MODERN GERMANY UPDATE
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE TRANSATLANTIC OUTREACH PROGRAM
Are You Ready to Take a
Field Trip to Berlin?
A PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
The Transatlantic Outreach Program is pleased to announce the immediate availability of its
latest resources for Social Studies educators: the “Field Trip to Berlin” DVD and corresponding
instructional guide. The DVD is being offered in English with English subtitles, designed for
middle and secondary educators.
As early as May 2007, TOP staff met with film producers at the Deutsche Welle TV station in
Washington to brainstorm the successor to the popular “Germany Since 1945: A Focus on Berlin”
VHS. Producer/director, Stephan Bachenheimer, suggested from the get-go that the film follow a
group of students from the German/American John F. Kennedy high school in Berlin. After all,
what better way for American students to “see” Berlin than through the eyes of their German
peers? Planning the “field trip” began immediately!
In December, Stephan Bachenheimer flew to Berlin, rented a bus, met the nine students, and
took off with cameras rolling!
First stop: the Potsdam Conference House, also known as Cecilienhof. This is where President
Truman met with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin to decide Germany’s post-war fate.
With a former U.S. military commander, Dr. Steve Bowman, serving as tour guide, the field
trip continues with a visit to the famous Reichstag. Now home to Germany’s lower house of
parliament, the building still displays the scars from the Battle of Berlin.
And so the film begins in 1945 and continues its
24-minute-long journey though the major milestones
of Berlin’s post-WWII history: the Berlin blockade,
Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, reconciliations
with the past, German Unification, European
integration, and finally the 2006 World Cup.
Of course, no DVD would be complete
without a bonus feature. In addition to
the field trip video, there are several short
interviews with the students as they relate how
Germany’s past touched their own families.
Educators who receive the DVD will also
receive an accompanying instructional guide,
authored by American Social Studies consultants,
Connie Manter and Faith Vautour. The guide aligns to
National Social Studies Standards while offering student activities
and handouts for use before, during, and after viewing the film.
Not content with merely taking a virtual field trip to
Berlin? Interested educators may apply to go there in person!
The Transatlantic Outreach Program offers yearly all-expensespaid study tours to Germany. For more information, turn to page 9
of this newsletter…
WINTER 2008
In this issue:
Are You Ready to
Take a Field Trip to Berlin?
P. 1
Upcoming Conferences
P. 2
Recent Workshop Leaders
P. 2
Berlin: History on the Edge
P. 3
An Invaluable Opportunity
P. 3
How One School Sent Exchange
Students to Germany
P. 4
Do-Re-Mi
P. 5
News from TOP Fellows
P. 6
TOP 2008 Travelers
P. 7
“Green” Education Update!
P. 7
Travel To Germany In 2009: Faq! P. 8
2009 Study Tour Application
P. 9
Leading Workshops
on Modern Germany
P. 10
Materials Request Form
P. 11
Editors: Wood Powell & Kelsey Smith
Contact:
Goethe-Institut Washington
812 Seventh Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: (202) 289-1200
Fax: (202) 289-3535
[email protected]
www.goethe.de/top
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
SPRING 2009
North Carolina Council
Greensboro, NC
February 12-13
Association of Teacher Educators*
Dallas, TX
February 14-18
American Association of School
Administrators*
San Francisco, CA
February 19-21
Middles States Regional*
Salisbury, MD
February 27-28
Missouri Council
Lake Ozark, MO
February 27-28
Minnesota Council
Shakopee, MN
March 5-6
California Council*
Ontario, CA
March 8-9
National Council for History Education*
Boston, MA
March 12-14
Association for Supervision & Curriculum
Development*
Orlando, FL
March 13-16
Ohio Council
Worthington, OH
March 26-27
Recent Workshop Leaders
FALL 2008
Chasidy Miroff
Vance, AL
Christopher Shaffer
Dothan, AL
Melinda Staubs
Jacksonville, AL
Joel Hinrichs
Brandford, CT
Veronica Allende
Port St. Lucie, FL
Tom Glaser
Hialeah, FL
Wendy Hirsch Weiner
Davie, FL
Amy Kesler
Stuart, FL
Wendy Lockard
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mary McCullagh
Miami, FL
Carmen Santiago
Miami, FL
Judy Butler
Carollton, GA
Heather Carroll
Duluth, GA
Joseph Hilliard
Powder Springs, GA
Rehana Ghani
Schaumburg, IL
Rex Morrow
Westville, IN
Mark Kopp
Frankfort, KY
Brent Wilson
Louisville, KY
Daniel Zeitz
Nicholasville, KY
JuTina Singletary
Merryville, LA
William Fitzhugh
Baltimore, MD
Jonathan Keiler
Bowie, MD
Jacqueline Littlefield
Augusta, ME
Sharon Goralewski
Waterford, MI
Laura Kigin
Saint Paul, MN
Scott Noet
Owatonna, MN
Steve Klawiter
Wildwood, MO
Monica Roland
Brandon, MS
Melissa Gates
Omaha, NE
Ann Ackerman
Nashua, NH
Sam Bravar
Rochester, NH
Lynne Fuller
Cherry Hill, NJ
New York Council
Saratoga Springs, NY
April 3-4
Wisconsin Council
Middleton, WI
March 16-17
Illinois Council*
Lisle, IL
April 23-24
*TOP Staff Plans to Attend with
Workshops/Booth
If you have any questions or comments about
TOP’s involvement with any of the above conferences or would like to invite TOP to your
conference, please let us know:
Attn: Assistant TOP Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (202) 289-1200
Goethe-Institut Washington
812 Seventh Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
2 modernGERMANyUPDATE
Mary Nacarlo
Wall, NJ
Christopher Spaman
Williamstown, NJ
Rima Majaess
Halifax, NS
Gary Renouf
Brookfield, NS
Christina Melaerts
Las Vegas, NV
Karlye Mull
Las Vegas, NV
Michael Stamcoff
Las Vegas, NV
Tom Bittner
North Collins, NY
Trecia Gillett
Yonkers, NY
Robert Sandler
New York, NY
Wanda Dengel
Portsmouth, OH
Kim Miller
Findlay, OH
Bill Wyss
Louisville, OH
Lyndal Caddell
Noblev, OK
Meghan O’Dell
Milwaukie, OR
Nicole Roper
Philadelphia, PA
Duncan Aspinwall-Winter Hilton Head, SC
Brock Beaver
Goose Creek, SC
Reggie Terry
Hollywood, SC
Sandra Kelley
Boerne, TX
Quinn Rollins
Taylorsville, UT
Pam Su’a
Sandy, UT
Linda Doherty
Harrisonburg, VA
Margo Jantzi
Harrisonburg, VA
Ellen Bartling
Valders, WI
Peter Michaud
New Berlin, WI
Susan Nigohosian
Madison, WI
Marian Schiesser
La Crosse, WI
Paul Dickler
Charleston, WV
William Greene
Lewisburg, WV
Lynette Swiger
Monongah, WV
An Invaluable Opportunity
Berlin: History on the Edge
By Duncan Aspinwall-Winter, 2008 Study Tour Participant
Hilton Head Island High School, South Carolina
This writer has traveled to London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and several other
European cities but has never encountered a European city as historically intense as
Berlin. Sure, one can picture Caesar’s legions on parade through the Roman forum
or feel the anarchy of 1789 as revolutionary crowds gather at the foot of Notre
Dame Cathedral, but while wandering down Unter Den Linden on a sunny June
morning towards the Brandenburg Gate, my jet-lagged eyes and brain were overwhelmed by historical imagination at its most lucid. I looked up and felt the stare of
Frederick the Great on horseback while across the street simultaneously envisioned
Nazi students burning books at the library. (I later learned that the site now regularly hosts a book fair; now that’s justice!)
At the Gate, also called the Tor, there was the Cold War in all its insidious
glory, complete with
an all-star cast: Stalin,
Adenauer, Kennedy,
Khrushchev, Reagan
and Kohl, while in the
distance I swore I heard
the roar of American
planes landing at
Tempelhof Airport,
bringing supplies to
grateful Berliners under
the Soviet gun. Of
course the Brandenburg
Gate brought forth
visions of desperate freeTracing the former path of the Wall in Berlin.
dom-seekers attempting
to escape over the Wall to the West. Yes; that Wall, whose path is now outlined in
the pavement around the city and has spawned a profitable tourist trade (justice
again!). The vision of the Wall filled my senses with scenes of jubilant crowds tearing down its large, cold slabs, while partying through the night and listening to the
glorious roar of Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy" with Leonard Bernstein at the podium.
The Second World War is everywhere in Berlin. Continuing through the Gate
and down the Straße to the left sits the emotionally overwhelming Memorial to the
Murdered Jews of Europe. Consisting of 5 acres and 2700 large grey blocks, one
enters and gets lost (as I did) in the maze and darkness of memory. Across the street
a small blue marker acknowledges the site of Hitler’s Bunker, underneath a parking
lot. Nearby in the Reichstag, there are slabs of the old war-torn walls where some
of the 1.5 million Soviet soldiers who fought in the Battle of Berlin wrote graffiti
in Russian, their scratchy handwriting not only revealing their celebration of the
destruction of National Socialism, but also foreshadowing the advent of a half-century of Communist oppression.
What made my experience in Berlin so memorable during the study tour was
that the city’s past is so “present.” Berlin is a city in transition where enormous, yellow brontosaurus-like construction cranes adorn the skyline, towering over the hip,
edgy bars, stylish shops and hum of bicycles. It is a city moving forward with the
speed of modernity, hope, and progress, much like those many bikes and their riders, but also with a humility and forthright acknowledgement of the darker chapters
of its past. We should all be so humble.
modernGERMANyUPDATE 3
By Melissa Gates, 2008 Study Tour
Participant - Bryan Senior High School,
Omaha, Nebraska
Unfortunately, for many American
educators like me, Germany has never gotten
beyond the Cold War. I understand the
challenges of teaching an immense amount
of content in a miniscule amount of time.
After this study tour, however, I was forced
to ask myself the question: Don't I have a
responsibility to tell the rest of the story?
Is it fair to leave Germany in WWII or the
Cold War? Hasn't Germany made other
contributions that are worthy and important
to understanding the study of history?
For me, the TOP program was an
invaluable opportunity and learning
experience. I did not just learn about
modern Germany, but for two weeks I lived
modern Germany.
After seeing amazing places like
the Deutscher Bundestag, the Berliner
Morgenpost newspaper, Benediktiner high
school, Deutsche Bank, and an organic apple
wine farm in Steinberg, I felt enlightened
by modern Germany. Every stop offered an
opportunity to gain insight into the German
perspective about history, politics, and
culture. Every day was filled with information
that I did not know or did not even think to
consider when analyzing modern Germany.
One of the most informative stops
for me was the Berliner Tafel Foundation.
Having the opportunity to meet and discuss
with Berliners who are on the front lines
of poverty and are battling to keep the lowincome children of Berlin healthy and fed
made me realize just how much our two
countries have in common.
I also learned an important lesson about
healing. As I mentioned before, I often ended
my "Germany" lessons in 1989. The lessons
consisted of jovial pictures of the Wall coming
down and David Hasselhoff singing in his
obnoxious jacket. Never did I consider the
hurdles that this newly unified nation might
face for the next several decades. Now I
know that understanding these challenges is
key to understanding modern Germany.
I am so fortunate to have traveled
to Germany and met so many amazing
people who were ecstatic to discuss where
their nation has been, where it is today,
and where it is going in the future. If
given another opportunity to study about
modern Germany, would I take it? My
answer is, "Nat�rlich!"
How One School Sent Exchange Students to Germany
By Leah Perry-Lawless, 2006 Study Tour Participant - Exploris Middle School, Raleigh, North Carolina
Background
I went to Germany with TOP during the
summer of 2006. I was so enthused following the trip that I immediately began working with the German American Partnership
Program (GAPP) to create an exchange program between my school, the Exploris Middle
School near Raleigh, NC, and the Jacob Ellrod
Schule in Gefrees, Germany near Bayreuth in
northern Bavaria.
The first exchange occurred in the
spring of 2007, when 14 students and teachers from Gefrees came to the United States.
Perhaps you read about it in the fall 2007
issue of this newsletter? During the Fall of
the same year, it was our turn to send a
group of American students to Germany. I
distinctly remember when we announced the
trip and the ensuing deluge of questions from
parents and students alike.
When are we going to Germany? How
many will go? How do I get to go? Are you taking any parents?
You could feel the energy in the air, the
hope and the possibilities.
Trip planning began with a series of meetings with the principal and of course with
interested parents. We were urged to keep in
mind that our students were slightly younger in
age than the Germans who visited us and that
many had never traveled overseas before. Many
of the parents simply felt uncomfortable with
their children being gone for three weeks due
to these realities, so our trip would be one week
shorter.
I emailed Herr Beigel, my contact in
Gefrees, and we began to explore possible dates.
Herr Beigel and I came up with a few different
two-week time periods that worked for both of
our school schedules. This proved to be more
difficult than we anticipated, since the German
schools have their vacation days more spread
throughout the school year as compared to
American schools.
Once we had our options, I contacted the
travel agent and had her price out each option.
We chose two weeks in the fall, which worked
nicely with our Fall break and cost us a little
more than $800 USD round-trip per student.
It helps to select dates between September
and December as well as between January and
May. The times to avoid are late December and
early January, and of course the months of June
through August.
With this information, I held a meeting for
all parents of interested students. This is where
I discussed the length of the trip, the costs, and
the expectations involved with going to Gefrees
and being ambassadors of our community and
school. Once I knew parents were aware of
the costs associated with the trip we began the
application process.
carpool, bringing German goodies to school and
having bake sales, etc. The revenues from these
events were not staggering, but every little bit
helped, and it also built camaraderie amongst
the future exchange students.
Preparing the Students
(and Parents)
The students were required to join in on
German Club activities, start learning the basics
of the language, and start to learn more about
the German culture in general. In the German
Club, we read the book, Escape to West Berlin
by Maurine F. Dahlberg, to help the students
gain insight into the impact of the Berlin Wall.
We learned about German culture and holidays,
and we had a German teacher meet with us
as well. We even explored Germany through
Google Earth and other online resources. The
more they learned, the more excited the students became.
Application Process
The application process was multifaceted;
we required each student to write an essay
explaining why he or she wanted to go to
Germany and why they would be a good candidate. Each applicant then had to have an interview with a panel of three adults (the principal,
a teacher, and another adult). Each candidate
had to be recommended by a teacher as well as
provide another written reference from a scout
leader, minister, family friend, former teacher, or
other trusted adult. Finally, each student had to
demonstrate that he or she had had no violations
at school and had good grades. The latter requirement was important as they would be missing a
week of school in addition to their Fall break.
The interview committee thoroughly
examined all application packets and after two
days of review, the final selection of exchange
students was made.
The seven lucky students received congratulatory letters, encouraging them to get their
passports as soon as possible. This was of course
important as plane tickets should be reserved
along with valid passports.
Exploris Middle School students in Germany. Photo provided by Leah
Perry-Lawless.
Buying Tickets
Time was of the essence, so we booked the
plane tickets to ensure the $800/person rate.
To expedite this process, we were able to charge
this expense to the school’s credit card. Parents
were required to reimburse the school over the
summer. Students working to earn their plane
tickets to Germany were given a more relaxed
deadline. But with the exception of the group’s
chaperone, the school did not pay for any aspect
of the trip.
We strongly encouraged the students to
earn a portion of the money for the ticket,
finding that students appreciate the trip much
more this way. We did a few fundraisers during
the year to raise money and split the earnings
amongst all the students who participated in
the fundraising events. Some of the fundraisers included selling donuts to parents during
The students had requirements to fulfill
both before and after the trip. They each had
to prepare a presentation, designed to explain
an aspect of American culture to their German
peers. One designed a presentation on super
stores; another explored the topic of architecture, etc. Following the trip, each student had
to use information gathered while in Germany
to give another presentation to their fellow
Exploris Middle School students. This requirement gave each student an individual focus to
concentrate on while in Germany.
As the departure date approached, the
students became more and more nervous.
Eight weeks prior to leaving, I met with all the
parents to discuss suggested clothing, baggage
limitations, places to get international cell phone
cards, and even shared our tentative trip itinerary. Having meetings every few weeks seemed
to ease the parents’ anxieties about the trip.
4 modernGERMANyUPDATE
Do-Re-Mi
Off to Germany
Lots of tears were shed on behalf of both students and parents alike but soon we were through
airport security, and we were on our way. We had
a brief meeting at the departure gate about expectations and the need for little drama.
We arrived safely in Germany, but unfortunately our luggage was lost. With multiple flight
connections, I knew this was at least a remote
possibility. By the time we got to Gefrees and
slept a day, our bags were thankfully delivered to
our doors.
The students were welcomed by the Gefrees
students in an auditorium, and we were asked to say
a few words. I had prepared my students, and they
were able to introduce themselves and express their
individual goals for their two weeks in Germany.
Of course it didn’t take but a few minutes before I
heard whispers from girls who thought boys were
cute and vice-versa. I never thought about it, but
flirting is indeed a form of communication and
there was a lot of that going on.
During our twelve days in Gefrees:
We walked through the town countless
times, taking note of differences and similarities.
We gave our PowerPoint presentations to
various classes.
We danced.
We enjoyed German food.
We made friends.
We laughed.
We met the mayor!
And in the end, we cried when we
had to leave.
Now the first set of student exchanges is
over. German students experienced the United
States. American students experienced Germany.
Now we know it’s possible. Now the students
know just how educational and fun such exchanges can be. Just how do we know this? We will
be sending another group from our school to
Germany in the spring of 2009 and the number
of student applicants has quadrupled.
Our students simply can’t wait to go to
Germany!
By Thomas Bitner, 2008 Study Tour Participant
North Collins Jr./Sr. High School, North Collins, New York
If you’re wondering whether you should apply for a TOP study tour, perhaps I can help
you with your decision.
Last year, I was probably in the same position you are now. While I’d read a good deal
about Germany, I’d never been there. I had never stood atop the Reichstag nor walked through
the Brandenburg Gate – nor touched the bullet holes, which still pockmark buildings in eastern
Berlin, or encountered the awe-inspiring tranquility of a medieval church.
As a TOP study tour participant, you will
acquire knowledge and have the opportunity to
enrich your students’ lives. You will witness the
reality of modern Germany firsthand. You will
leave Germany breathless, invigorated and knowledgeable. As a result, you will be able to present a
clearer, more accurate and more extensive account
of Germany to your students.
You will have the opportunity to view
Germany in a unique way. You will experience
Germany in a manner that tourists never can. How
often, for example, do you hear someone say, “Oh,
yeah, I ate lunch with a Federal Foreign Office
Commissioner for Culture and Communication”?
Your adventure will begin in Berlin, but you
will visit other great and ancient cities – cities that
were destinations for generations of Europe’s elite
Tom Bittner enjoys organic chicken and Bionade near
as they made The Grand Tour. For example, in
Ostheim, Bavaria.
Kassel, Stuttgart and Frankfurt, you will be overwhelmed by magnificent landscapes. You will marvel at pioneering construction projects in big
cities or be enchanted by quaint Bavarian villages.
You will have the opportunity to freely wander through the gardens at Frederick the Great’s
glorious Sanssouci, and to ponder Martin Niemöller’s distress while in captivity at Sachsenhausen.
You will probably have the opportunity to visit the Heidelberg Castle – to be astonished by
its beauty and saddened by its wounds. You will comprehend the importance of geography and
wonder what its inhabitants thought as they witnessed the approaching armies of Le Roi Soleil.
But it’s not all work! As a TOP study tour participant, you will form bonds of friendship
and learn more about yourself. You might be fortunate enough to take a bicycle tour down a
boulevard in Potsdam, flanked by perfectly symmetrical trees and find yourself – ala The Sound
of Music – singing “Do-Re-Mi.” On another day you may find yourself (I kid you not) skipping
across a bridge that spans the Oder River as you anticipate eating an ice-cream cone in Poland.
Ultimately, you will discover that Germany is a panorama that has yet to be completed.
Ancient locations and traditions are juxtaposed with modern architecture and a rapidly evolving
society. Germans may be – according to American standards – dogmatic and overly officious,
yet they are also innovative and surprisingly intrepid.
As Ivan Turgenev described so movingly in Fathers and Sons, there is always a “generation gap,” a conflict between the old and the new. Ironically, in rejecting their fathers’ values,
the young are often drawn to ideas that originate in other countries. As with them, you too
will experience the impact of cultural diffusion on Germany’s youth and be a transmitter of
Germany’s cultural inheritance to your students. You will be a builder of bridges between generations and peoples in our increasingly complex and interdependent world.
In short, even though I have been back in the United States for some time, it is impossible
to think or speak about the study tour without lapsing into superlatives. It was an experience
that left an indelible impression. Much reflection remains, however, in order to fully appreciate
and share the experience with my students.
The Transatlantic Outreach Program likes to bill its study tour to Germany as “the trip of a lifetime.”
Believe it.
modernGERMANyUPDATE 5
News
from
TOP
Fellows
The latest updates from past study tour participants.
Ann Ackerman, 2006, NH, participated in a
Fulbright-Hays Seminar to Greece and Bulgaria
for six weeks this summer. She will be presenting workshops on Germany, Greece, and Bulgaria
at NH Statewide NEA Professional Development
Conference and at the NERC. She is also now the
Chair of the Nashua Ethnic Awareness Committee.
Omer Alptekin, 2006, NY, taught in a village
in Bangladesh in Eurasia/South Asia with the
Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA)
sponsored by IREX and the State Department.
E. Sue Ayers, 2005, FL, spent two weeks in Abiquiu,
New Mexico, at the Dar al Islam Summer Teachers
Institute, attending lectures from prominent scholars, developing lesson plans with fellow teachers,
and gaining a better understanding of the basic tenets
of this faith as it relates to the daily life of Muslims.
Bart Becker, 2005, MN, was awarded “Teacher of
the Year” in May and started work on his Educational
Doctorate at Bethel University with the hopes of
moving into administration. He and his wife are
expecting their second child in mid-October.
Tom Bittner, 2008, NY, was named the North
Collins “Teacher of the Year” for 2007-08. He
also worked on two committees for the New York
State Education Department to develop the Global
History & Geography Regents Examination.
Jeff Brigham, 2008, IL, was awarded a year-long
teacher exchange grant by the Fulbright Program,
and will spend the next year in Scotland teaching.
Joan Campe, 2004, MN, traveled to Honduras
with fifteen educators as part of the Heifer project, learning more about the root causes of hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation.
Keith Chu, 2006, NJ, was selected to participate in the Community College Fellowship at the
US Institute of Peace in Washington, DC. He also
has a second son, Matthew, born in 2007.
Lorelei Clark, 2006, TX, received the
“Distinguished Teaching Award” from the National
Council of Geographic Education, presented at
the NCGE Conference in Dearborn, Michigan.
Rita Cochrane, 2007, TN, was awarded the
IIE Saudi Aramco Educator’s trip to Saudi Arabia,
where she visited schools, businesses, places of
cultural interest, and government officials.
Brandi Cook, 2005, SC, received the “Teacher
of the Year” 2008 award for Marion High
School and the Marion School District 1.
Linda Cotter, 2002, OH, celebrated “Martinstag”
with her classroom on November 11.
Brian Cushing, 2006, ME, is the Maine Coordinator
for the National Geographic Bee. He will also travel
to Kansas City in October with the Foreign Policy
Research Institute’s Wachman Center to explore the
concept of revolution and writing curriculum to support
this theme. Brian had two sons graduate from college
summa cum laude this past year, and his daughter is a
sophomore at Loyola in Chicago and an honors student.
Art Dietrich, 2007, VA, was a recipient of a
Prince William County Schools’ “Classy Award,"
given by the Superintendent and School Board to
teachers in recognition for achievement in academics, for being selected for the TOP 2007 trip.
Christina Donohue, 2008, NY, programmed a radio
show dedicated to German and Austrian artists.
Lori Dumerer, 2008, TX, was selected to participate in the AP Mentor Training Program sponsored
by the College Board to increase effectiveness of the
consultant/presenter at AP sponsored workshops and
conferences. She will also be presenting new material on Presidential Signing Statements at NCSS.
Dan Dunne, 2003, NY, led a group of minority
teachers-in-training from New York to Germany with
the “Teachers As Leaders” project, sponsored by the
Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation. He also visited
Korea with the Korea Foundation this summer.
Hale Edwards, 2007, SC, was the South Carolina
Middle School Social Studies “Teacher of the Year”
as well as the National Middle School Social Studies
“Teacher of the Year.” She was also the recipient of
the Wesleyan College Distinguished Alumnae Award.
Karen Ferris-Fearnside, 2004, NY, took 21 students
to Kiel in 2007 for three weeks for a home stay with a
high school. She also had an article published that she
wrote on the Kriegsmarine Bunker that was discovered.
Kay Geiger, 2005, TX, presented in March and August
on German Reunification and German Education.
Steve Goldberg, 2007, NY, has been elected VicePresident of NCSS, and is currently president of the
Westchester-Lower Hudson Council for the Social
Studies, and chairs the New York State Council for
the Social Studies conference exhibits committee.
Tom Glaser, 2008, FL, was selected as the first FCSS
State Secondary Social Studies “Teacher of the Year.”
He has also been accepted by the IREX-Department of
State for two weeks team teaching in Armenia in April.
Tanetha Grosland, 2006, MN, is currently
attending the University of Minnesota Twin
Cities working on her Ph.D. in Education with
a major in Curriculum and Instruction. She was
also awarded a Holmes Scholar designation.
Marie Harris, 2005, OK, was a recipient of a
2008 Fund for Teachers Fellowship award and
traveled to England, Wales, and Ireland.
Jason Jeandell, 2005, DE, has a new daughter, Daphne Leigh, born this past August.
Amy Kesler, 2008, FL, will participate in the
Educators to Saudi Arabia Program in December.
6 modernGERMANyUPDATE
Manuel Lopez, 2004, CA, went to Costa
Rica for a two-week study tour with the Toyota
Teacher Education Program. He is now his
District’s H-SS Curriculum Coordinator.
Mary McCullagh, 2006, FL, presented two sessions
at FCSS in October. She presented at the AP National
Conference last year, and participated in the Gilder
Lehrman Seminar on Interpreting the Constitution at
Stanford University. Mary assisted in the Holocaust
teacher training workshop in Tallahassee in 2007,
and was nominated for the Florida DAR “Teacher of
the Year.” She participated in the Fulbright Germany
Kommision Spring Teacher Exchange Program this summer, studying with other US teachers in Marburg, traveling to Berlin and Cologne to meet with other teachers.
Mary also attended the “Teaching About Genocide in
the 20th & 21st Centuries” seminar at Yale University,
as well as the “China’s Encounter with the West” seminar sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Barbara Mee, 2007, NH, presented at the
Delta Kappa Gamma Society International
workshop in Chicago, and was also selected to
attend a Gilder Lehrman seminar at UVA for a
week on Thomas Jefferson and the international
impact of the Declaration of Independence.
Chasidy Miroff, 2008, AL, took a group of 37
students/parents to Germany in March. They visited
Munich, Rothenberg, Frankfurt, and Heidelberg.
Bridgette Nadzam-Kasubick, 2007, OH, gave
birth to her son George Phineas on May 1. She also
received her National Board Certification in November
2007, and traveled to Germany in November 2008.
Trudi Niewiaroski, 2003, MD, will be doing
a poster presentation at NCSS on North Korea
and the problems presented by a divided country. She traveled to N. Korea and S. Korea this
year on a fellowship from the Korea Society.
Kim O’Neil, 2003, NY, had her essay entitled,
“Perpetuating Democracy in the Next Generation”
published in the September/October 2008 issue
of NCSS’ Social Studies and the Young Learner.
Michelle Pearson, 2006, CO, received the Apex
Colorado Technology “Teacher of the Year” Award
in 2007. She and her students received the Colorado
Preservation Honors Award in the State of Colorado
for their work in preserving the history of the state
and participation in the Colorado Youth Summit. Her
school’s students are actively working with a school in
Germany to share information about the communities
in which they live and the history of their families.
Mike Raymer, 2007, GA, has accepted a position
with the Georgia Council on Economic Education.
Amy Roberts, 2005, WY, was awarded an
11-month Fulbright grant for the 2007-2008
year to lecture and conduct research in Taipei
Taiwan at the National Chengchi University. She
was accompanied by her daughter who studied
Chinese at the same institution and her son who
attended a bilingual Chinese-English preschool.
June Satak, 2007, OR, and fellow TOP Fellow Regina
Stuck attended the NEH seminar entitled, “Making Sense
of 1989,” learning about the events leading up to the collapse of communism and the consequences since then.
Christopher Spaman, 2008, NJ, finished the third
year of the Ben Franklin Liberty Fellowship with a
trip to DC. He will be attending NCSS and presenting two workshops within his school district. He has
also begun graduate classes for his MA in History.
Barbara Spillane, 2005, NJ, has been retired for
two years, and since then has been an adjunct professor at William Paterson University and Montclair State
University. She enjoys her five grandsons, traveling, and
volunteering with the Woman’s Club of Belleville.
Jamie Staub, 2005, LA, went to Australia, New
Zealand, and Hawaii with her students, and began
teaching at a new school. She also attended the
American Judiciary Seminar at Georgetown Law
School with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
Jaci Stewart, 2006, TN, was promoted to the position of K-12 Curriculum Supervisor, all content
areas. She recently was awarded a $1,000,000 U.S.
History Grant from the Federal Government, which
helps connect the eras of history to primary sources
and literacy. She is a first time grandmother to her
5-month-old granddaughter, Ellison McKinley.
Pam Su’a, 2008, UT, taught a full-day class entitled
“After the Wall: Germany Today” for sixth grade teachers
at the Utah State Saturday History Seminar in October.
Lynette Swiger, 2007, WV, was selected to be a
NOAA Teacher at Sea and studied aboard NASA
ship Liberty Star with five NOAA scientists and
helped research deep coral reef habitat and fish
populations in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
Vonda Tabor, 2003, VA, was awarded a two-week
study abroad in England this summer with the
Virginia Geographic Alliance and Virginia Tech. The
study focused on the significance of food, culture, and
the environment as reflected in English landscapes
throughout history and in the contemporary era.
Kimberly Terry, 2004, SC, was chosen as
“Teacher of the Year” for her school, Crowders
Creek Middle School in Clover, SC.
Nicole Vickerman, 2005, TX, was selected as “Teacher
of the Year” for Clark High School and earned the
“Excellence in Teaching” award recognizing the top 5
secondary teachers in the Plano ISD district. She was also
awarded the “International Educator of the Year RunnerUp” by the Dallas/Ft. Worth World Affairs Council.
Nicole Traveled to Turkey in the summer of 2008 on
a study tour with the Turkish Cultural Foundation.
Cheryl Wiens, 2003, AZ, is now a Social
Studies and Literacy Program Specialist for
the Arizona Department of Education.
TOP 2008 Travelers
Chasidy Miroff
AL
Melinda Staubs
AL
Sarah Bremer
CA
Brian Underhill
CA
Eric Wycoff
CA
Marianne Kenney
CO
Katherine Field
CT
Kristen Mann
CT
Sharon Powers
CT
Heather Wohlgemuth CT
David Krakow
DC
Veronica Allende
FL
Patricia Casanova
FL
Dennis Dawson
FL
Beatriz Estevez
FL
Tom Glaser
FL
Amy Kesler
FL
Wendy Lockard
FL
Barbara Woody
FL
Jonathan Yorck
HI
Andrea Bildstein
IA
Pam Danielson
ID
Catherine Bess
IL
Sarah Bey
IL
Jeffrey Brigham
Rehana Ghani
Mark Heiden
Vicki O’Neal
Michelle Bloomfield
JuTina Singletary
William Fitzhugh
Robert Jervis
Thomas Gray
Jacqueline Littlefield
Karen Klein
Henry Rehn
Tracy Cobden
Eric Hahn
Stephen Klawiter
Dana Lenzen
Dennis Lubeck
Cole Ratner
Julie Heintz
Monica Roland
Melissa Gates
Samantha Bravar
Mary Nacarlo
Christopher Spaman
IL
IL
IN
KS
KY
LA
MD
MD
ME
ME
MI
MI
MO
MO
MO
MO
MO
MO
MS
MS
NE
NH
NJ
NJ
Rima Majaess
Gary Renouf
Jon Beck
Thomas Bittner
Yvonne Cupp
Alexander Dillon
Christina Donohue
Melvin Douglass
Sabree Muhammad
Kim O’Neil
Robert Sandler
Sharon Sobierajski
Erik Weiselberg
S. Linda Cotter
Wanda Dengel
Donald Martin
Kimberly Miller
Karissa Piper
Beau Schluep
Lyndal Caddell
Donna Wynn
William Gabriel
Meghan O’Dell
Paul Dickler
NS
NS
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
OH
OK
OK
OR
OR
PA
“Green” Education Update!
Duncan Aspinwall-WinterSC
Reggie Terry
SC
LaNessa Hof
SD
Dorothy Davis
TN
Merwin McCoy
TN
Brandon Rader
TN
Monica Birtwistle
TX
Lorraine Dumerer
TX
Sandra Kelley
TX
Crystal Tyson
TX
Quinn Rollins
UT
Pam Su’a
UT
Linda Doherty
VA
Margo Jantzi
VA
Kenneth Prowell
VA
Lynn Wilczewski
VA
Martina Morgan
WA
Mark Hoernke
WI
Rhonda Watton
WI
Adena Barnette
WV
Patricia Dicken
WV
In the previous issue of Modern Germany Update, TOP announced the availability
of two textbooks produced by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature
Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The BMU recently translated an additional two
textbooks, bringing the total number of available English-language textbooks to four. The
new titles include “Climate Protection and Climate Policy” and “Renewable Energies”.
The “Climate Protection and Climate Policy” textbook discusses the consequences
of climate change, the sources of emissions, and climate policies in Germany and around
the world.
The “Renewable Energies” textbook explores future sources of energy and discusses the
lifestyle versus consumption debate.
Each textbook is designed for secondary educators and contains fun learning exercises,
background information for teachers, and “competence check” evaluation material.
To download the textbooks in PDF format, either visit the BMU directly at
www.bmu.de or go to the TOP web site at www.goethe.de/top and click on “Green
Education” under the “Teaching Materials” main menu option.
modernGERMANyUPDATE 7
TRAVEL TO GERMANY IN 2009: FAQ!
1. Who may apply?
7. What is the catch?
From the United States and Canada:
K-12 Social Studies educators, Social
Studies university methods professors,
Social Studies curriculum coordinators,
applicable authors, and applicable State
Departments of Education employees.
Above all, this is a STUDY tour! We ask
that all participants come willing to participate, ask questions, and absorb a lot of
information during a fun, yet physically and
mentally intense two weeks in Germany.
Upon returning from Germany,
each participant must 1) Write a unit of
learning AND 2) Conduct a minimum
of two “Germany” workshops at the
local, district, state, regional, OR national
level within a specified time period.
2. How long do applicants
have to wait before being
notified?
Teachers board a street train near the Museum Island in Berlin.
Applications are typically due the first
half of February. Notification letters
are sent via the U.S. Postal Service
during the second half of March.
3. What costs are involved?
Taking a bicycle tour through Potsdam, stopping in front of the
Potsdam Conference House.
All expenses are paid by TOP through
the generosity of its partners. This
includes the cost of flying from your nearest major airport to Washington, D.C.
and back (if you live outside a 100-mile
radius of Washington, D.C.), the cost of
a hotel room in Washington, D.C. on the
night prior to departing to Germany, the
cost of flying from Washington, D.C. to
Germany and back, all study-tour-related
transportation within Germany, all lodging in Germany, two meals per day in
Germany, and all associated study tour fees.
The Program does not pay for
expenses incurred during free time. The
Program does not pay for incidental hotel
costs (long distance telephone calls, PayPer-View, laundry, Internet, etc.). Each
participant has her or his own hotel room.
A refundable deposit is required
upon acceptance. The deposit amount
is currently $250.00 USD. Refund
depends on the successful completion
of items listed below in question 7.
4. When do the study tours
take place?
Visiting the Vattenfall Mining facility near Cottbus.
During the summer months. The first
group typically departs in mid June; the
fourth and last group returns in mid
August. Applicants may request the desired
group date(s) on the application form.
5. How long are the
study tours?
They are two weeks in length.
6. Is knowledge of the
German language a
requirement?
No, although experience speaking
the German language is always
appreciated and only serves to enhance
the experience for participants.
Visiting the Mercedes Benz museum in Stuttgart.
8 modernGERMANyUPDATE
8. Just how “physically
intense” are the study tours?
While the groups travel long distances by
train, motor coach, or public transport,
participants must often walk distances of
several city blocks; for example, from a
train station to a hotel or between scheduled events. Punctuality is paramount, so
walking briskly is sometimes necessary.
Participants are also asked to be
responsible for their own luggage at all
times, even when embarking/disembarking trains, often within three minutes or
less. Navigating older train station without
elevators or escalators can also pose a challenge to the most experienced travelers.
In addition to walking, groups
may also explore a town or city
while on a bicycle tour.
The fact that the study tours take
place during the heat of the summer
months can also pose a challenge.
9. How many cities are visited?
Although itineraries are always subject to
change, the study tours typically begin
in Berlin where the aspects of German
government are studied. The tours typically end in Frankfurt am Main due to the
city’s proximity to the (FRA) international
airport. The two or three destinations visited in-between depend largely on which
German states have schools in session. Some
groups go north, some south. The itinerary
does try to maintain a balance between
eastern and western German states as well
as larger cities and smaller towns. Unless a
German border town is being visited, the
groups remain in Germany at all times.
10. How can I improve my
chances of being selected?
Priority is given to applicants who have workshop leadership experience. If you would
like to gain experience, we invite you to lead
a “Germany” workshop using TOP materials.
Please see page 11 for more information.
2009 APPLICATION FORM FOR
PARTICIPATION IN A STUDY TOUR TO GERMANY
DATES FOR STUDY TOURS SUMMER 2009 (Check all dates for which you are available for travel.)
DEPART: JUNE 12 - RETURN: JUNE 27
DEPART: JUNE 26 - RETURN: JULY 11
DEPART: JULY 10 - RETURN: JULY 25
DEPART: JULY 24 - RETURN: AUG. 8
DIRECTIONS: Print and carefully read this entire application form. Use this form as your cover sheet and attach Application
Requirements 1-4 listed below. Please type or write as legibly as possible.
PARTICIPANT NAME: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dr./Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss
First Name
Last Name
TEACHING ASSIGNMENT/JOB TITLE: ___________________________________________________________________________________
[specify course title, grade level, etc.]
SCHOOL/EMPLOYER: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
WORK ADDRESS: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Street
________________________________________________________________________________________________
City
State
Zip Code
Work Telephone: (_________)____________________________
Work FAX: (_________) ___________________________________
HOME ADDRESS: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Street
______________________________________________________________________________________________
City
State
Zip Code
Home Telephone: (_________)_______________________________ _____________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: E-Mail Address you check regularly (From Home): _______________________________________________________________
Date of Birth (Month/Day/Year): ______/______/______.
Disabled?
Yes
No If yes, please describe on an attached page.
CHECK ALL THAT APPLY:
A. Which best describes you?
Social Studies classroom teacher
Curriculum consultant/coordinator
University Social Studies methods professor
Author
State Dept. of Education employee
Other: ______________________________________________
B. In how many overseas study tours have you participated during the past four years?
C. Do you have experience leading in-service workshops?
Yes
No
D. Are you in good health, able to face the environmental and physical challenges associated with this study tour?
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Yes
No
1. Attach an official letter from your supervisor verifying your current employment status as well as the likelihood of maintaining your
current employment status in 2009 and beyond.
2. Attach at least one letter of recommendation in addition to the letter specified in Requirement 1. This letter should be from a different person.
3. Submit a r�sum� (C.V.) that specifically highlights your contributions to Social Studies education. For example, list all in-service training
workshops you have led as well as any relevant lesson plans, curriculum guides, textbooks, publications, etc. that you have written.
4. Write a single-spaced, 1-2 page essay outlining 1) what about Germany interests you, and 2) steps you will take upon returning
from the study tour to convey the lessons learned to your classroom and to your peers and colleagues.
NOTE: Applications will be accepted from individuals in all 50 states and Canada without
regard to gender, race, or religion. Team applications (from married/unmarried couples,
family members, etc.) are discouraged and will only be considered if such applicants
request to travel to Germany during different time periods. Travel groups may be formed
based on job type, subject/grade level taught, areas of interest, etc. to ensure a productive
and cohesive team. Priority will be given to teachers in the Transatlantic Outreach Program
teacher network who have conducted modern Germany workshops in the past.
Questions? E-mail [email protected] or call (202) 289-1200.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: APPLICATION PACKET MUST
BE RECEIVED, NOT POSTMARKED, BY FEBRUARY 12, 2009.
Send completed application package to:
TOP Coordinator c/o Goethe-Institut Washington
812 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3718
modernGERMANyUPDATE 9
Leading Workshops on
Modern Germany
The Goethe-Institut has been providing complimentary teaching materials to Social Studies educators since 1990. Each of the kits below are authored
by American Social Studies specialists, edited by Program staff, and printed in Germany. Each contains a book of lesson plans, teacher resources, handouts,
worksheets, and full-page, color transparencies. The kits as well as wall maps and additional teaching materials are available free-of-charge to in-service
workshop leaders.
Whether you are an experienced workshop leader or are simply looking to conduct your first in-service workshop and want to request complimentary
“TOP” materials, please refer to the instructions on page 11.
Workshop leaders receive priority consideration for TOP study tours to Germany.
A Kid Like Me Across the Sea, 2005 Edition
This kit is designed for
elementary classrooms.
The lessons draw
heavily on interpretation of photographs,
working with maps,
creating timelines,
charts, graphs, and
other process skills.
The topics of physical and cultural geography, meeting basic needs, political symbols,
and people are addressed in a comparative context with the United States.
Germany Today, 2007 Edition
This kit is designed for
middle and secondary
classrooms. The lessons
examine Germany’s
changing position in
Europe and in the world
as well as political institutions in Germany in
a comparative context
with the United States. Each lesson demonstrates the integration of research models for
alignment, instructional scaffolding, and backward design of instruction and assessment.*
Welcome to Germany, 2005 Edition
This kit is designed for
middle school classrooms.
The lessons correlate
to the study of world
cultures (perspective
taking and symbols),
physical and cultural
geography, and state and
national government in
a comparative context with the United States.
Germany in Europe, 2007 Edition
This kit is designed for
middle and secondary
classrooms. The lessons examine European
Union governance,
multiculturism, and the
Euro currency from the
context of one of the
Union’s largest member nations. Each lesson demonstrates the
integration of research models for alignment, instructional scaffolding, and backward
design of instruction and assessment.*
These lessons use ideas from research-based best practices, such as “Dimensions of Learning” (R.
Marzano) and “Backward Design” (J. McTighe and G. Wiggins).
The full-page, color transparencies for the instructional kits, “A Kid Like Me Across the Sea 2005” and
“Welcome to Germany 2005”, are available online in downloadable, PowerPoint format.
The entire “Germany in Europe 2007” and “Germany Today 2007” instructional kits, including the lesson
plans, teacher resources, handouts, transparencies, etc. are available online as of December 2008.
Please visit the “Teaching Materials” section of the TOP web site at www.goethe.de/top.
10 modernGERMANyUPDATE
MAPS & POSTER
TOP currently distributes two wall maps and one
poster to workshop leaders. The Political Maps
of Germany and Europe are both provided in the
German language. The “Cultural Collage” poster
comes with a bilingual German/English answer
key allowing students to explore the past and
present cultural heritage of Germany.
How to Request Materials for a Workshop
Please Note: Before accessing the online materials request form,
you should have already done the following:
1.Decided on a date and location for your workshop.
2.Decided on the audience (elementary, middle, secondary).
3.Have a good idea as to the number of participants.
If you are planning to lead a workshop using complimentary “TOP” teaching materials, please follow the steps below:
!!!MATERIALS REQUEST MUST BE SENT 2-3 WEEKS
PRIOR TO WORKSHOP DATE!!!
4.A new browser window (or browser tab) will open containing
the Materials Request Form. Complete the form and click the
“Submit” button.
1.Using your preferred Internet Browser (Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, etc.), browse to the
TOP web site at http://www.goethe.de/top.
2.Once the TOP web site has completely loaded, select
“Workshops” from the left-hand main menu.
3.Click on the Online Materials Request Form link under the
“Teaching Materials for Workshop Leaders” section.
5.Download the “Workshop Attendee Forms” PDF file. Be sure to
collect workshop attendee information, and mail the completed
forms back to TOP at the address below.
What happens next?
A confirmation e-mail containing attendance forms will be sent
when materials successfully ship from the warehouse. Materials
typically ship at least one week prior to the workshop date.
Following the presentation of your workshop, the completed
attendance forms must be mailed to the following address:
Assistant TOP Coordinator
Goethe-Institut Washington
812 Seventh Street NW Washington, DC 20001
If you experience any technical difficulties with the online materials
request form, please send an e-mail to [email protected].
Please note that any and all information submitted to the Transatlantic
Outreach Program in the form of materials requests or attendance
information is subject to strict European Union privacy laws and will NOT be
shared with unintended parties.
modernGERMANyUPDATE 11
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812 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3718
Tel: (202) 289-1200
FAX: (202) 289-3535
To change your subscription status or sign up for this newsletter, please visit us online at:
www.goethe.de/top
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Tel: (202) 289-1200
Fax: (202) 289-3535