Springfield & Chicago. What a great experience!  Although a shortened trip as compared to Philadelphia, this Chicago trip ended up offering me more immediate applications to the classroom.  I have been so ultra focused on the Revolutionary War and the Civil War the past five years that I really had not much to do with turn-of-the-century America and the Progressive Era.  After this experience, I  now appreciate this time in Ameica more and have greatly added a depth of knowledge to my understanding of this time.

Springfield was great, and although I added no significant knowlede about Lincoln and his time, I did come away with lessons and lesson ideas (as mentioned in my Springfield Posts) that will be utilized next year.  Upon reflection, after I took the Monday after we returned to decompress, I mentioned in my poll that I liked the Lincoln Museum the best.  I would not have picked this museum at the time, but it kept entering my mind as I recalled the music played during our tour of the museum on the flight home.  At the school I teach, Corwin,  my principal is big on using music in the class for a variety of purposes from setting a contemplative mood to actual lesson tie-ins.  After using music for a year, I am now more acutely aware of the music in my surroundings, and I the one tune I vividly recalled the most was the haunting melody of he Battle Hymn of the Republic being played along with Dixie’s Land while in the Lincoln Museum observing the awesome mural of the Battle of Gettysburg.  So entranced was with that tune, that I wanted my students to hear it and the contrasts of the two major songs of the North and South that I purchased the Lincoln Museum Music CD and have been listening to it ever since my return. Listening to the CD has been a way to let the experience of the museum keep entering my mind while I drive around town.  I can’t wait to play that music while my students work on their Civil War photo inquiry project next year, and to use the music as a backdrop as I tell my students of my Springfield and Chicago trip.

Chicago, after a ten year lag between visits, seems much the same- busy and dynamic.  Like in Philadelphia, I enjoyed the art museum, and while a terrible artist myself, I want to develop great art lessons for my students.  I see the value of art with my students and while at the museum developed a terrific art project using Edward Hopper’s great paintings especially including one of my favorites, Nighthawks.  For the past 22 years, art instruction has been creeping ino my classroom, and in another 22 years maybe I will string together some terrific art lessons.  I keep working in this area, and find that it always helps to not do an art project in isolation, but to tie it directly to social studies or science.

I knew nothing of Hull House when I arrived in Chicago, and had only a passing acquaintance with Jane Addams.  I immensely enjoyed he morning at Hull House and thought the people there, Lisa and Ryan especially, friendly and excited about what they do.  I appreciated the discussion on Addams while in the museum, and am going to incorporate much what I learned next year as I discuss the Constitution in light of its development and individual responsibility. 

The farm is what intrigued me the most.  Despite my ever expanding girth, and the fact that I indulge in way too many unhealthy foods, I am interested in the Slow Food movement and organic farming.  The past two summers, I have been buying a good deal of my produce at the only authorized organic farm in Pueblo County.  The also sell bread and free range organic eggs.  I talked with Paula Quinn while at the farm, and my principal upon my return, and think that the issues surrounding food and food justice issues is exactly the kind of things our IB students need to be involved.  In conjunction with our IB partner East High School, we are looking at an organic garden, and perhaps two (one at East and one at Corwin).  As a teacher I am concerned about the crappy (yes, that word is appropriate and really the stronger one may apply better) food the kids are served each day.  We herd them into the cafeteria and after they have had 10 to 5 minutes of exercise, they literally have 15 to 20 minutes to shovel food down their throats.  I have suggested expanding the lunch period and letting kids truly relax and enjoy lunch, but am told that behavior will only get worse with more time as it is already hard to handle them in the 30 minutes of lunch.  I think it is hard to handle them because they are rushing to do everything and everything is super hyped.  Anyway, as an IB school we need to practice what we preach.  If we embrace the Slow Food movement, food justice,  and are concerned about kids in big cities with food deserts eating only pop and chips, then we need to quit having our own food deserts right under our noses.

I was excited to see actual houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, but was disappointed as the guide told us about his personal life, but his contributions to American society via his designs cannot be denied.  Paul Z (not going to try to spell his last name) and I are going to incorporate his artistic designs on a couple of art projects we created while at Wright’s Museum Shop and while visiting on the bus.  Each student will help create a large mural featuring his designs. 

Wisconsin was terrific as I had visisted it several times as my brother received his degree at Madison.  Did not visit the Great Dane with my brother, but a German bar specializing in beers around the world.  After this visit would recomment Great Dane because their food is far superior to German food.  The chart on how a historian thinks will be of great use next year.  I am also going to have our fourth grade teachers examine the resources that Wisconsin has for their elementary students studying state history.  Colorado’s pales in comparison, and maybe we could utilize some elements of Wisconsin’s as they improve their Colorado unit.

Enjoyed the rest of our visits in Chicago, but thought I would comment on the ones where I could see a direct application to what I will do in my classroom next year and in the future.  Everybody, it has been a pleasure.  Professors, thank you for your hard work.

We ended the last full day in Chicago with a bus tour of to different sites dealing with the Haymarket Affair, and then after a Lithuanian lunch we toured the Pullman Museum, church, hotel burned out factory, and administrative building. 

While listening to the accounts of the people involved in the Haymarket Affair, and how they were arrested, convicted, tried, and eventually hung (not all but four).  I was flabbergasted at how their basic rights as given in the first amendment of the Constitution were trampled to death.  They were not allowed to assemble and had no freedom of speech, and for some the minor involvement in the actual bombing itself was no justification for the death sentence.

As a fifth grade teacher, I am often trying to boil difficult concepts into easy to understand portions for my students.  That’s what good teachers should try to do – bring understanding.  However, upon reflection, maybe I have been given my students too easy of a portion as concerning our rights and how they have evolved over time.  A fifth grade student might get the simplistic impression that after the political battles at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, all was well and the rules worked great except for slavery.  Later, that slavery issue would be finally resolved once and for all after the Civil War.  I think our plan (Paul’s and mine) to anchor history in fifth grade around three key events (Revolutionary War, Civil War and WWII) is solid, but maybe we are leaving out an essential component.  That component would be how our Constitution has evolved and how the rights of the people have and continue to evolve over time.

I now want to impress upon my students how many of the rights we take for granted have been slowly developed in our nation’s history, and were earned and not just granted after a piece of paper was signed.  The Haymarket Affair should strike right at the heart of us as history teachers.  I know as I was listening in the lobby of the courthouse, I was saying to myself, “Hey this is so unfair..this ain’t right…I can’t believe no one intervened…how can they ignore the Constitution?”  I often forget that many people had to sacrifice to claim these rights.  I take for granted the American Civil Liberties Union, and our Miranda rights.  We are so free and able to question that we become complacent, and I guess my teaching of history became complacent as I need to instill in my future students the struggles of the workers of America, the minorities, and the downtrodden.  Some of these brave people dared to cross imaginary lines of social injustice drawn in the sand by the people of power, and initially paid dearly for crossing those lines. But once those lines were crossed, we continued to move ahead crossing other lines. 

It is not perfect now.  We have sacrificed some freedoms in America at the alter of safety recently, but we are still progressing even if some small steps are occasionally taken backwards.  I know my teaching of my anchor points will definitely change starting next year to emphasize how our rights have evolved over time.

Up at 5ish and loaded by 6 am and on to the great, but at times creepy state of Wisconsin as evidenced by the Odd Wisconsin displays at the museum and Ed Gein.  After the long bus ride, we arrived at the largest state capital building to view just some of he holdings at the Historical Museum literally right across the street from the capital.  A good museum where I really like the section dealing with how Wisconsin was formed and the early people of Wisconsin.  It has been a long time since I taught 4th grade, but I do not believe that our own Colorado Historical Museum in Denver has as much information concerning the early people as it does with what happened after the silver rush of 1859.

After a great lunch at a terrific brew pub, we heard a lecture by Jonathon Pollack on immigration.  He ran off naturalization papers over the course of time to demonstrate how by adding more and more paperwork, we made it more and more difficult to become a citizen and thereby naturally curbing immigration.  I disagreed with his quick analysis of the first document that since it was so easy to become a citizen, why did Methias Schleck wait so long (30 years) to do he process.  Professor Pollack gave the reason that he wanted to be very careful and did not take citizenship lightly.  I thought the opposite.  Did the fact that it was too easy to become a citizen cheapen the process thereby de-motivating people like Schleck who probably had adapted to life in America.  Did Schleck do the paperwork after wanting to vote for a certain person?  Was it out of convenience?

I liked the discussion of nostalgia and history and his Happy Days illustration using his parents.  The show seemed accurate until Chachi arrived and Fonzie became a teacher before jumping a shark.  I remember watching M*A*S*H with my dad who served in Korea.  He hated the show because of cross dressing Klinger.  There is no way that would be allowed!  He would shout and storm off.  However, my uncle also served in Korea and liked M*A*S*H  because the scenery reminded him so much of where he was stationed.  HE ignored the character of Klinger, but thought the overall show was accurate.

The holdings at the library were certainly impressive.  I just grabbed the first box where no one was around as all were taken (even Hutch was busy researching somewhere).  It was on Jewish immigration in America and a social history of the people and exactly which countrie they were from and where they settled.  It also contained explanation behind the rituals and holidays.  Interesting, but time was short in there and could not find the purpose behind such accounts.

The lecture given by Stan Schultz certainly lived up to expectations.  He still has it!   I could listen to him all day.  I had read books of Roosevelt, but still did not have good grasp of the Progressive Era as I don’t teach that specific time period.  I learned a great deal and tied in my previous knowledge concerning Roosevelt.  In the future,when I read Wilson’s bio and another book on Roosevelt, I will better appreciate the Progressive Era.  I find a few statements startling:

From the 1880’s, It didn’t matter who the president was before FDR.

Taft was a real good president.

I find his remarks on the Social Gospel Movement fascinating as the Christian church is still wrestling with the issues of the role of the church as reaching individual sinners for Christ or helping the poor and downtrodden. 

Long bus ride home.  Great day!

What a great and rainy day.  Before I begin, check out this link of David Alan Grier as Maya Angelou.

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=187055

We began the day at Hull House with our perky guide, Lisa Lee, presenting Jane Addams really for the first time to me.  Oh sure I had heard the name several time and in relation to Hull House, but it was extremely fuzzy to me as to what exactly it was.  Well, Hull House and what was accomplished is an on-going story as they try to keep the legacy of Addams alive.  I certainly came away no expert on Addams but am now familiar with her and the work that went on at Hull House.  Of all the things mentioned that morning, I would like to focus on two that struck a chord with me: 1) the use of art by immigrant children, and 2) food justice issues.

Lisa Lee several times pointed out the art that some of the children did at Hull House many years ago, and tied some of the art to particular people who late on went on to success.  One came back as an art instructor.  Addams felt the immigrants were deprived in many ways and the lack of the arts was one significant deficiency.  The arts were seen as a way of expression that transcended the lack of language skills as many did not have a command of English.  Lisa Lee pointed out that her parents were from China and were writers and poets, but in America had to use math as a common language to express themselves.  Here were these artistic people who worked in occupations utilizing math when they desired to express themselves poetically and artistically.  It seems Addams innately knew this and provided a rich art program, and was the first to see play as instrumental to child development.  Up till then play was reserved for the rich children.  Addams organized the first playgrounds for all kids.

The second area that struck a chord was the issue of food justice.   Yes, I like to eat and eat a lot, but a great deal of people ask me what are my favorite foods.  Although I love good winter cooking with its soups, braises and stews, I would without hesitation say summer and fall when food is freshly harvested and simply prepared is my absolute favorite type of food.  I make several tripos to the farmer’s market and even to the county to buy fresh produce, and I have a vegetarian friend who owns Wireworks who always asks me if I know my farmer.  Recently, I have been introduced to our organic shares farm off of Everett Road, and they are trying to do the same things as the farm at Hull House.

I loved the lunch at Hull House.  The tour of the farm was interesting and I already knew a good deal about heirloom varieties and have tried some back home.  They are definitely “uglier” but much better tasting.  I do think locally sourced meat can be a part of this equation as I obtain mostly locally sourced beef and pork products within fifty miles of Pueblo.

I had never heard the term “food desert” before, but it makes sense as I remember a recent new expose showing poor people in the south ruining their teeth on too much Mountain Dew and high obesity rates because of the high sugar and access to only chips and snacks.  I noticed walking around that one can only really get chips, ice cream and sodas around our neighborhood where we are staying in Chicago.  Are we in a food desert?  I like what Hull House is doing on the sustainability of food and the use of Soup Luncheons to drive home their point about great local food and sustainability.  Ah, if we all had a new “Victory” garden, a victory over bland food designed only to be shipped long distances, and personal victory over pesticides and chemicals.

The boat ride was wet, but afforded a unique view of Chicago.

Dinner at Carmines was superb!!!  Pasta squares a must!  Pick the sauce you like, but et the squares made with fresh pasta.  All local I am sure, and I know this for a fact.

There will be nothing controversial about this post as I do not want to turn this into a shouting match.  I (like the guide we had yesterday) want to get this over with as quick as possible.  What was it you called him, Hutch, a prissy, pompous, persnickety, pr_ _ _!!! ??? (Rhymes with Dick). 

Ready, Set, Hike!

Actually, I started the day at Frank Llyod Wright’s house thinking back in time about my mentor as our guide mentioned Wright’s five main influences in his life.  One of the five, Sullivan, I had never heard of before, but to listen to the guide explain that Wright always described Sullivan as his “lieb meister” his dear master even after they had a falling out of some sort.  I walked through the house and room after room the design was Wright’s but Sullivan left his mark as well in each room.

In 1984, I had the honor to student teach under a true professional who had trained numerous student teachers of the past (about 15 of us in all as he taught for nearly forty years). I also was hired as a science resource teacher my first year of teaching and continued the training first year.  Ron, my “lieb meister” helped my teaching in numerous ways and I could not help thinking about him as we toured the house and bookshop.  I saw Sullivan’s mark in every room, and sure Wright had unbelivable talent and flew to soaring heights on his own merit, but I find it poignant that he never forgot the teachings of Sullivan.  I loved looking at the houses and reflecting as I walked and took numerous pictures.  I reflected on how I came into teaching and how Ron and another “lieb meister” Ray helped form my OPINIONS (I know I rarely share them with anybody else) and my style.  I reflected that after 22 years of teaching on my own, I can still see Ron’s heavy influence in my teaching just like one could see Sullivan’s designs above the dining table or the brickwork on the two fire places.  The morning was truly dedicated to Ron especially and also Ray as my mentors for student teaching and my first year of teaching.

Upon refelction I have a couple of questions and would love responses:

1.  When does a person leave the influence of their mentor and really fly on their own in education?

2. Should our model of teaching and how we train teachers change? 

3. Should we adopt the master, journeyman, and apprentice model, or is the present model working well?

In the afternoon, I liked the virtual reality tour and question and answer session with Richard.. uh uh.. uh.. I mean the “Virtual Reality sit down and shut up along with a quick run through because I have better things to do” tour at the Science Museum.  Great information.  Wonderful museum.

I

Well, back to the Chicago History Museum.  This time we had a talk by Chip Douglas on his DBQ and Mini Q books and support materials he has produced.  I really liked the fact that these materilas were developed as Chip worked in the classroom and only recently let on a leave to futher promote his products.  As he talked and presented, one could tell he was an experienced teacher with many years of experience. 

I appreciated this in-service as Chip certainly gave us credit as professionals and worked through his material at a rapid rate.  So far this is the most useful information on the trip and if a fifth grade teacher were to combine this presentation along with the Springfield talk on primary documents, well then that fifth grade teacher could really add another and positive dimension to their program.

Actually it was interesting sitting next to Ray and Paula and hearing them express some of their frustrations with kids when asked to write beyond a creative writing story and focus on a historical question and cite sources.  We talked about the need for Mini Q’s and DBQ’s froom 4th grade through high school.  Not many, but at least 4 a year.  One every 9 weeks at a minimum would damatically improve: essay writing skills, non-fiction comprehension, analytical skills, and provide significant historical content.  While talking with the KING and Jonathon at a break, we agreed that the process for analysis and essay writing is the same only the content and the timeframe on moving throughb the material is different.  I am certainly interested in purchasing he MiniQ material.

After lunch I wasn’t really “fired” up about our walking tour of Chicago.  However, it turned out to be a great little tour and again added to my knowledge about the great fire.  I really liked the duiscussion by the lake where we learned how Chicago gets its water with pipes extending out 1 to 2 miles into the lake to avoid the majority of the pollution.

Later we had an additional walking tour of Chicago as we walked literally from about 5 pm (a quick stop for dinner and dessert and the Apple Store) to 7:24Pm.  We ended the walking tour at the Second City Playhouse. Wonderfully fun show, and all had a great time ( I believe).

We visited the Chicago History Museum on today.  We had a morning session with Dr. Sarah Markus on Chicago at the Turn of the Century.  I found this talk infomative to say the least.  I appreciated the stories behind the Great Chicago Fire(s) of 1871.  This was the type of presentation I was expecting in Chicago – a deeper look by a scholar of specific topics.  I had always wondered why did Chicago grow so fast? What physical characteristics and geography allowed for it to be the center of commerce for the center of the US.  I had no idea how important the Chicago River was to the development and how they took a slow moving river and dug canals to allow ships.

The discussion of land speculators and the railroad helpping to propel Chicago also added a depth to what I knew about the start of Chicago.  I knew from our readings that it experienced rapid growth, but now I have a better understanding of why.

Again, The Great Chicago Fire(s) of 1871 was fascinating, and the reasons for why Chicago had built their homes with so much lumber made sense as Chicago was a lumber shipping center.  The misakes made at the start of the fire made sense as to how it towered out of control.  How exactly they knew how hot the fire became wil fascinate my students in future discussions and lessons.

Question:  If Chicago knew they made a mistake building houses and buildings entiorely out of wood, then why was it such a common building material in 1906?

The question posed by Dr. Sarah Markus about the reason the Chicago Fire received more press than the Peshdigo (yes, I’m sure I spelled it right) Fire certainly would or should spark lively discussion.

Although their are many theories as to how the Great Fire started, I believe that it was started by the “gay” ghost of Lincoln and I know this for a fact.

While discussing the Chicago World’s Fair, I had an idea for my lesson plan.  I am going to use literature to present Chicago and Illinois at the turn of tthe century as well as the idea of city life verses rural life in southern Illinois.  I will keep working this unit out, but think it will be utilizing literature and writing.

Now on the the later morning and afternoon workshop.  I did not care for Heidi Moisan’s presention.  The web-site is certainly useful; however,  the style of in-service for teachers certainly concerns me.  I do not know why a great deal of in-service presentors feel they need to have the teachers engage in the very activities they would turn around and have students do.  For example, why do we need to choral read something together, or work in groups to ask obvious questions to artifacts.  The artifact lesson was great! The way we had to do it ourselves in a group was not.  Why not assume that we have college degrees and are used to working in the world of ideas and are able to take an idea presented and then ruminate about it and decide if and or how we are going to apply it in our classroom.  Most teachers are familiar with this style and I notice they just fall in line and do the activity just to get it over with and put in their time.  I m perfectly capable of applying ideas presented and actually appreciate it when someone scholarly presents material in-depth so I can have a deeper and broader knowledge to use for presentations to my students in the class.

The museum itself is great!  I love the Lincoln artifacts and although no photos were allowed, I happen to have an illegial photo of the actual deathbed of Lincoln.  Viola!!!

Old State Capital

We visited the “Old” Springfield capital today.  Although the interior was completely rebuilt, they did such a marvelous job collecting furniture and researching that if they had never told me that info, I would have never guessed it wasn’t the original.  The tour was great and I think the information learned that would apply to my classroom is the scope and sense of the jobs of the government.  It would be interesting to tell the students the job of the Secretary of State had back then and what they do now.  This information would be great in a study of Colorado history to contrast the roles of key government officials and see if they are the same state to state.

Law Offices

The law offices of Lincoln and Herndon were ok; however I am not quite sure where they were exactly.  I am still confused as to which wall was moved and where the openings were and why this couldn’t or could have been the exact spot.  I actually learned more about Tinsley and his Merchantile store and that they had a post office.  The information concerning postal rates at the time was interesting and I see a math and map lesson being developed concerning sending a letter over cetain distances.  We may also have a discussion concerning the modern practice of junk mail and its development once we changed from the person recieving the letter paying for it to the sender paying.

The Lincoln Home

The Lincoln home was great.  I will use pictures of the home as I tell my students about Lincoln and his times.  I found it interesting the styles of the day incuded contrasts to show harmony.  As with the pictures below, I can’t imagine for the life of me why this would create harmony.

Lincoln Home Contrast-Harmony

Lincoln Home Harmony-Contrast

New Salem Corn Mill

Now the heart of the matter, The Village at New Salem  I now get the use of Primary Sources verses secondary sources.  The “Village” sure took a great deal of liberty and credit for forming Lincoln as the man he was to become.  To quote the Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site brochure (which is in milder language and less direct than the video) “The six years Lincoln spent at New Salem formed a turning point in his career.  From a gangling young man who came to the village in 1831 with no definie objectives, he became a man of purpose as he embaked upon a career of law and statesmansship.” The video constantly asked the Question,“What was it about the town and people of New Salem that made Lincoln into the man and later propelled Lincoln to the Presidency.”  What poppycock!  That would be like Pueblo, Colorado taking credit for making Damon Runyon the writer he wouuld become.  Wait! Ok bad example. Sorry.  But you get my point.  We learned the day before that Lincoln although raised in the same home was vastly different than his step-brother.  How can this be if environment should be the key and deciding factor ala New Salem.  The point the day before is that Lincoln had something in his inate character that made him stand out (after studying primary sources).  Environment plays a part, but not to the extent the good people of New Salem would like us to believe.  I would like to examiine a primary source that backs the statements made by the brochure or video.

Great First day as we had class at the Lincoln Library with Erin Bishop.  I have always been fuzzy on what exactly constitutes primary sources.  I had such a narrow view and thought it left mostly to scholars as it should be the exact piece left behind, and I guess I confess my ignorance as we do not occassion much to use primary sources in the elementary setting.  Also, I had such a narrow view of primary sources as I did not think of all the other things like police reports, artifacts, songs, poems, and the like as primary sources.  The activities were great and will utilize three of them in my classroom next year.  The first is the indivudual reactions to photograhs in groups with different point of views, and then forming those reactions to the paragraphs into one group paragraph.   The second was the poetry project where we reacted to a photo and wrote down reaction words to that photo and later developed those words into a poem.  I think this is best with a partner and produce a combined poem.  The third is the opinion poll where certain students (she suggested the verbal ones) react without talking to striong statements and the rest of the class (the usually non-verbal ones) defend the choices.  This was a great way to elicit discussion and leave the normally vocal and hoggish students on he sidelines for a while.  When a teacher plans to imediately utilize three ideas from a two hour morning session, that session was totally worthwhile.  The computer session was helpful, but caotic as not all the computers worked properly.  Wish they hac WiFi and all had access; however the sites will be used as part of my Civil Wa analysis project next year.

In addition, I may use the Marilyn Montrose activity or redo as a great way to introduce primary sources. 

Byran Andreason was not so helpful.  As teachers we know how to pare down and effectvely distill information to our students or we are probably not be on this trip.  What I wanted was a more in-depth knowlede of Lincoln that a scholar could possibly give me.  His PowerPoint on Lincoln in a historical context looked interesting to me , but he seemed fixiated on how he overcame the unreal demands of his boss to triumph and produce a great bullettin board.  I really did not apprreciate the preview to the museum.  I felt he imposed some of his beliefs that predjudiced me as I toured the museum in the afternoon.  For example, I did not find that Lincoln’s cabinet was that divided on the Emancipation Proclamation.  Some in the cabinet were, but he said all were oppossed.  I also disagreed with Erin earlier stating that the letter from Lincoln to his step-brother was shocking.  Let us figure if it was shocking to us, and let us figure out the reactions by the Lincoln’s cabinet.

I would have to say the museum was great.  The pictures will be utilized next year in my class dicussion of Lincoln.  In the “textbook” I use, it contains 30 chapters covering the Civil War of which 5 or 6 are specifically on Lincoln.  That means 5 or 6 class sessions devoted to Lincoln.  The pictures will add significntly to my presentation along with the video I purchased.  Lincoln fascinates kids and I find the more I know about him and his life the more the kids are interested in this time and the Civil War.