Category Archives: history

Model United Nations meets APUSH

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Some of the most dynamic learning environments can be seen in a United Nations committee simulation. Students research issues presently under UN deliberation and then bring their adopted point of view into the committee room to defend, persuade, and hopefully solve the some of the world’s most pressing problems.

One of my goals for this year is to work with point-of-view (POV) in my AP US History classes. It is a disciplinary-specific skill that is required to be demonstrated on the AP exam which gives it some legitimacy, but in reality it is a very powerful teaching tool that gives students insights into the motives and goals of historical actors. Using POV adds a deeper dimension to learning about important historical events.

I like to experiment with modes of class discussion and how the practice can hone critical thinking skills while making learning more interesting and fun. One mode of class discussion I want to continue to explore is the “Meeting of the Minds.” Much like a United Nations committee simulation, students pretend they are policy makers having a roundtable discussion on how to solve a world problem. The videos posted show the MM discussion on the New Deal and how to best solve the Great Depression. Just like MUN, the discussion is front loaded with a research paper so the students know the basics of the problem and how to stay in character. This all might sound a bit hokey but it works to build critical thinking and student engagement.

WARNING:
YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER MR. MILLER’S CLASSROOM

When I watch the videos, my impression is that the students are moving a bit slow. I might experiment with smaller groups so the discussions are more “peppy” and faster paced.

I want to bring an interdisciplinary dimension into the next Meeting of the Minds discussion which will be on the Cold War. I plan to invite George Orwell and J. Robert Oppenheimer to the discussion.

I see lots of potential growth for myself as mediator of these types of discussions. To what extent should I step in and guide the discussion? In contrast to socratic seminars (or spider web discussions) this format needs a bit more guidance from me to stay on track. Since the Meeting of the Minds is still new to me, I’m still feeling out my role. If you would like to be a guest at the next Meeting of the Minds, then please reach out to me. You will not be required to talk…unless you want to.

That One Time I Had An Idea…

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I have so many ideas that I don’t even know what to do with them. Finding the time and energy for all of the things swirling through my head is a daunting task. Once I have an idea, and I think it’s great, I automatically think about how I can make it better…and then I get overwhelmed and it becomes a vicious cycle. 
I actually had so many ideas for blog posts, and they all live in my head and I haven’t found the time until now (because I have to) to actually compose my ideas in this blog…woops?
Anyway. My most recent idea came from Lacy Matthews: 
She’s the best! 🙂

who made an announcement about immigration over the loud speaker one morning during prayer in first period. I got inspired in that instant to assign my Spanish 3 Honors students the task of writing a personal narrative of an immigrant coming from a Spanish speaking country during this time. Students were to write their story in the first person from the perspective of an immigrant (obviously in Spanish).  First they were required to pick a scenario: which country? What is this person like? What is their family like? What challenges or successes arose from the immigration process?

Students researched social media posts, news articles, blogs, vlogs, pretty much anything available to them to get the most accurate, authentic perspective they could find. And they really enjoyed it. They were tasked to work in groups, and produce a dramatic, first person perspective narrative of what an immigrant might go through in various scenarios.
My students found themselves learning about government policies regarding immigration, polarizing perspectives, the daily struggles of someone living in a war-torn country or a country with limited economic opportunities. They found themselves feeling compassionate toward individuals that they had never encountered before. They learned things that weren’t readily available in a textbook or a lecture, and that’s awesome.  Oh, and I guess they learned some Spanish along the way too 😉
I found that my students were really into this project. They took pride in what they were doing,  and they wanted to do it well. They were meticulous with the grammar, conjugations, subject verb agreement, adjectives, and the best word choice, because as one student put it: “I want to do these people justice. Their story is important, and I owe it to them to do a good job.” 
(And then my teacher heart exploded into a million happy pieces!) 
I later found out from one of my students who has Lacy for religion class that she was simultaneously teaching about immigration and was showing a film titled: “Which Way Home?’ (I think that’s what the movie was called, my brain turned to mush during Christmas break, correct me if I’m wrong, Lacy). Students in her class were also privileged to see a guest speaker who discussed immigration policy and bills regarding the issue. I was delighted to know that several of my students in my Spanish class also share Lacy’s class and we were discussing the same themes.
This unintentional collaboration happens more often than not with my classes. Somehow whatever I happen to be teaching completely coincides with another discipline, and then BAM! Interdisciplinary teaching. The only problem is, I don’t want to have to find out from my students what’s happening in other classes, but it’s a welcome blessing anyway. I love to see that my students are making the connections on their own without it being forced. I like when learning is organic, and when students can come to their own conclusions on their own. 
Back to what I was saying about so many ideas…I like this project…It has been great so far, but I want to do MORE with it. I’m open to more ideas and suggestions because I want to expand on this topic. I don’t want to just leave it as an essay. Let me know your thoughts!