A Cleveland Teacher Integrates Facing History into the Classroom

Teaching is Sue Capello's third career. She spent 10 years in the military and 10 years as landlord. While she was a landlord in the inner city, her tenants came to her for help on their GEDs, which is what made her realize she could be a teacher.

Now in her sixth year, Sue teaches 9th grade social studies at Collinwood High School. She attended her first Facing History institute in 2000. Sue integrates Facing History themes and resources in several units she teaches-the Bill of Rights, WWII, the Civil Rights Movement and the breakdown of the Soviet Bloc countries.

One of Sue's favorite readings from Holocaust and Human Behavior is "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut about a society where the government used its power to ensure that no one was superior to anyone else. The reading raises questions about the fairness of such a system and introduces key themes of "We and They." " I use it so that kids can appreciate the differences in people," says Sue.

Most of Sue's students have had limited experience outside their own environments. "Their stereotypes are pretty deeply embedded. So when we get to do an exchange program or read a book I try to have them focus on the similarities in addition to differences," explains Sue. Two years ago Facing History regional director Laurie Rodney helped Sue coordinate an exchange program with students from a small Jewish School, Pardes. There were 12 students from each school and they met at both schools. The culminating event focused on breaking down the walls of prejudice. The students met and interviewed people from many different life experiences including someone who had lived through communism, a Holocaust survivor, and Japanese Americans who had been interned.

"I think the message comes across," says Sue. "With few exceptions, my students become more receptive to being more open towards other groups of people."

This year the students will participate in a similar program with Facing History, this time with four schools-each with very different demographics. The exchange will culminate in a student symposium in the spring, which the students are planning and facilitating with the help of Facing History. "We do something every year. The kids are excited about it," says Sue.