A People’s History of SUSI (SUSI SSE UIUC, 4-6/6)

Long silence depuis trois semaines … de retour du Texas, nous avons été hapées par le tourbillon d’un quotidien de plus en plus intense encore : semaine passée avec les collègues américains du Bridging Cultures Initiative, derniers jours à Champaign-Urbana (finalisation et présentation des projets de groupe, cérémonies d’adieu, et … valises) et une dernière semaine exceptionnelle, à la découverte du New York et de Washington, entre matchs de base-ball des Yankees et promenade culinaire dans le Lower East Side, visite du Capitole et annulation du vol retour …

En guise d’adieu, nous avons choisi de placer ce dernier billet sous le patronage de l’historien Howard Zinn  (1922-2010), dont la façon de penser et d’écrire l’histoire, à la fois critique et attentive aux acteurs, nous a accompagnées tout au long de ces six semaines. H. Zinn a donné la parole à des acteurs de l’histoire des Etats-Unis dont les pratiques, discours et représentations ont longtemps été occultés au profit d’un récit national beaucoup plus consensuel. Quelques-unes des personnes qui ont partagé notre aventure prennent donc (enfin) la parole maintenant …

Jeffrey Friedman, Director, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This year, I had the pleasure of welcoming the forth cohort of teachers and teacher trainers to the University of Ilinois Global Institute for Secondary Education Teachers. I have been working on international exchange and training programs for nearly a decade now, and yet each year I eagerly anticipate Learning which new countries will find representation in our group.One of the reasons I enjoy working with this group so much is the opportunity to learn from the participants themselves. Although some of our participanst come from the same countries in consecutive years, each one brings a unique perspective, adding to the diversity of the cohort. It is the diversity of opinion, different outlooks,  and range of views- accross the politicum that we value most at the Illi program. At the beginning of each year’s program, I announce to our group that the Global Institute mission is to give the most realistic and accurate picture of American society possible, and that we have taken great pain to provide as unfiltered a view of American culture as we can- the good, the bad, and even the ugly. I believe one of our greatest strengths a s a nation is crical self-reflection. Paralleling our participants to present a variety of speakers who hold many different social and political views representing the myriad of American voices. One of my Institue mantras is that « there is no one America, there are many Americas, » and that these many Americas are helt together by the optimistic purserhaps more than the full achievement, of the ‘American Dream’.

Even though I have been directing this program for for years now, each year I am still profoundly  amazed by how much our international participants share. This year the Global Institute has representation from nations that have not always had good relations, countries that have colonial histories, state that have been colonizers, and even countries currently in a tense political Relationship with the United States.And yet in our goup and in our many cross cultural, comparative discussions, we have found a way of exploring those différences, tensions, and even animosities with civility, respect, and even comradery. As teachers we have a shared goal to educate the next generation of youth who will be charged of resolving these very international challenges, and this provides a common ground for understanding and cooperation.

Meghan Kessler, Teacher in Residence, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

I have the honor and pleasure of working this summer with the SUSI participants as their « Teacher In Residence ». This is the second year that I have participated in the SUSI program, and I am so appreciative of the opportunity to meet such a talented and interesting group of educators. My role a Teacher in Residence allows me to share and discuss current pedagogical techniques that are popular among U.S. teachers for the teaching of the humanities and social sciences. In particular, I have had opportunity to share resources and theory related to interdisciplinary planning, primary source literacy, current events, role play/simulations, and multimedia resources. During our time together, the SUSI participants and I workshop lesson plans and instructional stratégies for use with adolescent-aged students. I have learned a great deal about curriculum and schooling across the globe through my conversations with the participants. I al especially thankful to learn about the various methods of teacher preparation and development from the participants’ home countries. I lokk forwar to kepping in touch with them in the future!

Fina Ngafouta Mady , SUSI participant from Tchad

Juste pour exprimer ma satisfaction avec Claire et Julie de la République française qui, avec moi, ont pris part au programme de SUSI 2016, organisé aux Etats-Unis, à l’université de l’Illinois Urbana Champaign. En effet, c’est un programme destiné aux éducateurs du secondaire focalisé sur le partage et l’échange des expériences. Nous avons appris comment concevoir le curriculum et les approches pour sa mise en pratique. Ce programme nous a permis de découvrir l’histoire, la culture, la politique et l’éducation des Etats-Unis et particulièrement le rêve américain. Je suis fier de la performance de mes collègues, notamment Claire et Julie, à ce programme, et je dis que la France a envoyé des personnes qui ont fait rayonner son image, et montré la qualité de son système éducatif.

Et la dernière photo de groupe, au Department of State!

Merci à tous et à toutes pour cette formidable aventure intellectuelle et humaine !

Julie Bonin (lycée François Villon, les Mureaux) et Claire Ravez (lycée Fabert, Metz)