December 16, 2022

The Initiative Bulletin

Watching the FIFA World Cup has reminded me of the time I realized that one can contribute in a wide variety of ways.
 
At Crystal River (Fla.) High School, I somehow managed to make the varsity soccer team. I say somehow because I lacked the skills and talent to play what Pelé described as “o jogo bonito” (the “beautiful game”). I did not belong on the same field as my buddies, who could dribble, pass, shoot, trap, steal, and defend like bona fide jogadors (players).  
 
Mostly warming the bench, I wondered why the coach kept me on the team. I told one of my friends that I was considering quitting. He said he never thought he’d hear that word coming out of my mouth. I shared my concerns. He said I contributed in other ways. I asked for examples. He said I could figure it out. I noted that once again, he was giving me too much credit. He pointed out that I showed up for practice every day and on time, gave it my all on every drill, challenged my teammates, and, when needed, lightened the mood. [Read more.]

The Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Initiative at Penn State has won a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant to work with 30 teachers from around the country on sharpening their classroom skills. 

The initiative will launch the “Making Holocaust and Genocide Education Relevant Through Inquiry and Classroom Application” program in June with a two-week institute for Holocaust and genocide educators. 

“We customize our programs to meet our partners’ needs. We’re honored to team up with the NEH to support middle- and high-school teachers as they explore new ways to engage their students,” said project director Boaz Dvir, the initiative’s founding director and an assistant professor in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State. “As the grandson of Holocaust survivors, I believe the effective instruction of these and other difficult historical topics can help teachers and students draw contemporary lessons and gain valuable insight into the human condition.” [Read more.]

To learn more about the Initiative’s NEH institute program and apply, visit bellisario.psu.edu/neh-institute. 

Kate Van Haren, who has worked with the Initiative on designing educational materials and served on our Teacher Advisory Council, has joined the Penn State College of Education’s social studies education doctoral program.  

A native of Wisconsin, Kate is excited to explore Central Pennsylvania.  

“I love my state for its rich, complex history and the diverse group of people who have called it home,” said Kate, who earned her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction offered through Penn State World Campus. “I’m excited to learn about both topics in Pennsylvania, as well.” [Read more.]

One of the first things you’d notice about Dr. Zev Eleff is how humble he is. At 35, the Gratz College president may have already accomplished enough for a lifetime. He served as provost at Touro College Illinois outside of Chicago and has authored several books, including the upcoming Dyed in Crimson: Football, Faith, and Remaking Harvard's America available February 2023. Yet he shows no indication of slowing down.  

“I read, I write,” Zev says. I’m not particularly interesting.” Humble, indeed. 

A historian, grandson of Holocaust survivors, and father of three children, Zev roots for the Baltimore Ravens, solves puzzles, and builds and collects Legos. When religious institutions shut down during the early pandemic, Zev and his children created a Lego Synagogue that featured traditional figures and a few less traditional ones, such as Elsa from “Frozen” and Batman. [Read more.]

How can an art teacher make a ceramics class more accessible for students with special needs? As a high-school life skills teacher, Dr. Ryan Lewis’ helps find accommodations and adaptations for students with special needs.
 
By looking at the challenge through a perspective that considers the special education students’ assets, Ryan and the art teacher adapted to provide an accessible project that built on functional skill goals that students were working towards in other spaces.
 
As part of the life skills curriculum, students visit the grocery store each week. Ryan asked, “What if we come up with one of our grocery lists where we get the corn starch, get the baking soda, and we make homemade clay?” That’s just what they did. Students practiced their functional skills of building a grocery list, going to the store, finding the items within a budget, and using a kitchen to make clay. With it, they created holiday ornaments to fulfill their ceramics project in this teacher’s art class. [Read more.]

The Initiative’s director, Boaz Dvir, recently discussed diversity and Holocaust education at events in York and Philadelphia. 

Dvir presented: 

• “Healing the Breach Through Diversity Education” at the York Jewish Community Center. 

• “Improving Human Rights Education” at the Rotary Club of York. 

• “How to Bolster the Impact of K-12 Holocaust Education” as part of the Tuzman Memorial Holocaust Teach-In at Philadelphia’s Gratz College. Dvir spoke during the event’s first breakout session. 

“I enjoyed engaging on these vital subjects with scholars, educators and community members,” Dvir said. “It’s inspiring to see so many leaders and organizations stepping up to draw timely lessons from the past and work to build a better future for everyone.” 

Hosted by Keystone Oral Histories, the first event, “Healing the Breach,” honored two community leaders with strong connections to Penn State’s Holocaust Education Initiative: 

• Elliott Weinstein, a former Penn State trustee who leads the initiative’s fundraising efforts, received the Tikun Olam “Repair the World” Award. 

• Red Lion Area School District’s Scott Deisley, the first superintendent to offer the initiative’s innovative professional learning program, received the Diversity Education Lifetime Achievement Award. 

In his Gratz presentation, Dvir explored amplifying the robust content provided by Holocaust education entities through research-based pedagogies such as inquiry.