Cross Case Features: Teachers

Montview High School: Social Studies

Louis Brodner, World History

Louis Brodner praised the intellectual content of the seminars, the resources received, the information on best practices, and the collegiality developed with his fellow teachers. Noting that he attended with two other teachers from the History department, he commented, “You want to get a group, not just a single person. Teaching is still very isolated.”

Leadership of Professional Development

Louis Brodner was a History teacher at Montview High School until he retired last year. Although retired, Louis Brodner continues to be aware of what is occurring related to Asia at Montview and is interested in the continuation of Asia in the curriculum. Last year he and Media Specialist Hannah Moss developed a professional development course related to Asia for Montview teachers. Although no one signed up for the course, they plan to do it next year if there is interest.

Revision of Curriculum

During his lengthy tenure at Montview High School, Louis Brodner revised the World History curriculum about five times. When the NCTA seminar was offered, it addressed his need to take curriculum-related courses for re-certification and to revise the World History curriculum in light of changes in the state standards that had expanded coverage beyond a Euro-centered focus on Western civilization to an international focus that includes Asia. Explaining why the NCTA seminar attracted his interest, Louis Brodner said, “Part of it was to gain re-certification. You had to take certain curriculum-related things. All of us were primed to take something. We really didn’t want to take another college class because it was just so irrelevant to what we were doing. What we wanted was a lot of information, but we didn’t want to write a paper. We didn’t mind putting together lesson plans because we could actually use those.”

In the World History curriculum that Louis Brodner took the lead in redesigning after the seminar, teachers devote 25 teaching days to Asia in the freshman year and 35 in the sophomore year. The freshman year includes lessons on the culture, religion, and geography of India, China, Japan, and Korea. In addition, the freshmen spend three weeks on a research project. Of the possible topics for this research project, one-fourth focus on Asia, including the Opium Wars, particular dynasties, or the Communist takeover of China. In the revised World History curriculum for the sophomore year, students study imperialism, as well as 20 th century events in Asia.