Black History Month, a time to celebrate the achievements by African Americans and recognize their central role throughout U.S. history, is a subject Mark Ureel, seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teacher at South Canton Scholars Charter Academy, is passionate about teaching.
Mr. Ureel believes that teaching history is like molding a piece of clay. “American history is our story and I get the opportunity to tell stories every day to teach morals and life lessons that I hope my students will remember many years past their days at South Canton.”
He is able to connect black history into his daily American history routine throughout the month of February, including playing music each day from famous African American artists of the 20th Century, like Muddy Waters, Billie Holiday, Chuck Berry, Harry Belafonte, and more. He likes to start with artists his students don’t know to expand their horizons.
He also recently played Black History Bingo in class, where his students researched 25 influential African American figures on a Bingo sheet. Then, Mr. Ureel gave a description of the person, and students had to match the person with the description.
For Moral Focus, he shows biographical videos that spotlight famous African Americans including quotes, which he uses to relate to February’s Moral Focus virtue – courage. “It is very easy to tie leaders of the Civil Rights Era to courage because it was difficult to stand up for what they believed in knowing that the police, local government, and many of their fellow citizens were not on their side.”
During Black History Month, his students work on projects regarding 19th Century reformers and abolitionists including Sojourner Truth, Frederik Douglass, John Russwurm, Samuel Cornish, and David Walker.
Mr. Ureel is passionate about educational innovation, because he believes that people learn best from experiences. “To me, educational innovation means making each day of learning into an experience instead of a lesson,” said Mr. Ureel. “It means finding ways to spark creativity, a critical skill that students need in order to develop into leaders. It teaches about risk-taking and problem-solving, but most importantly, it gives students a sense of purpose in their work and allows them to express themselves. Innovation also means finding a better way of doing things and not adhering to the traditional methods.”
This belief inspires him to experiment with new methods in order to do better, as opposed to reusing the same methods and projects, even if they are successful.
“Mr. Ureel makes it his mission and goal to identify new ways to teach and engage his middle school scholars,” said Dana Gurganus, principal at South Canton Scholars. “He is constantly innovating and finding new ways that he can make his content relevant to our 21st century learners.”
Keep up the incredible work, Mr. Ureel!
Mwezi wa Historia ya Weusi ni wakati wa kusherehekea mafanikio ya Waafrika wa Amerika na kutambua jukumu lao kuu katika historia ya Marekani, Mark Uriel, mwalimu wa masomo ya kijamii wa darasa la saba na la nane katika Chuo cha South Canton Scholars Charter, ana shauku ya kufundisha. Bwana Ureel anaamini kwamba kufundisha historia ni kama kufanyiza kipande cha udongo. "Historia ya Marekani ni hadithi yetu na mimi kupata nafasi ya kuwaambia hadithi kila siku kufundisha maadili na masomo ya maisha kwamba natumaini wanafunzi wangu kukumbuka miaka mingi iliyopita siku zao katika South Canton. ""Aliweza kuunganisha historia nyeusi katika historia yake ya kila siku ya Marekani ya kawaida katika mwezi wa Februari, ikiwa ni pamoja na kucheza muziki kila siku kutoka maarufu Afrika Marekani wasanii wa karne ya 20, kama vile Muddy Waters, Billie Holiday, Chuck Berry, Harry Belafonte, na zaidi." Yeye anapenda kuanza na wasanii wanafunzi wake hawajui kupanua upeo wao. Katika kipindi cha miaka ya hivi karibuni, wanafunzi wa Black History Bingo wameweza kutafiti takwimu 25 za watu wa asili ya Afrika na Marekani kwenye karatasi ya Bingo. Kisha, Bw. Ureel akatoa maelezo ya mtu huyo, na wanafunzi walipaswa kulinganisha mtu huyo na maelezo hayo. Kwa Moral Focus, anaonyesha video za wasifu ambazo zinaangazia Wamarekani mashuhuri wa Kiafrika pamoja na nukuu, ambazo anatumia kuhusiana na wema wa Februari wa Moral Focus <unk> ujasiri. "Ni rahisi sana kuunganisha viongozi wa enzi ya haki za kiraia na ujasiri kwa sababu ilikuwa vigumu kusimama kwa kile walichoamini kwa kujua kwamba polisi, serikali za mitaa, na raia wenzao wengi hawakuwa upande wao. ""Wakati wa Mwezi wa Historia ya Nyeusi, wanafunzi wake hufanya kazi kwenye miradi kuhusu watengenezaji wa mabadiliko na waondoaji wa karne ya 19 ikiwa ni pamoja na Sojourner Truth, Frederic Douglass, John Russel, Samuel Cornish, na David Walker." Mheshimiwa Ureel ni shauku kuhusu ubunifu wa elimu, kwa sababu anaamini kwamba watu kujifunza bora kutoka uzoefu. "Kwa mimi, uvumbuzi wa elimu inamaanisha kufanya kila siku ya kujifunza kuwa uzoefu badala ya somo", alisema Bw. Ureel. <unk>Inamaanisha kupata njia za kuamsha ubunifu, ustadi muhimu ambao wanafunzi wanahitaji ili kuendeleza kuwa viongozi. Inafundisha juu ya kuchukua hatari na kutatua matatizo, lakini muhimu zaidi, inawapa wanafunzi hisia ya kusudi katika kazi yao na inaruhusu wao kujieleza. Ubunifu pia unamaanisha kupata njia bora ya kufanya mambo na kutoshikamana na mbinu za jadi.Imani hii inamchochea majaribio na mbinu mpya ili kufanya vizuri zaidi, kinyume na kutumia mbinu na miradi sawa, hata ikiwa zinafanikiwa. <unk>Bwana Ureel hufanya kazi yake na lengo lake kutambua njia mpya za kufundisha na kushiriki wasomi wake wa shule ya kati, <unk> alisema Dana Gurganus, mkuu wa Wasomi wa Canton Kusini. "Mwanzoni mwa karne ya 21, aliandika kitabu chake ""Use Your Brain"" na kuendeleza kazi yake ya kuvutia, ambayo ilifanya iwe rahisi kwa wanafunzi wa karne ya 21 kujifunza."