By Patrick Finnegan (Editor)

Jerry Markie has long been active in his school district, earning him the nickname “the Phantom School Board Member.”  Several years ago, Mr. Markie and his family returned to Minnesota School District 622 only to discover that it was suffering from chronic financial and administrative problems.  Jerry began attending School Board meetings and speaking on local cable access shows about education.    Someone then suggested that he produce his own show, and thus was born The Jerry Markie Education Update.

Four years later, Mr. Markie’s cable access program is still gaining momentum. Particularly within the last year and a half, the program’s reach has grown considerably.  Thanks in part to a grant from the District 622 Education Foundation, the Update is now distributed to 7 cable access stations serving Saint Paul and surrounding cities, such as Roseville, Maplewood, and Inver Grove Heights.  Though it is difficult to gather cable access ratings, Mr. Markie has estimated that he has around 36,200 potential viewers.

Mr. Markie’s program is unique in that it provides a clear forum for the discussion of local and statewide educational issues without the bureaucratic jargon of school board meetings.  It is broadcast on general cable access channels, and as a result, his show reaches a broader audience than simply teachers and other education staff and officials.

The Jerry Markie Education Update addresses a variety of hot topics in local education, especially issues faced by immigrant, racial minority, and disadvantaged children and families.  “It seems to come up on a constant basis because of the diversity of the area,” says Markie.  Other recent topics have included local media coverage of education issues, funding for education, and the This is My Home human rights education curriculum.

In addition to providing a forum for the discussion of educational issues, Mr. Markie’s show has been a force for positive change in his community.  Asked about the impact his show has had on the education system, Mr. Markie responded, “You know they say a picture’s worth a thousand words?  TV’s worth ten thousand.”

Before 2002, Mr. Markie’s district was the only one in Minnesota without an educational levy.  During the 2002 elections, he used his show to campaign for an $11 million educational levy in his school district.  It was no easy task to raise voter concern about the issue since 80% of his district’s households had no children in school.  Nevertheless, due in part to Jerry Markie’s outreach efforts, 85% of District 622’s registered voters turned out to vote on the referenda, and they both passed.

Mr. Markie did not expect his show to last as long as it has, but he is now hoping to keep it going for at least another ten years.  His goals are to expand his number of viewers and maintain the reputation for honest and credible discussion that his show has gained in its time on the air.   The Update is based on Jerry’s fundamental conviction that the public has the right to know what is going on in the education system: “That’s what it’s all about: information.”

The Jerry Markie Education Update is one hour long and airs on various cable access channels in Saint Paul and surrounding areas – see listings below for air times.

This is My Home is happy to announce collaboration on the Inter-District Classroom Partnership initiative between schools in eastern metro area districts (EMID).  The Partnerships seek to create inclusive learning environments that promote cross- cultural understanding and bring students, parents, and teachers from EMID districts together in cooperation.  For more information, see the EMID website at http://partnerships.spps.org.

Those who are interested should contact Stephen Severance, Inter-District Classroom Partnership Coach/Facilitator, at Stephen.severance@spps.org or 651-487-7363

Date: Saturday, May 6, 2006

Time: 9:00-3:00 p.m.

Location: University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management, Room 1-127, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Cost: $30, includes a continental breakfast, lunch, CEU’s, and personal copies of the seminar films

Film is a rich medium capable of delivering complex layers of information, message, and artistry. With a few simple focusing exercises, students can be lead to fully examine the topic that is placed before them in a film. In this seminar, teachers will explore how to use foreign film as an effective cultural teaching tool and experience hands-on practice in setting goals for a viewing. We will view two feature length European films to illustrate and teach vocabulary, apply technical terms to an authentic classroom experience, learn to utilize the DAIJ critical process (describe, analyze, interpret, judge), and examine how culture is both actively and passively presented in the films. Participants will leave with lesson ideas, skill practice, and personal copies of the two seminar films to use in the classroom.

The seminar will be taught by Kevin Clark, who teaches English and German at the Perpich Center for Arts Education/Arts High School in Golden Valley. He earned a B.A. in German and Speech Communications/Drama from Westmar College, and he then spent two years teaching English in Francophone West Africa (Chad and Senegal) with the Peace Corps. Upon completion of his foreign service, Kevin attended the University of North Dakota, where he completed graduate coursework in German Literature with a minor in French. Since joining the Center in 1990, Kevin has added a second teaching certification in Communications Arts/Literature and has created and taught a senior level English class entitled Analysis and Criticism, which uses foreign films to teach formal analytical writing.

Global Source:  http://www.globalsourcenetwork.org/hreducation.htm

Global Source supports educators in approaching the study of important issues such as human rights, peace, justice, globalization, environmental sustainability, and cultural survival.  The development of elementary or secondary curricula aims at fostering broad global awareness, highly informed social knowledge, and active civic engagement.  Although programs and workshops are largely located in the Pacific Northwest states, the website offers lists of “Curriculum Guides and Lesson Plans”, “Educational Videos”, “Source Materials for Students”, and links to “Human Rights Education Sources On-line”.

The Human Rights Education Library contains over 2,000 full-text guides, curricula, textbooks, and other documents that can be used for both formal and non-formal education about human rights.  Under the heading “Formal Education”, documents can be found that are appropriate for either primary school or secondary and high school students. Some examples of topics covered include slavery, refugees, the death penalty, child labor, and women’s rights.

Amnesty International’s “Human Rights Education” website offers teaching guides, lesson plans, CDs, and DVDs for classroom use.  These materials cover topics including, but not limited to, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, genocide in Rwanda, and the September 11^th tragedy. 

Also check out Tools for Teaching About Human Rights. This PDF file offers the opportunity to sign up for free newsletters and receive a free book, as well as listing a handful of teaching guides, videos, and books available for purchase.