WILKES SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS VISITS THE UNITED HEBREW INSTITUTE
Pictured above from the left, first row, are UHI students Benjamin Engel; Glenn Kaplan; Meitar Dougherty; and Abigail Schwartz. Second row, left to right, are pictured Rabbi Raphael Nemetsky, Principal, UHI; Dr. Robert S. Gardner, Assistant Professor of Education, Wilkes University; Corey Gilroy; Emilee Strubeck; Michael Brennan; and Mrs. Barbara Welch, Social Studies Teacher.
Recently, Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Robert S. Gardner and his Education 360 class from Wilkes University conducted workshops for the seventh grade social studies students from the United Hebrew Institute. During the first social studies workshop, Dr. Gardner’s class worked with the students to analyze primary source documents which reflected the changing views of the colonists from a desire to reconcile their differences with the crown to the realization that they should fight for their independence. Their careful and thorough instruction of these sources enabled our seventh graders to learn the information, reflect on the documents’ implications, and then write their essays which demonstrated an understanding of the evolving viewpoints at that time in our nation’s history.
Dr. Gardner and his students returned for the next workshop where they helped the students to revise their document-based essays successfully. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Dr. Gardner and the members of his Education 360 class.
Here are just some of our students’ reflections of their visits to UHI.
“When the Wilkes students came, they suggested revisions that helped us.” “The Wilkes students were great! Cory [Gilroy] helped me to analyze the information given in the documents, polish my essay, and write a great conclusion.” “Mike [Brennan] taught me how to make a stronger introductory paragraph and how to combine my sentences.” “Emilee [Strubeck] helped me to polish my essay and gave me ideas to revise sentences that weren’t clear.” “Learning with the students helped me realize how important essay writing is.”