What Facing History Meant To Me.

You are in for a real treat.  Below are the addresses for the blogs the students created at the end of each semester for the 2010-2011 academic year.  Their assignment was simple.  The students were to write an introduction to their blog eplaining what the course was about, the reasons they took Facing History, and any information they wanted to share about themselves.  Their  essay was to answer the question, "In what ways did the course benefit you as a student and/or as a person?”

It is clear from the students' essays that they all achieved “civic agency.” This term applies when a student has made an intellectual, moral and emotional connection to the content of the course. Bottom line, as the kids would say, "I got it!"

With “civic agency”, I am able to put the students on the streets of Berlin in 1939 and they understand exactly how and why most of the people living in Nazi Germany are able to treat Jewish people and other “undesirables” of the Third Reich as they would vermin. In many classrooms across the United States, you hear the endless question, “How was someone like Hitler able to come to power and do what he did?” Facing History students learn it is a dangerous question, because it means that person has no memory of how and why the holocaust was allowed to happen.

What am I teaching to the students who take Facing History and Ourselves? The students themselves best answer that question and they have done so in the “blogs” they created.  In these blogs, you will find that every student mentions the same words repeatedly. Words like, “bully”, “victim”, “bystander”, “rescuer” and “respect.” They talk a lot about respect. These words are the lexicon of Facing History and Ourselves.

There is not a doubt in my mind, after reading all of the students' essays, that Facing History and Ourselves should be a required course in every high school in the United States.  In the blogs you are about to read, you will better understand the power of the course and the reason many students end up saying, “This course changed my life!”

Mr. Gallagher

Social Studies Department
Westborough High School

STUDENT BLOGS FOR 2010 -2011

Gabe Stahl
http://gabestahlblog.blogspot.com/

Meredith Geller

http://meredithgellersblog.blogspot.com/

Trevor Laham

http://trevorsfacinghistoryblog.blogspot.com/

Shane Ruffing

http://shaneruffing.blogspot.com/

Robbie Tanner

http://robbietannerblog.blogspot.com/

Patrick Bryant

http://patrickbryantfho.blogspot.com/

Michael Ceruolo

http://ceruolo.blogspot.com/

Sam Plummer

http://samplummersblog.blogspot.com/

Andrew Whamond

http://andrewwhamond.blogspot.com/

Anna Deg

http://annadeg.blogspot.com/

Andrew Grant

http://andrewgrantsblog.blogspot.com/

Nick Judd

http://nickjuddsblog.blogspot.com/

Zack Michaels

http://zachmichaelsblog.blogspot.com/

Sam Nichols

http://www.samnicholsblog.blogspot.com/

Corinne White

http://corinnewhitesblog.blogspot.com/

Shady Mostafa

http://mofasa6.blogspot.com/

Nick Cibelli

http://nickcibellisblog.blogspot.com/

Allison Arpante

http://alliearpantesblog.blogspot.com/

Chiristine Hillier

http://christinehillier.blogspot.com/

Matt Hally
http://matthallysblog.blogspot.com/

Sean Nolan

http://seannolan92.blogspot.com/

Pat Hession

http://pathessionblog.blogspot.com/

Annie Meaney

http://www.anniemeaney.blogspot.com/

Conor Gibbs

http://connorgibbsblog.blogspot.com/

Ryan Blackney

http://ryanblackneysblog.blogspot.com/

Michael Doran

http://michaeldoransblog.blogspot.com/

Brian Goodliffe

http://goodliffesblog.blogspot.com/

Celina Morais
http://celinamoraisblog.blogspot.com/

Sarah Hart

http://sarahhartsblog.blogspot.com/

Mike Klimavich

http://mike-klimavichs-blog.blogspot.com/

Alyssa Noble
http://alyssa-noblesblog.blogspot.com/

Joe Vendetti

http://joevendittisblog.blogspot.com/

Tucker McKinnon

http://tuckermckinnon.blogspot.com/

Matt Oriel

http://moriolblog.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

Sam Klefstad

http://samklefstadsblog.blogspot.com/

Zack Howe

http://howesa.blogspot.com/

Tom Houle

http://tomhoules.blogspot.com/

jillian bleakney

http://jillbleakneysblog.blogspot.com/

ryan iasiello
http://ryaniasiellos.blogspot.com/

brian orlando

http://brianorlandosblog.blogspot.com/

Jack Tragakis

http://jacktragakis.blogspot.com/

Andrew Lipke

http://www.resistance-safehouse.blogspot.com

Chris Fernandez

http://chrisisfacinghistory.blogspot.com/

Tony Silva

http://tonysilvas.blogspot.com/

Brenton Croteau

http://brentonwc.blogspot.com

Jenn Bracey

http://jenbracey.blogspot.com/

Berit Bancroft

http://www.beritbancroftsblog.blogspot.com/

Natalie Donabedian

http://www.nataliedonabedian.blogspot.com/

Andy Tabb

http://andytabbsblog.blogspot.com/

Ricky Packer

http://rickypacker.blogspot.com/

Steph Debs

http://stephdebsblog.blogspot.com/

Nicky Simard

http://nickysimardsblog.blogspot.com/

Gabrielle King

http://gabriellekingsblog.blogspot.com/

Clark Masterson

http://clarkmastersonsblog.blogspot.com/

Amanda Borglund

www.facinghistoryborglund.blogspot.com

Megan Burke

http://myexperiencesinmrgallaghersfho.blogspot.com/

Megan Sullivan

http://megansullivansblog.blogspot.com/

Jake Phillips

http://phillbone.blogspot.com/

Emily Hite

http://emilyhitesblog.blogspot.com/

Nick Farrar

http://nickfarrar.blogspot.com/

Matt Rouleau

http://mattrouleau.blogspot.com/

Amanda Hutchinson
http://amandahutchinsonblog.blogspot.com/

Kevin Ruhl

http://ruhlsblog.blogspot.com/

Kelsey Beron

http://kelseyberonblog.blogspot.com/

Matt Cullen

http://mattcullensblog.blogspot.com/

Sarah Van

http://sarahvanblog.blogspot.com/

Steve Geller

http://stephengellerblog.blogspot.com/

Emily Faherty

http://emilyfaherty.blogspot.com/

William Lariviere
http://facinghistory2011.blogspot.com/

James Seatter

http://seatter.blogspot.com/

Rachel Bridge

http://howfacinghistorychangedme.blogspot.com/

Kim Jones

http://kimjones92.blogspot.com/

Michael Graham

http://lifechanger255.blogspot.com/

Daniel Arnold

http://darnolds.blogspot.com/

Will Kenyon

http://willkenyonsblog.blogspot.com/

Antony Macario

http://antonymacario.blogspot.com/

Fernando Silva's

http://fernandotheblogger.blogspot.com/

Rachael King

http://rachaelking24.blogspot.com/

Isaiah Mutesasira

http://bogoboy.blogspot.com/