Where I am, and Where I Want to Go

I think I've settled on a topic for the inquiry blogs. As a History major, and student teacher in history classes, I'd like to spend some time on the Great Depression, or possibly the Dust Bowl. This would give me the opportunity to study a subject that I love, as well as expose students to a super important time period in U.S. History.

I know a lot about this time period. I've taken a few that have covered the Great Depression in depth. I'm not an expert on 1930s U.S. History, though, so I'd have some research to do on this era. Additionally, I would like to limit the scope of this unit idea to maybe just the family experience of the Great Depression or dust bowl. It would allow me to cover economics and geography within a greater historical context that isn't too overwhelming for students.

I'm conflicted about whether I want to focus on the general family experience in the Great Depression, or the experience of Dust Bowl Families.

I'd spend a lot of time on primary source analysis, getting students to think like a historian. The Great Depression is full of all types of primary sources, from songs, print documents, to letters, etc. I'll need to do a lot of research in order to pick out the best and most appropriate sources to be analyzed during class.

One of my favorite Ken Burns documentaries chronicles the Dust Bowl. The preview can be viewed here.

About This Blog

A quick introduction: I'm Angela Gerloski, a student at the University of Wisconsin, at Milwaukee. I'm a social studies education major emphasizing in history, economics, and political science. This school year I'm student teaching at Nathan Hale High School in West Allis, Wisconsin. Here I'm teaching 9th grade social studies, as well as world history. In less than one year, I hope to secure my teaching license.

I've chosen to be a social studies teacher for several reasons. I really enjoy learning about the social studies, especially history, and I hope to share my love of history with the students I will teach in the future. History is such an important because it shows us where we've been as a window into the future of where we are going. I also have a passion for talking, so teaching--talking all day-- is a great opportunity to take advantage of that talent.

Education is an important aspect that shaped my life. I have a passion for helping people, and being a teacher is on of the most rewarding and important ways to do that. Educations is absolutely necessary to success in career and in life. It empowers us to be active and informed members of our society, and hopefully make a positive impact on the world.

Fun Facts About Me:
- Abraham Lincoln is my favorite U.S. president
- I graduated from UW- Madison with a BA in History-- in three years.
- Shopping is my hobby outside of teaching and learning.