Teacher Q & A: David Sheehan, Watertown Public Schools

David Sheehan is the social studies curriculum coordinator for grades 6-12 in the Watertown Public School system and presently serving on the curriculum committee of the National Council for the Social Studies. He recently traveled with Primary Source on a summer 2008 study tour of Cambodia and Vietnam.

PS: As an educator, why were you interested in traveling to Vietnam and Cambodia? What did you hope to learn or experience that couldn't be gained through a traditional course?

David: I entered public school teaching in 1972, when many young Americans were heading to Asia and it was not for the Olympic Games. Asia has always been the opaque backdrop to the United States' ascent to international leadership after World War II and yet many Americans have had little or no quality instruction about Asia in their high school social studies curriculum. In fact, I would venture to guess that most Americans still perceive Asia as a monolithic entity, a perception that is perilous to all of our interests in the 21st century but most particularly to the interests of our children.

So, when Primary Source recently offered the Modern Vietnam and Cambodian Awareness Seminar I knew that I wanted to expand my knowledge of Asia as well as to rekindle my enthusiasm for teaching and learning. Initially, I had no intention of participating in this study tour opportunity but after participating in the seminar I realized that Primary Source was making an offer that teachers who love to teach could not refuse: to see first hand the dynamic transformation of two magnificent Asian societies.

In my case, I was especially interested in witnessing how Vietnam, influenced by a thousand years of Chinese domination, and Cambodia, built upon centuries of Indian Hindu tradition, would fare in their rush toward capitalism. No traditional course can quite provide the impact of being caught in a sea of Vietnamese entrepreneurs, all of whom are speeding on their motorcycles while talking on their cell phones and carrying two or three passengers.

PS: How did your course work with Primary Source prepare you for your study tour?

David: The course work took me to a higher level of engagement. Like so many other teachers who have taken courses at Primary Source, I, too, wanted to learn about cultural issues, especially in light of how much professional emphasis and budgetary priority have been placed on technology and testing in recent years. I have always believed that it is the world of ideas that excites and motivates teachers to grow and to take risks and, towards that end, the coursework in the Modern Vietnam and Cambodia Awareness Seminar was an excellent starting point.

The seminar presented linguistic, artistic, political, musical and geographical perspectives, to name but a few, on both Vietnam and Cambodia. Connections to our coursework occurred all the time as we traveled from destination to destination. Whether it was the recognizable relationship of Cambodian writing to Sanskrit, the bas relief depiction of the Ramayana at Angkor Wat, the response from student audiences as we sang traditional Vietnamese folk songs, or the awesome wonder in seeing the confluence of the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers, all of us on the study tour realized that we had been well taught.

PS: What, if anything, surprised you about the countries you visited and the people you met this summer?

David: Without a doubt, the resiliency of the people was the biggest surprise. In both Vietnam and Cambodia, the people have been through extraordinarily challenging times and they believe that they are on the other side of that history. Vendors at Saigon's Ben Thanh Market, high school students at the Lomonosov School, government officials from the Department of Education in Ho Chi Minh City, and teachers at the Childsafe Center in Phnom Penh, all seem to be breathing a collective sigh of relief. However, that is not to say that history will now be kinder to the survivors of "The Resistance to the American Invasion" or the Khmer Rouge regime under Pol Pot.

A whole new set of challenges wait to test this resilience. In Vietnam, in one year, food prices have gone up 74%. In Cambodia, the recently re-elected government is watching as the UN Special Tribunal on Genocide is conducting trials of five Khmer Rouge senior officials and is waiting to see if the Prime Minister, a former Khmer Rouge official, will be investigated. Yet, the people we met on our study tour presented to us through their smiles and demeanor a tangible hope for better times. They manifested for us the universal human interest in living a better life for themselves, for their families and for other global citizens who value human dignity and strive for understanding. Through personal contact, this study tour has provided me with a personal stake in my curriculum and I believe such ongoing opportunities through Primary Source will do the same for other teachers who want to invest in the future.

PS: In light of what you experienced and learned in Vietnam and Cambodia, what are your plans for your students this year?

David: In this school year, the World history curriculum in grade 11 will expand to include a case study on the challenges facing Cambodian non-governmental organizations in general and the work of the Phnom Penh-based NGO Childsafe in particular. The central concept behind this full-year curriculum in World history is to empower each student to identify an ongoing, global concern through which he or she can study modern world history and become knowledgeable about NGO operations to address that concern.

In recent years, students have explored such issues as the environment, human rights, hunger, children's protection, animal extinction, sexual orientation, economic discrimination and gender equity. Students' individual interests coalesce as the year progresses and broad themes emerge, such as the protection of people in a shattered society, be they refugees, orphans, or homeless and helpless victims.

On our first evening in Cambodia, our Primary Source delegation dined with Ms. Sophea Suong of the Friends International Street Children's NGO at the Childsafe Center in Phnom Penh and the next day we visited the center itself where each day nearly 2000 children are cared for and instructed in basic skills as well as advanced skills like mechanics, electrical repair and service needs. Street children are rescued daily.

By having all World history students look at the totality of challenges that face present day Cambodian society and by researching the NGO Childsafe in particular students will see the seamless and intricate web of the many and varied NGO's which operate in a combined effort to reconstruct the elements of a modern society and, it is hoped, will become motivated to take action themselves.

PS: How can educators who haven't yet had the opportunity to travel abroad bring international cultures and history to life in their classrooms?

David: In short, reach out to your community resources and set up visits, fieldtrips, short-term programs or initial steps toward an ongoing connection with individuals and groups who can augment your curriculum with cultural experiences. Over the years I have always found a willingness of storytellers, dance ensembles, musical groups, and solo performers to come into schools to showcase their contributions to the arts. A sure fire way to get a return visit is to have a well-planned, student-run reception that expresses appreciation and respect.

PS: In your opinion, how has partnership with Primary Source impacted teachers and students in the Watertown Public Schools?

David: Our partnership with Primary Source has had a profound impact on both teachers and students alike. Even now, before teachers have returned for the new school year, both administrators and teachers have begun to inquire about new course offerings. To them, Primary Source is far more than a means of acquiring points toward recertification. It is a way of reviving their fascination with the world and putting that fascination in service for the next generation who sit with them each school day. Quite simply, Primary Source is an investment opportunity.

Courses ranging from Japanese Printmaking to An Introduction to Mexico, and from East African Geography, History and Culture to Massachusetts History for Elementary Schools have created an ongoing discussion among colleagues about curriculum and more importantly have led to revisions in course content and pedagogy. Our students have benefited as a result.