Modern Germany Update - Fall 2015

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLET TER OF THE TRANSATLANTIC OUTREACH PROGRAM

FALL 2015

TOP

TRANSATLANTIC OUTREACH PROGRAM

MODERN

GERMANY UPDATE

EDUCATION. Discover how to incorporate Germany into your STEM lessons.

(Page 8)

DIALOGUE. Collaborate with a class of German students on a sustainability project.

(Page 10)

EXPERIENCE. Learn how to apply for study tours to Germany.

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An energetic view: wind turbines dot the horizon of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein from atop the Friedrichskoog Seal Breeding Station.

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GREETINGS

FROM THE TOP TEAM

The TOP Team: (from left to right) Jan Marie Steele, Dr. Christoph Veldhues, Jenny Windell, Wood Powell

B

y the time you receive this fall 2015 edition of Modern Germany Update, it is our hope that you are well underway in what has been a successful start to your new school year. Just like you, the long summer is now behind us as we plan for what is to come. The office of the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) here at the GoetheInstitut Washington is abuzz with ideas, projects, and budgets spanning from now until next summer and beyond! Central to all of these ideas remains not only our dedication to serving social studies and STEM educators like you, but also our excitement to tell the everrelevant story that is modern Germany.

As you can probably tell from the photo on this page, the TOP Team has changed a bit since the last edition of this newsletter appeared on your screen or arrived in your mailbox.

Shortly after Mr. Klaus Brodersen relocated to Brussels in July 2014, Ms. Sarah Yabroff announced her intention to depart from Washington in early 2015. After dedicating six years of her career to the mission of TOP, Sarah recently began taking courses for her second Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology and Communication Disorders. She now resides in sunny Los Angeles, California, with her basset hound puppy Niles. TOP wouldn’t be the program that it is today without Sarah’s passion; we thank her for all her hard work, and we promise to take good care of the legacy she leaves behind. As of August 2015, Ms. Jenny Windell has assumed many of Sarah’s responsibilities as the Public Relations and Alumni Coordinator for TOP. In January 2015, the TOP Board of Overseers approved a new fulltime position for the program. From the get-go, we knew we wanted the knowledge and experiences of a classroom teacher. We are proud to introduce Ms. Jan Marie Steele as the program’s Education Coordinator since July 2015. Ms. Steele first studied in Germany as a high school recipient of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange scholarship (CBYX). She comes to TOP having taught in both high school and middle school classrooms in Japan and South Carolina,

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respectively. We welcome Jan along with her head-of-the-classroom perspective as we strive to produce the best materials for integrating modern Germany into social studies and STEM curricula.

Day-to-day managerial responsibilities for TOP, ranging from budgets to strategy, reside with Mr. Wood Powell and Dr. Christoph Veldhues.

Dr. Veldhues is the Director Language Programs North America and as such is responsible for all Goethe-Institut strategies for teaching German as a foreign language in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. His responsibilities also extend to various partner school initiatives (PASCH), to TOP, and to the German American Partnership Program (GAPP). Dr. Veldhues comes to Washington with his wife and two children after serving previous postings in New York, Moscow, and Chicago.

Suffice it to say, there has never been a more experienced team to help educators like you navigate the depth and breadth of lessons that Germany has to offer you and your students.

We now invite you to sit back, relax, and take a few minutes to flip through our latest newsletter. Highlights include contributions by TOP Fellow Alumni, such as Incorporating Lessons from Germany into STEM by Mr. Greg Walsh (TOP 2013) and Making History Relevant is the Key by Ms. Ellen Resnek (TOP 2011). Stay up-to-date on Germany with suggestions from our Cultural Corner. Connect with TOP via various photo, blog, and mini-grant competitions offered to TOP Alumni. And learn how you can get involved with TOP by teaching a lesson to your students, by leading a workshop for your colleagues and community, and by applying for one of our summer study tours to Germany.

If we don’t see you in New Orleans at the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) annual conference, then we hope to meet you during one of our summer study tour orientations in 2016.

Thank you for reading!

The

TOP Team

CONTENTS

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20 12

10 26 6 7 8 10 11 12 14

CONNECT WITH TOP CULTURAL CORNER Alumni Contribution Incorporating Lessons from Germany into STEM by Greg Walsh Go Green with TOP! Leading a TOP Workshop Photo Competition Winners ALUMNI CONTRIBUTION COMING TO AMERICA: TOP EXPANDS ITS EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE BY BILL WYSS

17 18 20 26 28 29 30 31

Mini - Grant Competition Winners Alumni Network Alumni Contribution – Making History Relevant is the Key by Ellen Resnek 2015 Study Tour RecapS Study Tour FAQ TOP Redefines Application Policy TOP at NCSS About TOP / At A Glance

Looking for TOP Fellow News?

Find it online in our Spring 2015 Newsletter.

THE TRANSATLANTIC OUTREACH PROGRAM IS A PUBLIC / PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

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CONNECT

WITH TOP ON SOCIAL MEDIA

TOP

has enjoyed a successful season online, and we love hearing from Fellows, prospective Fellows and students, so keep sharing! We invite you to check out not only our Facebook page and Twitter feed, but our YouTube channel, Flickr presence, and the hundreds of resources we’ve shared on Pinterest.

We’d also like to invite you to share your experiences with us. If you blogged about your trip or how you use our materials in your classroom, let us know. If you’re looking to create videos in the classroom or on a study tour, please contact us for specifications so TOP can include your resources online!

We’re excited that you’ve liked us on Facebook and followed us on Twitter (@TOPTeachGermany), now it’s time to invite your friends!

Help TOP continue to spread the word by sharing our online presence with fellow educators in the social studies and STEM fields.

Invite others to take part in the dialogue by sharing a post, sending a pin or retweeting. If you have a suggestion about what types of information you would like to see on our social media platforms, or if you have ideas about new ways to use our social media, we would love to hear from you!

TOP

TRANSATLANTIC OUTREACH PROGRAM

C O N TA CT TO P Online: www.goethe.de/top By e-mail: top@washington.goethe.org By phone: (202) 289-1200 By postal mail: TOP Goethe-Institut Washington 812 7th Street NW Washington, DC 20001

Facebook/goethetop Twitter/TOPteachGermany YouTube/TOPteachGermany Pinterest/TOPteachGermany Flickr/TOPteachGermany

T H E TO P T E A M Dr. Christoph Veldhues, Director Language Programs North America Wood Powell, Managing Director

COVER PHOTO | Playing in the mud again! 2015 TOP STEM participants Anita Williams and Katherine Mangum explore one of the most fascinating natural habitats in the world at the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park. While visiting the largest national park in central Europe, the TOP participants were led by a professional “mudflat guide” through the examination of crabs, snails, and worms that are among the thousands of animal species in this natural habitat.

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Jenny Windell, Public Relations and Alumni Coordinator Jan Marie Steele, Education Coordinator

CULTURAL CORNER

WHAT WE’ VE BEEN READING, WATCHING, AND ENJOYING

ONLINE

“Germany: Memories of a Nation”

by Neil MacGregor

F

or students who may not have ever left their state, let alone their home country, it is often difficult to imagine a life different from theirs. This website helps users learn how their lives would be if they lived in a different country.

Positive differences are marked in green, negative differences in red, and neutral in blue. Statistics are backed up by reliable sources, such as the CIA World Factbook. n www.ifitweremyhome. com/compare/US/DE

FOR YOUR STUDENTS

“N

eil MacGregor’s alternative cultural history of a country uniquely difficult to pinpoint—its borders shifting, its ruling systems manifold for much of the past 500 years— offers the sense of a coherent whole nonetheless. His method is memory.

His way in is through objects and people; places and buildings; paintings, toys, and printed money; forests and single oak trees. […]MacGregor knows unerringly which objects to select and which chapters of Germany’s “enrichingly and confusingly fragmented history” to bring to life through them.[…] This book is immaculately researched, timely and important.” n —Rebecca K. Morrison, The Independent

FOR YOU

“Through artifacts as varied as a sausage, Gutenberg Bibles, and a porcelain rhinoceros, MacGregor illustrates how a composite German identity was forged and the country came to be.[…] His concise lessons in German history form a cogent and fluent account that gets as close to the core of German identity as any book by a non-German could.” n —Publishers Weekly ISBN: 978-1101875667 | Publisher: Knopf (September 29, 2015)

“The Other Side of the Wall”

by Simon Schwartz

“I

n his debut graphic novel, Simon Schwartz tells the true story of his parents’ coming of age in East Germany, their rejection of the communist way of life, and the challenges of leaving that world behind. Simon Schwartz was born in 1982 in East Germany, at a time when the repressive Socialist Unity Party of Germany controlled the area. Shortly before Simon’s birth, his parents decided to leave their home in search of greater freedoms on the other side of the Berlin Wall. But East German authorities did not allow the Schwartzes to leave for almost three years. In the meantime, Simon’s parents struggled with the costs of their decision: the loss of work, the attention of the East German secret police, and the fragmentation of their family.” n –lernerbooks.com Nonfiction, Social Studies, Grades: 7-12 ISBN: 978-1467760287 Publisher: Graphic Universe (January 1, 2015)

MOVIE “Bridge of Spies” directed by Stephen Spielberg

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n your TOP tour, you may have seen the Glienicke Bridge in Berlin, which during the Cold War was known as the “Bridge of Spies.”

Stephen Spielberg’s new film by that name stars Tom Hanks as lawyer James Donovan, who is charged with the task of negotiating the release of an American U-2 pilot in exchange for a Soviet spy. This thriller is sure to bring to mind lessons learned at Point Alpha, Bernauerstraße, and beyond. Don’t miss it! n Rating: PG-13 for some violence and brief strong language Theatrical Release: October 16, 2015

Do you have a book, movie or online recommendation you think we should check out? Let us know by e-mail: top@washington.goethe.org!

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A L U M N I CO N T R I B U T I O N

TOP 1 study tour participants visit students at the State Academy for Environmental Education in Adelsheim, Germany

W

hen people think of STEM, they often think it involves separate standalone projects. Teachers might say, “Yes, I did STEM! We just had a day of STEM last quarter where students built towers!” But STEM is not a stand-alone project. Integration of subjects has become increasingly popular throughout the United States, and when one defines STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) one can see that integration is at the very heart of STEM. Therefore, STEM involves incorporating concepts of these four subjects into our students’ everyday lessons. It does not mean that students must build something every lesson.

»

Incorporating Lessons from Germany into STEM

By Greg Walsh

I teach technology to kindergarten through fifth grade students. My position entails taking what students are learning about in their core subject areas and incorporating technology. But just as STEM doesn’t necessarily involve building something each lesson, technology doesn’t always involve computers or iPads.

Technology can be defined as anything that is human made and used to solve

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»

a problem. Since STEM involves integrating topics of a more scientific nature, I figured: why not integrate some other subject areas such as what TOP Fellows learned about in Germany? Let’s Explore Modern Germany, a free resource provided by the Transatlantic Outreach Program, was the perfect tool to assist me in incorporating into my lessons some of the wonderful things Germany is doing to promote sustainability and reduce pollution.

One of the major take-aways that I came home with after participating in TOP was that I wanted my students to be global thinkers. I wanted my students to think about places outside of the United States that might have already solved problems which our country is currently facing or that could be a model for our country as it moves toward a solution. Germany is certainly a model when it comes to sustainability. I saw more solar panels and wind turbines in Germany than anywhere in my state of Maryland.

LESSON TI E - I N LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY

2.5

Let’s Be Green

To bring Germany into the digital world within my classroom, I modified a unit to include aspects of “Trennstadt Berlin.” This program involves a movement to promote sustainability in the city of Berlin. For more information about “Trennstadt Berlin” you can check out Lesson 2.5 “Let’s Be Green” in Let’s Explore Modern Germany. Students first learn some basic information about Germany such as where Germany is located (utilizing Google Earth) and some similarities and differences before starting their main project. They learn about “Trennstadt Berlin” and what Germany is doing to promote sustainability before they begin creating a program to promote sustainability in our own school. Students design recycling bins, recycling labels, trash labels, water bottle labels, recycling brochures, and recycling public service announcements (PSAs) to be broadcast on our televised morning news program.

Students utilize computers to create these labels and brochures, and they use flip cameras, digital cameras, and/or iMovie to capture their PSAs. Non-digital tools could easily be used instead (paper, posters, markers, and having the students perform skits instead of making movies). Groups of my students collaborate through Google Docs and Google Draw, which allow them to work on the same document at the same time whether they are at school or at home on their own computers. I work to help my students to see the connection between the organized recycling system at our school (for paper, plastic, glass, ink cartridges, tape dispensers, markers, juice boxes, lunch trays, etc.) and the organized recycling system in Berlin. Teachers often say, “Why reinvent the wheel? If someone has a resource, let’s share it!” Germany already has a resource in “Trennstadt Berlin,” and if my students can learn something from Germany that can benefit our own school, community, and state, why not take advantage of it?

TOP reached out to create a partnership that involves Germany, the United States, and Canada. I am hoping to carry on the torch of this partnership by instilling in my students the importance of reaching out to other nations to solve problems together, to increase awareness of global issues, and to build upon each other’s work so they can truly work hand in hand to create solutions. n

Greg Walsh is an instructional technology teacher at Hammond Elementary in Laurel, MD. He is a TOP 4 2013 Fellow.

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GO Green WITH TOP! This fall, we are supporting a partnership with German schools on a sustainability project called “Going Green.”

We would love to have you and your students on board for this transatlantic collaboration via Moodle.

Projects and lessons are geared toward high school students, but they can be adapted for use with middle school students.

If you are interested in participating in the “Going Green” project, please contact us at

top@washington.goethe.org

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From the project team:

“G

oing Green” is an intercultural blended-learning project. The goal of the “Going Green” project is to compare environmental sustainability approaches in both the United States and in Germany, to examine U.S. initiatives on the local and state level, and to consider green initiatives in the students’ own regions. In a pilot project in 2014, German and American students explored approaches to sustainable development collaboratively through an e-learning platform (Moodle).

Starting in September 2015, “Going Green” will be part of a larger teaching platform “Teach About US” with updated content. Schools in Germany and the United States will navigate through web 2.0 applications and social media, and exchange their findings. They will publish their local initiatives online and contribute them to concluding regional student conferences on and around Earth Day 2016. n

L E A D I N G A TO P WO R K S H O P It’s Easier than You Think!

T

he January 25th application deadline for 2016 TOP Study Tours is just around the corner. If you are looking for ways to make your application stand out, we have just the thing: lead a TOP workshop for your colleagues!

Order free TOP teaching materials from our online webstore!

We have worked hard to make it easy for you to lead workshops on TOP teaching materials and study tours. To support you, we offer the TOP Toolkit for Professional Development, which walks you through the steps of designing your agenda and leading your workshop. Created by some of our most experienced workshop leaders, the TOP Toolkit is packed with ideas on how to Here’s what you’ll do: tailor your workshop to your participants’ interests and needs. In fact, it is so com1. Decide on a convenient date and time for social studies and prehensive you could hold several differ STEM colleagues from your school or district to meet. ent workshops with completely unique 2. Check out the TOP Toolkit for Professional Development available agendas.

on our website and start planning.

You know what works best in your classroom. To lead an effective workshop, you do not need to be an expert on Germany or on our materials; your colleagues will appreciate your practical “How can we use this with our students?” perspective.

School-based workshops can be especially productive, since you can collaborate as a team to find ways to incorporate lessons on modern Germany into your current curriculum.

3.

Place an order for free TOP teaching materials at http://top.portalpro.com/. We will be happy to send you levelappropriate resources for as many participants as you expect.

You can return any extras on our account.

Materials currently available: Let’s Explore Modern Germany (elementary book, can be adapted for middle school) Germany in Focus (high school book, can be adapted for middle school) Field Trip to Berlin DVD and instructional guide (use with 6th grade and up) Modern Germany Update (newsletter with articles on Germany and TOP Study Tour FAQ) TOP Toolkit for Professional Development (use to plan TOP workshops)

4. Lead your workshop! Introduce your colleagues to the well-re-

searched TOP teaching materials and the possibility to apply

for a study tour in Germany.

5. Complete a brief workshop evaluation and submit your

workshop attendance forms to the TOP team.

That’s all there is to it! Your colleagues will thank you for helping them find out about these ready-to-use resources on modern Germany. You will gain experience coordinating professional development, and you will also earn extra points for your 2016 study tour application. Start planning your TOP workshop today!

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Through the Lens TOP Alumni Photo Competition

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TOP Alumni were invited in our Spring 2015 newsletter to submit photographs on the theme of environmental sustainability. We received many inspiring submissions and want to thank everyone who participated! After much deliberation, our panel of photography experts and Germany lovers has chosen the winners of the TOP Alumni Photo Competition. Congratulations! n

2nd Matthew Cottone

1st Place:

Michael Robinson (TOP 2010)

1st Michael Robinson

Rooftop solar panels in the city of Abensberg, Germany.

2nd Place:

Matthew Cottone (TOP 2015) Practicality meets aesthetic beauty with an environmentally friendly roofing system in Weimar, Germany.

3rd Place:

Kimberly Gilman (TOP 2007, 2014)

3rd Kimberly Gilman

Siemens standing tall in the heartland... energy turn in America. Near the Kansas/Oklahoma state line.

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A L U M N I CO N T R I B U T I O N

By Bill Wyss

Volker Bausch gives a lecture at the Malone University Social Studies Department on April 29, 2015.

O

ne of the highlights of my 2014 TOP tour was without a doubt our four days in residence at Point Alpha in the Fulda Gap. Seeing, learning about, and walking the terrain of one of the most intense locations of the Cold War brought to life the realities of U.S. - Soviet confrontation in central Germany. When I learned a few months later that Point Alpha Director Volker Bausch would be traveling to the U.S. on a speaking tour, I hoped to become involved. Since Volker not only intended to provide presentations to educators, but also desired interactions with students, I volunteered my Louisville High School classes in Northeastern Ohio.

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Coming to America: TOP Expands Its Educational Exchange

When Volker and his wife, Michaela, arrived from Chicago, I found them to be not only highly professional educators, but engaging, warm, outstanding individuals. We began their whirlwind program with a luncheon at Malone University in Canton hosted by the professors of the Social Studies Department and expertly organized by Dr. Scott Waalkes, Professor of International Politics. Even though final exams loomed, several students joined us to learn about the Cold War, modern Germany, and current relations between NATO and Russia regarding the conflict in the Ukraine. Afterwards, we toured the campus and then drove to the

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Âť

nearby William McKinley Presidential Library and National Monument (which former National Park Director Roger Kennedy once proclaimed the most beautiful presidential memorial outside of Washington, DC).

After learning that Michaela, an educator from the former German Democratic Republic, met Volker while both were volunteering with the NATO effort in Afghanistan, I asked if they had special memories of their time in Kabul. Both quickly recalled their favorite Lebanese restaurant, so my wife and I suggested that we dine at Canton’s oldest and most traditional Lebanese eatery. Our food was fantastic, but more important was the exchange of ideas, friendships developed, and the opportunity to engage in crosscultural interaction.

Michaela and Volker Bausch

From left to right: TOP Trainer Bill Wyss, Dr. David Beers, Dr. Scott Waalkes, Volker Bausch, Dr. Lora Wyss. These photos were taken on April 29th at Malone University.

The next morning, Michaela and Volker met me very early at the high school, where they presented about Point Alpha to government, German, and psychology classes throughout the day. Approximately 250 students benefited from the interactive lessons and valuable information that Volker provided regarding Point Alpha. However, the opportunity for our students and teachers to meet, ask questions of and (between classes) mingle informally with two highly accomplished German educators was just as valuable. Our small city in the Midwest is not the most multicultural of environments, so the TOP visit had a significant impact. In addition, the local media took interest with both the Alliance Review and the Louisville Herald publishing feature articles highlighting TOP, Point Alpha, and student interactions with Michaela and Volker.

Before driving on to Cleveland for a chance to tour the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the couple expressed that the faculty and student exchange with us in Northeastern Ohio was just what they had been looking forward to and suggested that future Skype programming might be a logical next step. When reflecting upon their visit, I always encourage social studies teachers to become involved with TOP and stay connected: the result is high quality global education, a chance to build personal and professional relationships, and a great deal of fun! Thanks to the TOP staff for bringing Point Alpha and modern Germany to my students in such a dramatic manner. n

If you have ideas about how TOP can help bring a speaker to your school, please contact us at

top@washington.goethe.orgrg

LESSON TI E - I N GERMANY IN FOCUS

4.1

Timeline of post-WWII/ Cold War Germany

Bill Wyss recently retired from Louisville High School as the Chairman of the Social Studies Department. Currently, he serves as an adjunct professor at both Aultman College and the University of Mount Union. In addition, he is a history consultant for the Canton Museum of Art. Mr. Wyss was a TOP Fellow in 2006, 2010, and 2014.

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TO P A L U M N I N E T WO R K : S t a y I n vo l ve d !

Alumni Blog Competition Winners We didn’t know it when we accepted them, but TOP’s 2015 Fellows were prolific bloggers! All three winners from this year’s Alumni Blog Competition traveled just this summer with TOP! Congratulations!!

1st Matthew Cottone (TOP 2015)

www.cottonetravel.weebly.com

2nd Alan Neuwirth (TOP 2015)

https://imaworldtraveler.wordpress.com/

3rd Barry Hayes (TOP 2015)

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http://hayeseascorpus.tumblr.com/

Alumni Mini-Grant Competition Winners Congratulations to TOP alumni Scott Noet of Faribault, MN, and Bruce Mize of Westpoint, MS, who were each awarded a grant for project proposals they submitted to TOP’s 2015 Alumni Mini-Grant Competition!

Traveling Suitcase of German History

Kids, Companies and Careers: Students Seeing STEM in Action

Scott Noet (TOP 2006, 2014) Owatonna Junior High Owatonna, MN

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e will deepen the learning experience for Environmental, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (ESTEM) 7th grade students at Owatonna Junior High School by trading the confines of the brick and mortar classroom for a glimpse into the world of applied STEM and future employment opportunities in regional industry. In order to demonstrate the global aspect of business, STEM and 21st century skills, students will interact with companies having international ties like Bosch, ALDI, Siemens and St. Gobain (SAGE Glass). We will expose students to businesses, careers, and people who are thriving using STEM-based skills and potential for fostering transatlantic cooperation though coordinated efforts designed to creatively solve common problems. n

Bruce Mize (TOP 2015) West Point High School West Point, MS

T

he “Traveling Suitcase” program will be utilized to share information concerning German politics, education, economics, culture, and history. In addition, information about the Goethe-Institut and the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) will be included in each “suitcase” for those teachers who are not familiar with the program. Each “suitcase” will have its own theme and will contain lesson plans, artifacts, primary/secondary sources (pictures/documents), display material, handouts, audio/video, PowerPoints and artifacts (example: faux piece of the Berlin Wall, East German Uniform Hat, Check Point Charlie Passport Stamps, etc.) “Suitcases” will be leased out, free of charge, to teachers to utilize in their classes in order to bring Germany to the classroom. n

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A L U M N I N E T WO R K

TOP ALUMNI NETWORK: Stay Involved!

H

ere at the Transatlantic Outreach Program, everyone is in agreement: TOP would not be the program it is today without our alumni. Not only have we been taught and inspired by you personally, but it is through our alumni that the program continues to grow as you share your TOP experience with others and encourage them to get involved.

Thank you for all you do! We value you and want to support your efforts to teach your students about modern Germany, stay connected with other TOP alumni, and share information about TOP with other educators through professional development leadership. We hope that through our newly strengthened and more comprehensive Alumni Network, we will be able to provide you with this support.

Review of TOP Alumni Initiatives in 2014-2015: In the fall of 2014, TOP hosted its first Regional Alumni Reception in Washington, DC, at the German American Heritage Center. Attendees were able to mingle while viewing the traveling exhibit “Utopia: Revisiting a German State in America.” In November 2014, during the National Council for the Social Studies Conference in Boston, TOP hosted its annual reception in honor of Connie Manter, 2014 TOP Fellow of the Year.

This spring, TOP partnered with the American Council on Germany to organize a lecture series by Volker Bausch, Director of the Point Alpha Foundation in Geisa, Germany.

The topic of the lecture series was “Point Alpha at ‘Freedom’s Frontier’: Cold War Hot Spot in the Fulda Gap—Landmark of American Military Commitment and Symbol of German Unity.” Mr. Bausch visited the schools of TOP alumni Bill Wyss in Ohio and Perry McLeod in North Carolina, and spoke to TOP alumni at receptions in Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. (Please see page 14-15 of this newsletter for more information on Mr. Bausch’s visit).

Also in 2015, TOP held photo, blog, and mini-grant competitions for alumni. Many thanks to those who submitted entries, sharing with us your talent, creativity, and passion for education! The winning photos, blogs, and projects are announced on pages 12-13 and 16-17 of this newsletter.

TOP 2010 Fellow Jinny Choi teaches a lesson on Germany to students at Hendley Elementary School in Washington, DC.

TOP Alumni initiatives in 2015-2016:

2015 TOP Fellow of the Year Reception at NCSS in New Orleans, LA (For more information on the reception and on TOP’s activities at NCSS, see page 30 of this newsletter.)

Spring 2016 Mini-Grant Competition (see page 19 for details and deadlines)

2016 Alumni Photo Competition 2016 Alumni Blog Competition Fall 2016 Mini-Grant Competition … and much more!

Please follow TOP on social media and check out our Spring 2016 newsletter for more information about these initiatives. If you have ideas for future alumni engagement opportunities, please contact Jenny Windell, TOP Public Relations and Alumni Coordinator, at jenny.windell@washington.goethe.org.

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Spring 2016 Mini-Grant | Competition The Transatlantic Outreach Program is proud to announce the sponsorship of a Mini-Grant Competition for all TOP Alumni (educators who have previously been awarded a travel fellowship from the Transatlantic Outreach Program).

In the spirit of continuing the dialogue on modern Germany, TOP is currently accepting submissions by Alumni interested in conducting a student project on the topic of “International Migration and Society,” using Germany as a case study.

n

Purpose:

The purpose of this mini-grant is to support a class or school-wide project that encourages students to learn and research about contemporary issues, using Germany as a case study. n

Target Population:

This Mini-Grant is available to all TOP Alumni (past Fellows) and can be used to support a class or school project at any grade level.

n

Available Funding:

One $500 Mini-Grant is available for use in the first half of 2016. The grant funds will be dispersed at the applicant’s discretion, as indicated in their proposal.

n

Project Period and Deadline:

Proposals are due by Monday, January 11, 2016. The proposed project on “International Migration and Society” using Germany as a case study should be completed during the first half of 2016.

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Application Process:

Proposals should be approximately 2-3 pages in length and provide a title and detailed description of the project, its objectives, activities, and outcomes. Proposals should also include a detailed project budget.

All proposals should be submitted as an email attachment to top@washington.goethe.org.

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A L U M N I CO N T R I B U T I O N

By Ellen Resnek

“History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies.” ~Alexis de Tocqueville, 1856

Making History Relevant is the Key

T

eaching is my profession; getting better at it is my job. Each year I seek out opportunities to grow as an educator so that my students can benefit from my learning. This past summer I was fortunate to attend two amazing summer institutes. I traveled to Greece with Classrooms Without Borders to study the Holocaust, and to South Korea with the Foreign Policy Research Institute and the Korea Foundation to study Korean History and modern challenges facing Korea today.

For me, my summer research is about connecting what I learn to what I teach and making those connections relevant for my students. Teaching about modern Germany and lessons from the TOP textbook Germany in Focus were ever present as I journeyed across the globe. I saw connections to past events and witnessed history happening all around me. Certainly I can incorporate the lessons I learned on my travels into my teaching to create a highly engaging learning environment for my students.

The questions of: “Why do we need to learn this?”… “Didn’t this happen in the past?” … “Will this be on the test?” are all too common in our classrooms. In a recent article in The Atlantic, Michael Conway asserted that the problem with history classes is that we teach only one narrative, and that narrative is certainly

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incomplete. We must find ways to address this problem within our curriculum, while still teaching according to our state and Common Core standards. For my students, connections are key to practicing historical thinking skills, including chronological reasoning, comparison and contextualization, crafting historical arguments from historical evidence, and historical interpretation and synthesis. Historical thinking skills provide opportunities for students to learn to think like historians, most notably to analyze evidence about the past and to create persuasive historical arguments. Focusing on these practices enables teachers to create learning opportunities for students that emphasize the conceptual and interpretive nature of history rather than simply memorization of events in the past.

One way to help our students appreciate the complexity of history is to train them to recognize connections between “different, often conflicting analyses” (Conway). When students make connections, they process the information far more critically and synthesize the events at a much deeper level. I did just that this past summer. In Greece we traveled across the mainland studying the Holocaust and the destruction of the Jewish people’s histories in small villages and large cities. Out of all of the countries occupied by the Nazis, Greece lost the largest percentage of its Jewish population (86%, according to statistics from the Central Board of Jewish Communities of Greece). The narrative sadly does not end there. Greece still struggles with anti-Semitic sentiment.

So, too, do many countries. Issues of racism and intolerance can be taught through multiple lenses, helping our students to see those crucial connections and work to prevent these attitudes in their generation. TOP Lesson 3.3 “Schwarzfahrer: A Case Study in Human Rights” can be used as the basis of study to begin such a discussion. Focusing in on Germany’s increasingly pluralistic society has resulted in the need for greater sensitivity in accepting cultural and racial differences. South Korea, too, can be featured in a lesson on this topic, as one characteristic of postindustrial South Korean society is the increase in its immigrant population. Many of these immigrants come to South Korea as migrant laborers to work low-skilled, often hazardous jobs – work commonly referred to as the “3D” professions: dirty, dangerous, and demeaning. TOP Lesson 2.1 “Immigration and Demographic Diversity” would also be relevant for this connection. In 2003, the number of legally resident foreigners in Germany was 7.3 million, which comprised 8.9 percent of the total

LESSON TI E - I N

LESSON TIE-IN

GERMANY IN FOCUS

GERMANY IN FOCUS

Schwarzfahrer: A Case Study in Human Rights

Immigration and Demographic Diversity

3.3

2.1

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A L U M N I CO N T R I B U T I O N

(continued)

population (Migration Policy Institute). This was, by far, the greatest percentage in the history of the country. Even though Germany was not seen as a nation of immigrants, its non-citizen population was comparable to the non-citizen population of the United States of America. Current events can easily be tied in to this theme: simply turn on the TV or pick up a newsfeed and you will see the struggle of the Syrian refugees seeking asylum in Europe, and the role Germany is playing in finding ways to promote their cause.

LESSON T IE - IN GERMANY IN FOCUS

4.2

We Are the People — Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig 1989

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I also saw reflected in my travels the concept of resistance and the idea of following one’s conscience versus following orders. In South Korea after independence, when the Korean War broke out, the Temples at Haeinsa encountered a crisis. UN forces were ordered to bomb Haeinsa with four bombers. However, the leader of the air force pilots worried about the loss of Haeinsa Tripitaka Koreana and did not obey the command (UNESCO). Due to his lack of action, Haeinsa weathered the crisis and was not bombed. Haeinsa gongdeokbi honors that leader with the landscaped grounds of Haeinsa. The hero now admired for his “righteous disobedience” is Air Force Colonel Kim Young-hwan. He led his squadron of jet fighters flying over the area but decided not to drop a single bomb. Kim later said during an investigation that he could not burn the nation’s invaluable cultural treasures in order to kill a few communist guerrillas. There are histories of righteous disobedience we can weave into our classes to show connections across time and place. Take, for example, the courageous White Rose student opposition and other resistance movements against the Nazi Regime. Teachers can also include the inspiring history of the 1989 Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig (see TOP Lesson 4.2 “We Are the People — Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig 1989”).

Another approach would be to use TOP Lesson 3.2 “Collective Memory: Memorials and Monuments” along with excerpts from James E. Young’s book The Texture of Memory: Holocaust Memorials and Meaning. In Greece we traveled to the memorial located on a hilltop overlooking the village of Distomo that commemorates the massacre that took place there on June 10, 1944. Members of an SS unit killed almost all of the village residents that day in a supposed retaliation operation (Mazower, 212). Without authorization, SS-Hauptsturmführer Fritz Lautenbach gave orders for soldiers to unleash a savage attack on the small town of Distomo. By the time their brutality against men, women, and children was finished, the soil in Distomo was soaked with blood. According to survivors, the SS “bayoneted babies in their cribs, stabbed pregnant women and beheaded the village priest” (BBCNews).

We can study the Distomo memorial, we can connect it to the choice between following orders or following one’s conscience. Students could contrast this with the decision made by Air Force Colonel Kim Young-hwan to not follow orders. What elements of conscience and righteousness must exist for someone to stand up to authority?

LESSON TI E - I N GERMANY IN FOCUS

3.2

Collective Memory: Memorials and Monuments

Connection to resistance movements and the role citizens play in creating a democratic society that values everyone can be seen in South Korea and the concept that South Korean national identity is rooted in the struggle for democracy against military authoritarian government. The dawning of democracy there began in the southwestern city of Gwangju in 1980 (Kingston). From May 18 to 27, protests against martial law became the pivotal crucible of a grassroots campaign to overturn a despotic regime and assert civilian rule. Hundreds of civilians were brutally beaten, tortured, and massacred by the military, rendering Gwangju into a potent symbol of people power that inspired similar subsequent movements around Asia.

The crackdown mobilized ordinary citizens and ignited civil society, a collective recoiling from the savage violence perpetrated by Gen. Chun Doo-hwan that eventually pushed the military back into the barracks and ushered in civilian rule in the 1990s. Students could be assigned the task of contrasting this with protest movements across the globe today.

Lest we overlook the more obvious connections, teachers can spend time on Greece and the economic crisis by utilizing TOP Lesson 6.5 “Eurozone” and by sprinkling in information about the summer of 2015 demonstrations and challenges. Lessons from German experience in reunification have policy implications for the other

LESSON TI E - I N GERMANY IN FOCUS

6.5

Eurozone

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A L U M N I CO N T R I B U T I O N

Ellen Resnek currently teaches tenth grade Western Civilizations and Advanced Placement European History at Downingtown East High School in Pennsylvania. She holds a BA in History from the University of Massachusetts and two Master’s degrees from Wilkes University, the first in Educational Development and Strategies, the second in Educational Technology. She was a participant in the TOP 6 tour in 2011.

She is a member of our TOP Trainer Network.

(continued)

Iron Curtain that still stands, dividing the Korean Peninsula. If the Koreas reunified, the government would face a stark choice. It could try to fill the gap in living standards between North and South through handouts, public investment, and subsidies. Or it could brace itself for heavy migration, as poor Northerners moved to the South in search of higher wages.

Germany leaned towards the first option. East German Ostmark wages were converted into West German Deutsche Marks at a rate of one to one, then raised by union pressure closer to Western levels. Students will be able to apply past events and create a well-researched analysis of the possible implications for reunification of Korea. This strategy is our answer to: “Why do we need to learn this?”… “Didn’t this happen in the past?” … “Will this be on the test?” The future of foreign policy and our collective security will be that test, but it will be our students who get to write it and hold the key to assess its validity.

The take away is connections, and that is how we cement the ideas of history and lessons therein for our students. “What would constitute useful history? That which should teach us our duties and our rights, without appearing to teach them” (Voltaire, 74). n Works Cited: “The Holocaust of the Jews of Greece” Central Board of Jewish Communities of Greece, 26 June 2009. Web. 10 September 2015.

Conway, Michael. “The Problem With History Classes: Single-perspective narratives do students a gross disservice.”

The Atlantic, 16 March 2015. Web. 10 September 2015. de Tocqueville, Alexis. The Old Regime and the Revolution, trans. Bonner, John. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1856).

Web. 10 September 2015.

“Greeks Lose Nazi Massacre Claim.” BBC News. BBC, 26 June 2003. Web. 11 September 2015.

Kingston, Jeff. “Dying for Democracy: 1980 Gwangju Uprising Transformed South Korea.” The Japan Times 3 May 2014, ASIA PACIFIC / POLITICS sec. Print.

Mazower, Mark. Inside Hitler’s Greece: The Experience of Occupation, 1941-44. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001. Print.

Migration Policy Institute (n.d) Migration Information Source. Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=235 “Tripitaka Depository at Haeinsa Temple.” UNESCO World Heritage. 2006. Web. 11 September 2015.

Voltaire, Smollett, Morley, Fleming, and Leigh. The Works of Voltaire: A philosophical dictionary. Akron, Ohio: The Werner Company, 1904. Print.

The TOP lessons referenced in this article are from the textbook Germany in Focus, which is designed for high school teachers. To get your free copy of this comprehensive resource, make a materials request on our website www.goethe.de/top.

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2015 T ransatlantic O utreach P rogram F ellow s Emily Achilles SOAR Charter School Denver, CO, USA

Kurt Dershem South Central College North Mankato, MN, USA

Joseph Bara Starr’s Mill High School Fayetteville, GA, USA

Karen Desruisseaux Lincoln-Way Central High School New Lenox, IL, USA

Andrew Bargen Lincoln High School Lincoln, NE, USA Kathleen Barton DeVargas Elementary School San Jose, CA, USA Beverly Blackmon Longleaf Elementary Hattiesburg, MS, USA Amber Boyington Santa Fe Trail Middle School Olathe, KS, USA

Laura Dinerman Sherwood High School Sandy Springs, MD, USA Amy Dixon Fruitport High School Fruitport, MI, USA Alyssa Freeland South Jefferson High School Adams, NY, USA Tom Glaser Mater Academy Charter High School Hialeah Gardens, FL, USA

Brett Brooker Pierce County High School Blackshear, GA, USA Marysol Gomez San Ysidro High School John Buchanan San Diego, CA, USA Hasting High School Hastings-on-Hudson, Jake Gordon NY, USA The Dalles Middle School The Dalles, OR, USA Deirdre Calhoun Civano Community Kristina Haeussinger School Byron High School Tucson, AZ, USA Byron, MN, USA Cathleen Carroll Bud Hamley Christian Brothers Academy eStem High School Lincroft, NJ, USA Little Rock, AR, USA Amber Carter Guy Hamlin Walkertown High School Troy Howard Middle Walkertown, NC, USA School Belfast, ME, USA Evan Chapman Lee-Davis High School Trisha Hanus Mechanicsville, VA, USA Back of the Yards College Preparatory Amanda Connell High School Tapp Middle School Chicago, IL, USA Powder Springs, GA, USA Barry Hayes Matthew Cottone Fred L. Thompson Van Hoosen Middle School Junior High Rochester Hills, MI, USA Bakersfield, CA, USA Brian Dearing Athens High School The Plains, OH, USA Alysha Decker Appleby College Oakville, ON, Canada

Michelle Herczog Immediate Past President, National Council for the Social Studies Culver City, CA, USA

Georgia Hill Mary McDowell Friends School Brooklyn, NY, USA Kimberly Huffman Wayne County Schools Career Center Smithville, OH, USA Jeffrey Johnson Mount St. Mary Catholic High School Oklahoma City, OK, USA Lynne Johnson Thomas Jefferson High School Bloomington, MN, USA Norma Johnson Berman Hebrew Academy Rockville, MD, USA Ruth Kagan Glebe Collegiate Institute Ottawa, ON, Canada Lou Kindschi Oregon High School Oregon, WI, USA Robert Kohnert Southwest High School Minneapolis, MN, USA Kristin Kramer St. Pius X Catholic High School Atlanta, GA, USA John Kuzmich Mira Loma High School Sacramento, CA, USA Betsy Lawrence Santa Fe Trail Middle School Olathe, KS, USA Maria Laws Las Lomas High School Walnut Creek, CA, USA Elizabeth LeBrun Poultney High School Poultney, VT, USA Joseph Lewerk Killingly High School Killingly, CT, USA Megan Little Stanton Academy Yakima, WA, USA

Dave Little Christina Stewart Eric Ripken Valley Manor School Centennial High School Falcon Cove Middle Martensville, SK, Canada Circle Pines, MN, USA School Weston, FL, USA Manuel Lopez Kaye Rizzuto Everett Alvarez High Elk Ridge Middle School Laura Stibitz School South Jordan, UT, USA ACES Academy Salinas, CA, USA Alpena, MI, USA Theresa Roh Corpus Christi School Bethany Swartz Katherine Mangum Mobile, AL, USA Jack Harvey Elementary St. Catherine’s School Sterling Heights, MI, USA Richmond, VA, USA Katie Schmoldt Amy Melendy Timpview High School Scott Thunstrom Bonneville High School Cedar Bluff Middle School Provo, UT, USA Idaho Falls, ID, USA Knoxville, TN, USA Erin Schomburg Robin Tully Amy Merlin West Windsor PlainsWalton High School boro High School South Peace Valley School Marietta, GA, USA Princeton Junction, NJ, Starbuck, MB, Canada USA Gregory Valley Chase Meyer Chamblee Middle School Skyline High School Johanna Schroeder Chamblee, GA, USA Idaho Falls, ID, USA Louis M. Klein Middle School Todd Wallenius Bruce Mize Harrison, NY, USA LePort School West Point High School Fountain Valley West Point, MS, USA Daphne Shani Fountain Valley, CA, USA Bell High School Alan Neuwirth Ottawa, ON, Canada Kayla Walton Bloomfield Hills St. Mary School Middle School Jane Shanks Columbus, OH, USA Bloomfield Township, Guilford Middle MI, USA Greensboro, NC, USA Michael Waxman Stuyvesant High Eric Newcombe Christine Shaw Rim of the World Marlboro High School School New York, NY, USA High School Marlboro, NJ, USA Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA John Sheets Christine Webb Brian Phillips Starmount High School Providence Christian Pine Elementary School Boonville, NC, USA School Holtville, CA, USA Kalamazoo, MI, USA Shiela Sievert Andrea Plowman Pius X High School Nicole Welsh Richfield High School Lincoln, NE, USA Jefferson Middle Richfield, MN, USA School Matthew Smith Pittsburgh, PA, USA Robert Powers Old Mill Middle School Apponequet Regional South Anita Williams High School Millersville, MD, USA Renaissance High Lakeville, MA, USA School Amanda Smith Detroit, MI, USA Krista Rappoccio Beaufort County Early Academy of American College High School Lauren Zuckman Studies Washington, NC, USA Fanny Andrews Early Long Island City, NY, USA College Preparatory Christian Spence Elementary Elizabeth Rasmussen Noble Academy Austin, TX, USA Fort Meade MiddleGreensboro, NC, USA Senior High School Robert Stafford Fort Meade, FL, USA Oliver Wendell Holmes Zealand Reynolds and Business Careers Cesar Chavez Middle High Schools School San Antonio, TX, USA Watsonville, CA, USA

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S T U DY TO U R R E CA P S

l TOP 1: June 5 – June 20, 2015

Heidelberg, Geisa, Weimar, Leipzig, Berlin Group Leader: Jenny Windell Group Leader Highlights: My favorite experiences on this trip are squeezing around a small table at the Schnitzelbank in Heidelberg, visiting the State Academy for Environmental Education in Adelsheim and meeting the effervescent Mr. Markus Schäfer, relaxing in the Geisschank Biergarten in Geisa and listening to the alpine horns, and of course attending a Bach concert at Bach’s own Thomas Church in Leipzig! n

l TOP 2: June 19 – July 4, 2015 Frankfurt, Geisa, Dresden, Berlin Group Leader: Sarah Yabroff Group Leader Highlights: My favorite moments from this trip definitely include a spontaneous BBQ in beautiful Geisa at the Point Alpha Foundation, a rainy walking tour retracing the steps of the Peaceful Revolution with Frau Hollitzer during a day trip to Leipzig, and the visit to the Carl-von-Ossietzky-Schule in Berlin where Fellows had the chance to interactively sing, play, and learn with students. n

l TOP 3/STEM: June 19 – July 4, 2015 Esslingen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin Group Leader: Wood Powell Group Leader Highlights: Looking back at our second-ever STEM study tour, I can close my eyes and remember the elegant green roof of the Esslingen Academy for Teacher Training on a crisp, rainy morning. I have never visited such an gorgeous, sustainable palace designed to coddle professional development. I smile when I recall my group swooning over the beer and wine vending machines! I will never forget Anita’s “life changing” comment in response to Mr. Hänel during the Robert Bosch Stiftung lunch. Fast forward a few days to the mudflats near Friedrichskoog where we helped each other get unstuck in our own natural playground of discovery. Will TOP ever be allowed in the Currywurst Museum again? And finally: all the laughter. (They know what I’m talking about!) n

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l TOP 4: July 3 – July 18, 2015 Berlin, Weimar, Schwäbisch Hall, Heidelberg Group Leader: Sarah Yabroff Group Leader Highlights: This trip could not have been what it was without excellent and humorous guides Monika and Rodrigo, a visit with the Jewish Community of Thuringia during a day trip in Erfurt, spending the night in a medieval castle now used for professional development with teachers, and a group that loved to take selfies! n

l TOP 5: July 3 – July 18, 2015

Berlin, Bremen, Geisa, Wiesbaden Group Leader: Jenny Windell Group Leader Highlights: My favorite moments from this trip were hearing the personal story of Mr. Bernd Lippman, once a prisoner of the Stasi, at the Stasi Museum Berlin, eating the best ice cream in the world at Potsdamer Platz, exploring the tiny alleys of the Schnoor neighborhood in Bremen, visiting the Deutsche Bank Green Towers in Frankfurt, and touring the Integrated Comprehensive School Kastellstrasse in Wiesbaden with our wonderful student guides! n

l TOP 6: July 17 – August 1, 2015 Regensburg, Geisa, Leipzig, Berlin Group Leader: Wood Powell Group Leader Highlights: Who could forget the “magical nights” in Regensburg? I distinctly remember the classical-music-inspired jazz concert in the palace with the princess under a starry sky. Watching the group exchange intercultural dialogue with high school students in the Spital Biergarten on a perfect summer evening remains one of the highlights of my 10+ years with TOP. I recall the lump in my throat, my reaction to Lauren’s tears after she heard a presentation from those same students about their “School without Racism” projects to help refugees. No Blame! I will never forget the excitement in the room during the top-floor, VIP lunch at the invitation of Mr. Kraft at Siemens in Erlangen. The “stereotype” Q&A with the super-girl students of Neumarkt. “Little Mermaid” in unison in the back of the bus! The group leader-becomes-student moment with Mr. Kiess in Leipzig. The Reichstag elevator selfie! The MEGA pizza! The Meter! My very own Stolperstein! And a final thank you to Celine: my heart will go on. ;) n

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?

TO P S T U DY TO U R S F R E Q U E N T LY A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S

u 1. Am I eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include the following from the United States and Canada: social studies teachers (grades K-12), social studies methods professors, curriculum coordinators, principals/assistant principals and applicable state Department of Education employees. TOP also welcomes applications from STEM educators who have the ability to integrate topics about modern Germany into their curriculum. (Instructional coaches and librarians are not eligible for any study tours.)

u 2. How do I apply?

Follow the instructions on the TOP website: download the application form and use the latest Adobe Acrobat Reader software to open and complete the form.

u 3. When is the application

deadline? How long must I wait to be notified?

The 2016 application packets must be postmarked on or before Monday, January 25, 2016. Applications will not be accepted by e-mail or fax. Notification letters will be mailed by April 1 at the latest.

u 4. How much does the study

tour cost?

TOP pays for most expenses through the support of its partners. TOP pays for most domestic and international transportation fees, hotel accommodation, two meals per day while abroad (usually breakfast and dinner), and any mandatory study tour related fees, such as museum entry, etc.

• TOP pays neither for domestic nor for international airline baggage fees when incurred.

• TOP does not pay for passport/visa renewal fees.

• TOP does not pay for incidental hotel costs, including but not limited to long-distance telephone service, inter- net service (wi-fi), laundry service, mini bar, etc.

Each participant will have his or her own hotel room.

A refundable deposit is required upon acceptance. The deposit amount for 2016

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participants is $350.00 USD. Deposit refund depends on the successful completion of the items listed in question 8 of this FAQ.

of one or more lessons and 2) conduct one TOP workshop at the local district, state, regional, or national level by May 1, 2017.

The ‘unit’ may consist of any ‘Germany-related’ lessons of your choosing.

u 5. When do the study tours

u 9. Just how ‘physically intense’

The study tours are two weeks in length and take place during the summer months.

The specific tour dates are listed at the top of the application form. Applicants are encouraged to select as many of the available dates as possible.

While groups travel long distances by plane, train, or bus, participants must sometimes walk distances of several miles per day. Punctuality is paramount, so walking briskly is sometimes necessary. Alternative arrangements will be made for participants with disabilities.

u 6. Is knowledge of the German

Participants are also responsible for their luggage at all times. This can be especially challenging when embarking/disembarking trains. Elevators and escalators are also not omnipresent, and navigating stairways with luggage can be problematic for even the most experienced travelers.

take place?

language a requirement?

Since TOP caters to American and Canadian educators of social studies and STEM, knowledge of the German language is NOT a requirement. German language educators wanting to travel to Germany are encouraged to contact their nearest GoetheInstitut for scholarship opportunities.

u 7. How can I improve my chances

are the study tours?

The nature of summer weather in Germany, from hot to cold temperatures to frequent rain, can sometimes pose unique challenges to some travelers.

of being selected?

Your application can be enhanced by completing a TOP lesson evaluation or leading a TOP workshop. Be sure to submit a completed TOP Lesson Evaluation Form after teaching at least one lesson from either the Let’s Explore Modern Germany or Germany in Focus instructional strategy guides. If you are leading a workshop you must submit workshop evaluation and attendance forms. Our TOP Toolkit for Professional Development is a useful resource for planning and leading a workshop about TOP teaching materials and study tours.

u 8. What is the catch?

This is a study tour. In fact, there is not much free time during the two weeks abroad. We ask that all participants come willing to engage, to learn, and to be able to absorb a lot of information during a fun, yet mentally and sometimes physically intense two weeks in Germany.

Upon returning from Germany, every participant is required to 1) author ‘something new’ such as a ‘unit of learning’ consisting

u 10. What will the itinerary

look like?

The emphasis will be on modern German issues relating especially to the political system, economy, culture, education, and environmental sustainability. Additional themes of note include Holocaust education, German unification, and European integration. These study tours are designed to provide a comprehensive perspective of modern Germany.

APPLY ONLINE!

A L U M N I S POT L I G H T

i

TOP Redefines Application Policy

T

he mission of the Transatlantic Outreach Program involves reaching as many teachers in as many classrooms across North America as possible. To ensure that we are able to make this goal a reality, the Transatlantic Outreach Program has come to the decision that alumni will no longer be eligible to participate in additional study tours. With only 100 fellowships available each summer, this strategy allows us to extend an invitation to a greater number of applicants who have not yet had the opportunity to travel to Germany with TOP. TOP values you as a unique, dedicated, and well-respected member of the global educator community, committed to improving awareness about modern Germany in the classroom.

Therefore, we are moving forward with a more comprehensive Alumni Network and providing opportunities for continued engagement with the Transatlantic Outreach Program. As always, we are dedicated to providing you with teaching materials, workshop support, and authentic resources as follow-up to your experiences in Germany.

We appreciate your understanding with respect to this policy change.

Moving forward, we ask for your support in helping get the word out about the Transatlantic Outreach Program to teachers who otherwise might not find out about our programs.

For more information on the TOP Alumni Network and how you can stay involved, please see page 18 of this newsletter.

T

he Transatlantic Outreach Program would like to recognize alumnus and 2010 “TOP Fellow of the Year” Paul Dickler for his outstanding effort in TOP workshop leadership and his dedication to professional development. Since first becoming involved in the program in 2008, Paul has been a prolific workshop leader. In April of this year, he led his 50th TOP workshop!

We asked Paul what motivates him to stay involved with TOP as a professional development workshop leader, and this is what he said: TOP Trainer Paul Dickler

“I waited until 2008 to get involved with TOP. Coming from a family that was outraged when I purchased a Volkswagen Beetle in the 1960s, it took a while to take on Germany with more than a cursory visit. My experiences in modern Germany and its willingness to confront the darkest parts of its history have led to four trips to Germany in the past seven years. I feel it is important for American Social Studies teachers to see modern Germany first-hand. TOP is the BEST way to make that happen. 50+ workshops later, I am still promoting TOP to the teaching community. I have spoken with over 1,000 teachers about TOP, many of whom have applied for grants and gone to Germany.”

Congratulations on your 50th workshop, Paul! We are grateful for your dedication to and support for this program!

- The TOP Team

Paul Dickler is the Associate Director of the Wachman Center at The

Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. He is a retired professor/teacher from the University of Pennsylvania and Neshaminy High School. He taught Advanced Placement History for more than 25 years and remains a consultant for the College Board after 25 years. Dickler consults for several organizations including the Transatlantic Outreach Program, the European Union, and several school districts. Dickler is also is a part-time farmer (Wisconsin) and factory worker (Lands’ End). He lives in Pennsylvania and teaches at several colleges/universities part time, including Camden, Ocean, Wilkes, and Penn State. He has received numerous grants and awards, including three Fulbrights, five NEH grants, and three TOP grants. He has been published in Orbis and several other journals. Dickler received his Bachelor’s Degree from Wharton and his Master’s and Doctorate Degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.

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TOP at NCSS

2015 TOP FELLOW OF THE YEAR Announcement

C

National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference November 13 – 15, 2015 New Orleans, LA l

TOP Exhibit Booth at NCSS

l

l

Friday, November 13, 8:45am – 5:30pm Saturday, November 14, 8:30am – 5:00pm

TOP Sessions at NCSS l The Berlin Wall Falls! Civil Disobedience in Leipzig Ignites Change!

l

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• Presented by Jackie Littlefield • Friday, November 13, 9-9:50am

Sustainable Economic Growth in Germany: An Ongoing Success Story • Presented by Mike Raymer and Walt Ellison • Saturday, November 14, 3:45-4:35pm

TOP Fellow of the Year Reception • Friday, November 13, 2015 l

• 6:00 - 8:00pm • New Orleans Downtown Marriott at the Convention Center, 859 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70130

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hoosing the recipient of the annual “TOP Fellow of the Year” award is a task that the TOP Team does not take lightly. Considering the number of stellar study tour Fellow alumni who, year after year, continue to contribute to TOP in their own creative ways, deciding on a list of finalists is a process that is neither easy nor fast. Each name recalls a torrent of study tour memories and contributions that person has made to TOP during a span of two or more years. The fingerprints of those who have touched the program and helped it grow within 2015 TOP Fellow of the Year Mike Raymer various educator communities are all around; lifting one to acknowledge is an honor and a responsibility.

The Transatlantic Outreach Program is pleased to announce that Mr. Mike Raymer of Peachtree City, GA, has been selected as the 2015 TOP Fellow of the Year. By making this announcement, TOP acknowledges Mike as an educator who has gone to great lengths to strengthen German-American relations in the social studies classroom and beyond. Mike has played a particularly strong role in spreading information about Germany to teachers throughout the southeastern United States, including leading educator field trips to the VW plant in Chattanooga, TN. This award represents our gratitude for Mike’s generosity with his time and expertise, and we are delighted to honor his efforts.

Please join us in celebrating Mike during the annual TOP Fellow of the Year Award Reception during the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference on Friday, November 13, 2015, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm (New Orleans Downtown Marriott at the Convention Center, 859 Convention Center Blvd.

New Orleans, LA 70130).

Mike Raymer is the Associate Director and Chief Program Officer at the Georgia Council on Economic Education and is responsible for developing and conducting K-12 workshops designed to facilitate the teaching of economics throughout the state of Georgia. In addition, he acts as liaison between the Georgia Association of Economic Educators and social studies teachers in the state of Georgia. Mr. Raymer is a frequent workshop presenter who has lectured at state, regional, and national conferences. He is a former Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year, a Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education Fellow, and was the 2014 President of the National Association of Economic Educators. He was a TOP Fellow in 2007 and again in 2012. n

ABOUT TOP

AT A GLANCE

Dear Educators, We would like to thank you for taking interest in the Transatlantic Outreach Program. We know your time is precious, and we hope you have enjoyed the latest edition of our newsletter.

Whether you are one of our experienced Fellows or are learning about us for the first time, we hope you have found something in this newsletter that will encourage you to build a professional relationship with TOP. The articles contained herein were written by educators just like you, who only a short time ago had never heard about the opportunities available to them through our program. Should you decide that your classroom is ready to “span continents,” be it through using specific teaching materials, leading workshops, going on a study tour, or engaging in an intercultural blended-learning project, then we hope you will strongly consider the Transatlantic Outreach Program as a partner on your journey.

The Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) - a non-profit, public/private partnership between the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Goethe-Institut, Deutsche Bank, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, and the Siemens Corporation - was founded in 2002:

To promote education about Germany, To encourage intercultural dialogue, To provide educators the opportunity to experience Germany in person.

TOP promotes awareness of Germany within the context of its education and political systems, vocational training, corporate social responsibility, environmental sustainability, culture, history, geography, and more.

One of the first questions many people ask us is, Why Germany?

Well, for one, many Americans have German ancestry. Germany is home to one of the world’s largest economies by GDP and is one of the world’s leading exporters. Germany is a prime mover in European integration and was a founding member of the European Union. Germany is an immigrant nation, bordered by more countries than any other in Europe. Germany is a global leader in environmental protection and “green” technologies. Germany and the USA are important international partners that share common problems and must work together to find common solutions.

Finally, promoting dialogue between countries and cultures is the cornerstone of German foreign educational and cultural policy. It is about actively building bridges between peoples in an effort to foster greater understanding and enable nations to be viewed in their cultural and historical contexts.

If you are ready to learn more about what TOP has to offer you and your students, then we invite you to visit our website, send us an e-mail, and connect with us on social media!

Main Office Address: TOP Goethe-Institut Washington 812 7th Street NW Washington, DC 20001 Primary Contact Information: www.goethe.de/top top@washington.goethe.org (202) 289-1200

Private Partners: Deutsche Bank Robert Bosch Stiftung Siemens Corporation Public Partners: Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany Goethe-Institut President of the TOP Board: German Ambassador Peter Wittig

Teaching Materials Distributed: 16,192 Workshops Sponsored: 324/ 3,888 attendees

Number of TOP Fellows 2014: 109 Number of TOP Fellows to Date: 1,289

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