild West

Posted on by

Eliza Robbins Crafts was a pioneer educator and local history writer in the early days of San Bernardino County, California. Photo Credit:

There are many intriguing stories about intrepid pioneer educators who helped to settle the Wild West during the late 1800’s. One of them was Eliza Robbins Crafts, a teacher and writer who had an unmistakable impact on the settling of the San Bernardino area of Southern California.

Eliza was born Eliza Russell on Nov. 29, 1825, in Unadello Center, Otsego County, New York. As a young girl, she attended Madam Willard’s Female Seminary. She graduated from the school in 1847. The education she earned there was far greater than the typical young woman of her day. Once she completed school, Eliza migrated to New Orleans, Louisiana, where she worked as a teacher on a sugar plantation. There she met and married Ellison Robbins, a fellow educator from her home state of New York. Before long, the couple relocated to Santa Clara, California, where they taught school for three years. In 1858, the couple was persuaded to relocate to San Bernardino, where they were hired to lead the school system. The system was comprised of two one-room adobe structures that were built next door to each other. One was named Washington and the other was named Jefferson.

Unfortunately, Ellison succumbed to pneumonia in 1864. He was only 43 years old. Shortly thereafter, Eliza married Myron Harwood Crafts. But that marriage did not last long, as in 1886 Myron also succumbed to pneumonia. At the time, Eliza was 61, and found the estates she inherited from Ellison and Myron too much for her to handle. She sold her assets and moved to Redlands to live with her daughter, Rosabelle. During the next few years, Eliza authored a local history book entitled Pioneer Days in the San Bernardino Valley, which was published in 1906. The book contained a description of life in San Bernardino County in the early days, the disastrous flood of 1862, the Civil War years, the assassination of President Lincoln, and how the residents defended themselves when they received news that a marauding band of Southern sympathizers was headed their way.

Eliza Robbins Crafts was 85 years old when she passed away in February of 1910. She is interred at Hillside Memorial Park in Redlands, California. She will always be known in the San Bernardino area as a pioneer educator and local history author. To read more, click on this link to the online article published about her by the Redlands Area Historical Society.

 

Elem educator Kelly Shrein named Alaska’s 2022 Teacher of the Year

Posted on by

Elementary school teacher Kelly Shrein of Anchorage has been named Alaska’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: Alaska Public Media

It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these educators is Kelly Shrein, an elementary school teacher from Anchorage, Alaska. She has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.

Kelly teaches a combination class for first and second graders at Chinook Elementary School in Anchorage. During the pandemic, she demonstrated extraordinary resolve to connect with her students beyond online teaching. She started by driving to the house of each of her students to express how much they were missed. She then began writing postcards, setting up Zoom meetings, and making phone calls consistently through the Spring and Summer.

“This past school year has thrown so many curveballs at educators and our students and their families,” asserts Kelly. “And I learned through this experience, I just needed to think outside of the box more,” she said. “How do I connect more with my students? How do I connect more with their families? How do I keep these relationships going? Because they’re so important,” she concluded.

When classes resumed via Zoom in Fall of 2020, attendance in her class was higher than anticipated. The results of the time spent connecting with students outside of class were apparent. Her outreach gained the attention of local news outlets around the country and was featured in Rolling Stone Magazine in May, 2020.

Her effort did not go unnoticed by administrators in her District. “Kelly Shrein is a shining example of what makes Alaska’s educators among the best in the country,” declares school Commissioner Michael Johnson. “Even in the face of adversity, Mrs. Shrein goes to extraordinary lengths on a daily basis to connect with her students and ensure an excellent education, regardless of the circumstances,” he continued. “Kelly’s work to reach out to, support, and encourage her students throughout the pandemic shows tremendous creativity and care – not just for who the students are today, but for the adults and leaders they will become in the future,” Johnson concluded.

Kelly earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2013 from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. In 2018, she earned a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Reading and Literacy from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

To read more about Kelly Shrein, see this article about her published on the website for  CCSSO Teacher of the Year.