Category Archives: Education

Incorporating a tour of the Israeli Parliament into classroom curriculum

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Summer has finally arrived, and this is the time that 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 while I was there I could see many opportunities for incorporating travel experiences into classroom curriculum.

A visit to the parliament of another country, particularly, offers opportunities for comparisons between the American system of government and the systems of other democracies around the world.

Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell tours the Israeli Parliament during her recent trip to Israel and Jordan. Photo Credit: Hal Marzell

An excellent example of this is the visit I made to the Knesset. The Knesset is the governing body of the Israeli government, responsible for electing the president, approving the cabinet, passing national laws, and supervising committees. Unlike the legislature of the United States, which features two houses—a Senate and a House of Representatives—there is only one house in the Israeli Parliament. The Knesset’s 120 members are elected by popular vote and represent all of the various communities present in the country’s populations. Knesset members serve four-year terms. The most surprising fact I learned on my visit? Israel has no formal constitution! Instead, the country is governed by a set of 13 Basic Laws which were originally intended to be a rough draft of a constitution; however, the final document was never written.

Science teachers might want to point out that the structure of the Knesset is one of the greenest parliament buildings in the world, constructed with numerous large windows to allow for abundant natural lighting, solar panels covering the roof, auto-close air-conditioners, and thermally insulated double-paned windows.

Hal Marzell visits the Plenary Hall of the Israeli Parliament on a recent tour of the Knesset. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Art and interior design teachers can also create lessons based on a tour of the Knesset. For example, in contrast to the chambers housing the US Senate and the House of Representatives, the Israeli Parliament meets in a rather starkly-furnished room. This assembly room, known as Plenary Hall, is three stories tall.  Knesset members are seated by rank in a horse-shoe shape on the Plenum floor facing a dais where the Speaker sits. Behind the dais rises a wall adorned with a mostly flat, rather colorless artistic sculpture by Israeli artist Dani Karavan (1930–2021). The artwork, entitled “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem” (Psalms 122:6), is based on the theme of the relationship between the spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem and the physical, earthly Jerusalem. The wall is comprised of large rectangular blocks of Galilee stone. On the left side of the wall hangs a portrait of Theodor Herzl, an early visionary of the Jewish state, etched on a tablet of dark zinc. Looking down over the plenary floor are the VIP gallery, which is where the Israeli president sits while observing Knesset sessions, and the public gallery.

Terry Lee Marzell examines the immense wall mosaic designed especially for the Knesset by Jewish artist Marc Chagall. Photo Credit: Hal Marzell

One of the most striking aspects of the art of the Knesset, though, are the art pieces designed by world-renowned Russian-born Jewish artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985). He created three large tapestries, 12 floor mosaics, and one wall mosaic specifically for the Knesset’s State Hall, the scene of important state ceremonies and state events. These works of art incorporate scenes from the Old Testament combined with depictions of events in modern history, and emphasize the return to the Promised Land. Obviously, the concept of the separation between church and state which permeates much of American government is not a part of the governing processes of Israel.

And that’s my personal take-away on how my recent tour of Israel’s Knesset could contribute to the classroom curriculum. Other ideas? Feel free to comment.

An exploration of Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center

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Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell examines a display at Yad Vashem, the internationally-renowned Holocaust Remembrance Center located in Israel. Photo credit: Hal Marzell

Now that Covid-19 stay-at-home restrictions have been eased, many educators are eager to incorporate travel into their summer vacation plans. Teachers know that travel, in addition to being fun and restorative, is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities available for both themselves and for their students. Recently, I was able to travel to Israel and Jordan, and I could see many opportunities for incorporating my experiences into learning opportunities in the classroom.

An excellent example of this is the visit I made last month to Yad Vashem, the internationally-renowned Holocaust Remembrance Center located in Jerusalem. The center, founded in 1953, is located on the western slope of Mount Herzl, also known as the Mountain of Remembrance, in western Jerusalem. With approximately one million visitors each year, Yad Vashem is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in Israel, second only to the Western Wall. Like any study and contemplation of the Holocaust, this visit was a somber and disturbing one. Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend a trip here to anyone who is able to go.

Young Israeli soldiers are required to take a tour of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center as part of their military training. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

One thing that surprised me during my visit was the presence of so many young Israeli soldiers, both men and women, who were also touring the museum. Such a tour is required as part of their military training.

In addition to the exhibition pavilion, we visited a very moving memorial to the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust. This unique memorial was hollowed out from an underground cavern. Five memorial candles are reflected in the extremely dark and somber space. These candles created the illusion of millions of stars shining in the firmament. As we proceeded through the memorial, the names of murdered children and their ages and countries of origin are recited in the background. The effect was both beautiful and haunting.

Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell at the Pilar of Heroism which commemorates the resistance to Nazi domination and extermination. The Pilar is located at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center  in Jerusalem. Photo Credit: Hal Marzell

When I was still in the classroom and teaching about the Holocaust, my curriculum evolved to cover what I believed to be three important aspects of the Holocaust. First, I believe that teaching the Holocaust is important, bt this is not the only theme about the Jewish people that is important.  Therefore, I incorporated Jewish cultural aspects such as folk tales, music, and art into the lesson plans. Second, I didn’t want my students to view the Jewish people only as victims. Therefore, I included information about resistance efforts, including the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, into the lesson plans. At Yad Vashem, these efforts are commemorated by the Pilar of Heroism. And third, I didn’t want my students to be burdened by feelings of guilt about an event which they did not participate and over which they had no control. For this reason, I incorporated information about individuals who rescued, hid, or aided Jewish people in their efforts to avoid Nazi extermination. Yad Vashem honors these individuals, whom they call the “Righteous Among Nations,” in a tree-lined avenue and a garden.

If you, too, are involved in teaching aspects of the Holocaust in your classrooms, Yad Vashem offers a wealth of resources on their website. The website offers background information, including a timeline with over 200 entries related to the major events that occurred before, during, and immediately after the Holocaust. Also available are digital photo archives, full-length survivor testimonies, an online film catalog, a documents archive, and a database of the righteous. All of these materials, and more, are available for you to choose from on their website.

I hope that if you are teaching about the Holocaust, someday you will be able to visit this memorial in person yourself. Until then, please explore the online resources available from Yad Vashem. Simply click on this link to YadVashem.org.

Special Ed teacher Stephanie Ballard named South Dakota’s 2022 Teacher of the Year

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Stephanie Ballard, a middle school Special Education teacher from Brookings, South Dakota, has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: South Dakota Education Association

I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional teachers from around the country. One of these is Stephanie Ballard, a middle school teacher from Brookings, South Dakota. She’s been named her state’s 2022 State Teacher of the Year.

Stephanie teaches Special Education mathematics at George S. Michelson Middle School in Brookings. Prior to teaching at Michelson, she taught at Camelot Intermediate School. In all, her career as an educator has spanned eight years.

In her work, Stephanie evaluates sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students to determine whether they are eligible for special education services, and then she develops and implements their Individualized Education Program (IEP). She also teaches specialized classes for students with disabilities who are underperforming in mathematics, and she co-teaches inclusion math classes with general education teachers, providing accommodations and modifications to help all students be successful. And, as if all that were not enough, she conducts professional development workshops and mentors new teachers in her district. Furthermore, she is active in the local division of the South Dakota Education Association.

Stephanie says she has always loved learning and school. “I was actually homeschooled from kindergarten to sixth grade, my mom homeschooled me and my three siblings,” the honored teacher reveals. “That is something that I have taken pretty seriously now as a special education teacher. I just know that students can be way more successful if there is a close relationship between home and school,” she continues.

Stephanie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Inclusive Education and Special Education with specializations in specific learning disabilities and emotional and behavioral disorders from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2014.

As recipient of her state’s Teacher of the Year award, Stephanie will receive a $5,000 grant from the South Dakota Department of Education and a $1,000 honorarium from the South Dakota Board of Regents which she will be able use to present a series of professional development seminars to aspiring teachers.

Congratulations, Stephanie!

Uvalde teachers Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles slain shielding students from gunman

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Two fourth grade teachers, Irma Garcia (left) and Eva Mireles (right) were slain in their classroom at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, as they tried to shield their young students from a gunman’s attack. Sadly, 19 of their students were also killed. Photo Credit: Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District.

Once again, our nation and our professional community is mourning the loss of dedicated educators and their students as a result of a senseless act of violence. Two fourth grade teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and 19 of their young students were killed by a gunman who launched an attack at the school on Tues., May 24. The teachers, Eva Mireles and Irma Linda Garcia, were slain as they tried to shield their defenseless students from the gunman’s bullets.

Eva Mireles, age 44, was born on March 17, 1978 in Dallas, Texas. She had been teaching at the school for 17 years. Eva was trained in Special Education, and was remembered by parent Audrey Garcia (no relation to Irma Garcia) for going “above and beyond” as a teacher. She indicated that it was only within the last few years that schools in the Uvalde area began to integrate children with developmental disabilities into regular classrooms, and Eva was one of the teachers who taught them. “She was a beautiful person and dedicated teacher,” declared Garcia.

Robb Elementary parent Erica Torres agrees. She recalled the exceptional care with which Eva treated her son Stanley, who has autism, while he was her student in both the third and fourth grades. In an effort to stop him from wandering around the school, the compassionate teacher put Stanley in charge of rounding up students to get to class. “She made you feel like she was only teaching your child,” Torres remembered. “Like there’s no other students but him. She made you feel so good,” the parent remembered.

Eva’s colleague, Irma Garcia, age 48, was born on Dec. 11, 1973, in San Antonio, Texas. She had been a teacher at the school for 23 years. In 2019, this Chalkboard Champion was one of 19 San Antonio-area teachers who were named finalists for a Trinity University prize that recognizes excellence in teaching.

After the attack authorities told her family that Irma was seen by a member of law enforcement attempting to protect her students from the gunfire. “I want her to be remembered as someone who sacrificed her life and put her life on the line for her kids,” declared Irma’s nephew, John Martinez. “They weren’t just her students. Those were her kids, and she put her life on the line, she lost her life to protect them. That’s the type of person she was,” he continued.

To compound the sadness, Irma’s husband, Joe Garcia, suffered a fatal heart attack two days following his wife’s murder. “I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart, and losing the love of his life of more than 25 years was too much to bear,” asserted Irma’s cousin, Debra Austin. The couple were the parents of four children.

The gunman,18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, was killed by law enforcement to bring an end to his attack.

 

Honoring Henry Alvin Cameron: Teacher and WWI veteran

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During this weekend’s annual Memorial Day observances, I am reminded that many our nation’s educators are also veterans. One of my favorite Chalkboard Heroes is Henry Alvin Cameron, a high school science teacher from Nashville, Tennessee. He was not only a leader in the African American community in the early days of the 20th century, but he was also a veteran of World War I. Below is a digital story I created to tell you more about this heroic historical figure.