Courtney Elliott
I need to take as many photographs of large architectural spots as well as specific pieces within the temples. I will take as many notes as possible on each of our guided tours in these locations so that I can relay information correctly to my students.
My tenth grade course is an art history course from the late Middle Ages to post WWII. We mainly look at western art, but have two units of non-western (Mesoamerica and African art of the Benin). We have been striving to incorporate Asian art and architecture into the course for years, but haven't developed the curriculum to do so. When I mentioned this trip to my colleagues, they were thrilled at the opportunity for me to learn about places such as the Shwedagon Pagoda firsthand, so that we could write a unit on southeastern Asian art and architecture. In my eleventh grade U.S. History class, we spend a lot of time discussing issues of race and social justice. While it is an American history course, I give them case studies from all over the world to discuss in Socratic seminar style. The story of Aung San Suu Kyi has been at the forefront of my mind for a few years, but I haven't had to confidence to lead this discussion. After a trip to Myanmar, I would gain this confidence to do so.
I have been reading the books provided by UT and GEEO to prepare for the trip.
