Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell visits George Washington’s Mt. Vernon estate on a recent trip to the Washington, DC, area. Here she examines the key to the Bastille and a rendering of the historic French building on display in Washington’s mansion. The key was a gift to our nation’s first president from his good friend and fellow Revolutionary War soldier, the Marquis de Lafayette.

As a teacher who loves all things academic, I was happy to be able to travel to George Washington’s Mt. Vernon estate on a recent trip to the Washington, DC, area. A visit to this iconic historical site has long been on my must-do list, and the excursion did not disappoint. I was fortunate to be able to visit the estate in person; however, a virtual excursion plus a wealth of information about our nation’s first president, George Washington, and his home can be found on the website at www.mtvernon.org.

While at the estate, I was able to wander through the downstairs rooms of Washington’s mansion, including the grand and beautifully decorated New Room, the stylish front parlor, the dining room, George Washington’s spacious study, and the downstairs bedchamber, which served as a guest bedroom. Many artifacts belonging to the former president are on display, including the key to the historic French Bastille, a gift from Washington’s good friend and fellow Revolutionary War soldier, the Marquis de Lafayette.

A stroll through the grounds yields an opportunity to view the working parts of the estate, including the detached kitchen, the smokehouse, the gardens, the stables and paddocks, and a slave cabin. Further wanderings take the visitor to the current tomb of George and Martha Washington, the location of their original burial site, and a slave memorial.

An exploration of the museums and education center allows the visitor to learn more about all aspects of Washington’s life, including his childhood and family, his military service to our country, his presidency and political activities, his employment as a surveyor, and his life as a gentleman farmer after he left office.

Your students can explore all of these aspects of George Washington’s estate, and more. To view the mansion, from a bird’s eye floor plan to a room-by-room virtual tour, instruct them to click on this link to the mansion. Students can learn more about the burial sites and memorials on the estate if they click on the link tombs and memorials. They can click on this link to examine the exhibits in the museums and the education center. Enjoy!

Terry Marzell relates a story that demonstrates that, in the classroom, words matter. Photo credit: Terry Marzell.

Is there any teacher today who isn’t aware that, in the classroom, words matter? Critical or negative words can totally crush a student, and that sting may last a long time. On the other hand, the uplifting or positive words we use can create the most wonderful results. These results may last a lifetime in the ear, the head, and the heart of the recipient. So it’s worth giving some extra thought to the words we choose.

When choosing words, I try to remember to ask myself whether voicing those particular words will bring comfort or joy to the listener. I remember once a parent conference I had with the mother of one of my seniors who was not doing well in my class. The course was required for graduation, and the mother was fraught with worry that her son, the eldest of her children, wouldn’t pass. Clearly, she had been self-criticizing herself mercilessly for some time. She had convinced herself that she was a failure because her son was struggling.

“My mother was such a good mother,” the lady told me. “My father had left the family, and my mother raised six children by herself, all while working full time. And she did such a great job of it,” she continued disconsolately. “I only wish I could be as good a mother as she was. I wish I could be like her.”

After a moment, I responded, “You are a good mother in your own way.”  Instantly the parent leaped to her feet, threw her arms around me, and thanked me profusely. Her response surprised me at the time, but when I thought about the exchange later, I realized I had expressed exactly the words she needed to hear at that moment. I had chosen my words well.

This caring and dedicated mother became my ally until the day I retired. And her son did pass my class and graduate with his class. I never saw the young man again, but the mother came to visit me periodically, giving me updates on how her son was faring out there in the world. I truly appreciated these updates.

Words matter. They matter so much more than we realize. So, no matter who you are or who you are talking to, try to make your words inspirational and hopeful.

Here is an inspirational message about failing, which were originally intended for students. But I think this message is equally important for hardworking teachers who may be in need of an emotional lift right now. 

Throughout the month of March, teachers all over the country will be celebrating Women’s History Month 2021 with their students. Here is Rosie the Riveter, a national symbol for the contributions women make to American history. Photo credit: The Smithsonian.

Throughout the month of March, teachers all over the country will be celebrating Women’s History Month with their students. The annual observance features women’s contributions to history, culture, and society, and has been celebrated in the United States since 1987.Here’s a list of some resources and materials teachers might want to examine for inclusion in their Women’s History Month lessons.

The National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) provides many resources for Women’s History Month, such as articles, online exhibits, virtual field trips, and classroom resources. You can also find information about women history makers and biographies at this site.

Have a look at the teaching resources available at Scholastic.com. On this site teachers can find women’s history month articles, book lists, lesson plans, and online activities for grades K-12.

Some of the resources available at www.history.com include background information on the annual observance, and photo galleries of important women figures in history, divided into such categories as women in politics, sports, the arts, and science, There is also a dandy timeline of milestones in women’s history, a list of famous firsts in women’s history, information about women’s suffrage, and more.

Take a look at the website www.womenshistory.gov, which is currently offering online exhibitions about women’s suffrage, Rosa Parks, Native American women artists, and more. The website is supported by the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Gallery of Art, the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Still need more? Here’s a list of additional resources compiled by Edutopia, an offshoot of the George Lucas Educational Foundation. Includes links to websites that offer lesson plans, printables, digital exhibits, primary sources, and STEM materials.

Enjoy!

The inauguration of a new president is always a historic event, one that teachers are eager to share with their students. If you’re looking for some resources to use with your classes, here are some suggestions. Please feel free to add additional resources that you have found in the comments section!

The National Education Association offers many Inauguration Day activities for students at all grade levels. The resources include a collection of inaugural addresses, a quiz, and a special online Library of Congress presentation with more than 40 photographs, manuscripts, campaign posters, letters, broadsides, and inaugural speeches representing 18 presidents.

C-Span Classroom has lesson plans, videos, and activity sheets. You can find a wealth of resources for students to help them understand events occurring on inauguration day and interpret the inaugural address that will be given by Joe Biden on January 20, 2021. Teachers can choose to have students view the inaugural address and use one of several viewing guides to analyze the speech. Activities and handouts include a note-taking chart, guiding questions, topical analysis, an evaluative rubric, and a BINGO game. Check it out!

Take a look at the resources offered by Education World. These materials are aimed at all grade levels. Includes letter-writing activities, examining photographs, vocabulary work sheets, comparing inaugural addresses, an inaugural firsts trivia hunt, and more.

Close Up Washington DC offers many virtual resources, particularly for middle school and high school students. Feel free to check it out.