http://rutlandherald.com/article/20130715/NEWS02/707159965
Published July 15, 2013 in the Rutland Herald Teacher’s trip to Turkey to benefit students By Christian Avard Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — A Riverside Middle School teacher arrives in Istanbul, Turkey, today to learn more about Turkish culture and dispel prejudice against Muslims. Lisa Mobus is taking part in a two-week learning tour of Turkey. Five Vermont teachers were selected to participate, including four high school teachers and one middle school teacher, Mobus. Mobus teaches English and social studies to grades six to eight and she heard about the opportunity from Principal Becky Read. Mobus said she thought that going to Turkey and sharing her stories with students upon her return would benefit her classes in more ways than one. “I have two goals,” Mobus said. “One is to help to dispel prejudice against Muslims because Turkey is a heavily Muslim country. There’s been so much prejudice against Muslims, especially since the Sept. 11 attacks, and I want to demonstrate to my students that people are people, no matter what their beliefs are.” Mobus said her other goal is to show students the important role Turkey plays in world history. “I want to play up the idea of Turkey being a gateway between Europe and Asia and the Middle East. You have to go to Turkey to go to anywhere else and that’s why civilization flourished there,” Mobus said. Mobus said her fascination with Turkey began when she read the Dr. Seuss book, “Hop on Pop” as a young child. A line in “Hop on Pop” mentions Constantinople, an ancient city in Turkey. Her fascination continued when she read Homer’s “The Iliad” and learned about the Trojan war that was fought in the city of Troy thousands of years ago. Mobus will be visiting ruins from ancient Troy, which is also in Turkey, as well as other historic sites in Constantinople, Istanbul, and Ankara, the capital of Turkey. “I think the two (places) I’m most excited about going to (are) Istanbul and the Hagia Sophia Mosque. I can’t believe I’m going to be standing there in a couple days,” Mobus said. “I’m also looking forward to going to the archeological site of Troy because of the stories I read since I was a little girl.” Her itinerary also includes visits to Turkish towns and ancient sites such as Çanakkale, Bursa, Kusadasi, Aphrodisias, Pamukkale, Çatalhöyük, Konya and Cappadocia. The teachers return from Turkey on July 27. Mobus said she will do several presentations on her trip upon her return, both in the classroom and out. In addition to talks with students, she plans to do presentations at the Springfield Library, Rotary International groups and Springfield School Board. Teachers were selected by the Vermont Council on World Affairs. In addition to Mobus, teachers from Colchester High School, Champlain Valley Union High School and Burlington High School were also selected. The four Vermont teachers will travel with 50 other teachers from across the country. The learning tour is organized and sponsored by the Turkish Cultural Foundation and the World Affairs Council of America.
re: "I want to demonstrate to my students that people are people, no matter what their beliefs are.”
ReplyDeleteThis is the sort of nonsensical, idealistic crap we have to endure from our naive and overly liberal educators. As someone that has traveled extensively, I'm inclined to appreciate the wisdom in the famous quote, We will only have peace with the Arabs (Muslims) when they love their children more than they hate us.” ― Golda Meir
Hope Ms. Modus is able to avoid the drag net of suicide bombers long enough to get a first hand education in Shira Law to share with her brain washed students.
What? Another liberal boondoggle? We just don't understand them. If Canada treated us like Israel's neighbors, they would be the 51st state by now. Get real.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to expand these kids horizons.
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