Educating for Peace by Natalie S. Barkovich

In Educating for Peace, Natalie S. Barkovich reflects on her transformative experiences as a high school and middle school English teacher, highlighting her work in creating integrated ELA and History courses alongside Social Studies colleagues. Through these collaborative efforts, Natalie has helped eighth graders blend reading, writing, and research with Civics content. She shares her early experiences co-teaching a tenth-grade course combining English, World History, and Art, where students used literature, writing, and art to deepen their understanding of complex historical events. This integration sparked a partnership with Classrooms Without Borders, leading to a professional development trip to Israel for an Inside Israel: Educational Leadership Seminar in March 2022. Barkovich emphasizes the power of memoir, historical fiction, poetry, and student-created art to promote peace, foster empathy, and enhance historical understanding.

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