Social Studies

Having learned the tough lesson that my taste in clothing, jewelry and even toys does not match that of anyone in my family, I often retreat to my fallback gift: books. My choice for the young women in my life right now is "Why We Broke Up," written by Daniel Handler with wonderful illustrations by Maira Kalman. A couple is breaking up, and she sends him a letter and a box filled with totems from their love adventure, each one carrying a clue about why they broke up. Totally cool.

A social studies teacher and assistant track coach has been replaced indefinitely amid an investigation by Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Kate Snyder, a teacher at Old Mill High School in Glen Burnie who also served as student government and senior class adviser, "has been reassigned by the school system and will be away from the school indefinitely," according to a letter sent home to parents on Friday from Principal James Todd. Todd wrote that a substitute teacher will fill in for Snyder's classes and the school will consult with the district's Office of Investigation and other school system administrators on whether a long-term replacement needs to be found.

Social studies, a subject that had been demoted in Maryland schools in recent years, will regain some of its past educational stature under a bill signed Tuesday by Gov. Martin O'Malley. Under the legislation — one of hundreds of bills O'Malley signed into law — high school seniors will have to pass an assessment in government to be able to graduate starting with the Class of 2017. The Maryland State Department of Education dropped the test last year. Advocates said the test was eliminated as the result of a de-emphasis on social studies stemming from passage of President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind bill, which threw federal support behind the instruction of reading and math at the expense of other subjects.

The second grade class at St. Margaret's School in Bel Air took part in the voting experience. All students were required to design a VOTE poster for social studies class. They were out in the cold holding their signs as the parents were dropping off the kids. They then moved in front of the school and held their signs high as cars were driving by. They were all in the spirit of this election. The school got the kids involved and help promote this election year.

Last summer, the Maryland State Department of Education held "Educator Effectiveness Academies" for all public elementary and secondary schools across the state. The purpose of these academies was to provide professional development for teachers about the new Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English/language arts. Invited to participate in these meetings were principals, along with representatives from English/language arts, mathematics, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)

B eth K. Currie, a popular Lansdowne High School social studies teacher who believed it was important to get students out of the confines of the classroom and textbooks, died of pneumonia Tuesday at St. Agnes Hospital. She was 78. Beth Kopelke, whose parents were grocers, was born in Aurora, Ill., and spent her early years in the family grocery store. When the business failed during the Depression, the family moved to Florida, where members found jobs on a dairy farm, and then to Baltimore in the 1940s, when her father went to work for the Bettar Ice Cream Co. as a master ice cream maker.

Luther Franklin Sharp, a retired high school social studies and humanities teacher, died of a heart attack Wednesday after shoveling snow at his Columbia home. He was 67. Born in Elizabethton, Tenn., he earned a history degree at the University of the South and a master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also studied at Duke University. While serving in the Navy in New London, Conn., he edited the base newspaper. Mr. Sharp taught world history and philosophy for 35 years at Catonsville High, where he also founded and coached the school's speech and debate team.

Ten-year-old Carolyn Page sat with her legs tucked between her and the thick green carpet in the media center at Benfield Elementary, listening attentively to tales of what life is like in Peoria, Ill.Peoria, population 100,000, recently earned the "All American City" title. Peoria teacher Jean Miller, visiting the school yesterday, shared information about its natural resources, tourist attractions and history."I had never heard of it (Peoria)," Page said after the discussion at the Severna Park school.

Calling all travel buffs who are charting courses overseas in August and September. If you have room in your suitcase for a small stuffed animal, plus a little extra money to buy a postcard and a stamp, Maren Aukerman of Union Bridge needs to hear from you.The energetic young teacher is embarking on a social studies project with her sixth-graders and she needs help to transport small stuffed animals abroad. A little space in your suitcase, plus five minutes to write a postcard will mean a lot to Ms. Aukerman's students.

LeRoy Hayes Jr., a retired social studies teacher and shoe repairman, died of esophageal cancer Thursday at his Ashburton home. He was 82. Mr. Hayes was born in Mullins, S.C., the son of a tobacco grower, and was raised there and in Baltimore during the 1930s. He graduated from high school in Mullins and learned shoe repair. Drafted into the Army in 1943, he served with an infantry unit in Europe. He earned a bachelor's degree in education in 1950 from Allen University in Columbia, S.C. Moving back to Baltimore, he worked as a truck driver for Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. before joining the faculty of the city's then-Robert Poole Junior High School, where he taught social studies for 25 years.

Howard County schools officials showcased the system's resources and educational approaches to a delegation of social studies and art supervisors from Thailand this week, joining officials in other local jurisdictions to welcome Asian educators. The Thai group, led by Benjalug Namfa, the country's deputy secretary general of basic education, met with Superintendent Renee Foose and curriculum staff Tuesday and visited classrooms at Howard High School and Ellicott Mills Middle School on Wednesday.

That shout for joy you heard coming from just south of here was from the students and parents at Gaithersburg Elementary School, where the administration has decided to eliminate all homework except reading. According to Fox News , principal Stephanie Brant took a look at the work being sent home with the kids and decided it didn't match what was being taught in the class. “It was just, we were giving students something because we felt we had to give them something," she said.

Social studies, a subject that had been demoted in Maryland schools in recent years, will regain some of its past educational stature under a bill signed Tuesday by Gov. Martin O'Malley. Under the legislation — one of hundreds of bills O'Malley signed into law — high school seniors will have to pass an assessment in government to be able to graduate starting with the Class of 2017. The Maryland State Department of Education dropped the test last year. Advocates said the test was eliminated as the result of a de-emphasis on social studies stemming from passage of President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind bill, which threw federal support behind the instruction of reading and math at the expense of other subjects.

The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future has launched a free, online curriculum for high school teachers to use in their classrooms. Teaching the Food System is designed to be inserted into anything from social studies, to environmental science and biology classes. The center which is part of the Bloomberg School of Public Health is offering $2,000 grants to teachers who need money for materials or field trips. 

Having learned the tough lesson that my taste in clothing, jewelry and even toys does not match that of anyone in my family, I often retreat to my fallback gift: books. My choice for the young women in my life right now is "Why We Broke Up," written by Daniel Handler with wonderful illustrations by Maira Kalman. A couple is breaking up, and she sends him a letter and a box filled with totems from their love adventure, each one carrying a clue about why they broke up. Totally cool.

Last summer, the Maryland State Department of Education held "Educator Effectiveness Academies" for all public elementary and secondary schools across the state. The purpose of these academies was to provide professional development for teachers about the new Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English/language arts. Invited to participate in these meetings were principals, along with representatives from English/language arts, mathematics, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)

Third- and fourth-grade pupils at Clarksville Elementary School competed in the Social Studies Olympiad this spring, and the fourth-grade class placed second in the nation based on cumulative scores of the top 10 participants. "We've always done quite well, but we've never placed this high, so we're quite proud of ourselves," said fourth-grade social studies teacher and team leader Diane Miller, who coordinated the contest. The fourth grade also participated in the National Geography Challenge.

After several months of debate, the Baltimore County school board last night adopted high school graduation requirements that exceed state standards in social studies and physical education but are lower than current county requirements.The vote was 5-3.The majority was concerned that students would not get all the lessons they need to become good citizens if the social studies requirement was lowered. They also felt that students would not get enough exercise and would not get in the habit of healthy exercise with a lowered physical education requirement.

Gerald "Jerry" Smith, a retired Baltimore County social studies teacher whose career spanned 25 years, died Oct. 4 of renal failure at St. Agnes Hospital. The Charlestown Retirement Community resident was 81. The son of a Hecht Co. painter and a homemaker, Mr. Smith was born in Baltimore and raised on Stricker Street. After graduating from Calvert Hall College High School in 1947, he served in the Navy. He earned a bachelor's degree in education from what is now Towson University and a master's degree in 1967 from what is now Loyola University Maryland.