Truman has taught at Bret Harte High School since 1996 and has woven into her curriculum tapestry a style of teaching that brings history alive for her students. With 170 days to teach 200 years of history Truman has found many ways to engage her students on different levels and help them experience history as it happened.
Photo courtesy Fred Romero Photography - Sacramento
The following is the 350 word nomination letter submitted by the James D Piper VFW Post 12118 of Copperopolis:
Jennifer began teaching history at Bret Harte High School in
1996 and soon discovered that the “old school way of teaching – opening a book
and simply reading” did not work well with her students. Reflecting on her past
Jennifer remembered with great joy the stories her Grandfather had told her of
his experiences as a young man in Army and how the information she gleaned
while simply being told a story had stuck with her all these years.
In the spring of 1997
Jennifer began the Veteran Oral History Project to “bring history alive.”
Jennifer invites combat veterans from local veteran
organizations to come talk one-on-one with her junior and senior classes upon
completion of their World Studies curriculum through the Vietnam War. Due to
curriculum and time constraints the students have only a “simple idea of the
conflicts in which the presenters were participants of.”
On the day of the event each veteran sits at a small table as
students file in and choose a vet. Armed with basic questions, such as; branch,
years served, combat, duties, etc. for the subsequent report they are required
to write, students begin to engage the veterans and the veterans regale them
with stories of their past. After 20 minutes a buzzer sounds signifying the end
of that interview and the students pick another table …another adventure in
history, from those who were there.
Responses from the students who attended the 2012 Veteran
Oral History Project:
“extremely fascinating”
“the pictures of when they were in the service…they were our
age!”
“I want to do this next year”
Since its inception Jennifer has seen some of her own
students return as speakers and has lost some that she will never forget. To
date over 2900 students have participated in this event.
Jennifer has given these children an incredible gift, she
has taught them not only the value of history but the value of each human
being…and the price our veterans have paid for their freedom.
Jennifer sincerely deserves to be recognized as VFW teacher
of the year for her efforts in keeping history alive.
Bret Harte and VFW Post 12118 will be honoring Jennifer Truman at 6 pm on February 4, 2013 at the District Office board room. She is the first item on the agenda for that night.
Bret Harte and VFW Post 12118 will be honoring Jennifer Truman at 6 pm on February 4, 2013 at the District Office board room. She is the first item on the agenda for that night.
By, Charity Maness