Abby Landesman

Pd. 9
September 21, 2016

Subjects that are vitally important to teach the world

Disability Awareness
Since I was 4, Ive gone to the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washingtons summer
camp. Of the JCCs 500 campers, about a fifth of them have special needs and are part of the Inclusion
Program. I grew up surrounded by the children in the program, who have needs ranging from anxiety to
cerebral palsy. I became friends with many of them, and when I was little I didnt consider them much
different from everyone else I knew. My brother also grew up in this environment. As a person, he is
generally shy and isnt very adaptable. However, because he grew up being friends with many different
types of people, I never see him get uncomfortable around people with special needs.
The key is to start teaching Disability Awareness at a young age. This past summer, I was a
counselor to a six-year-old Inclusion camper. I learned a lot about how to include him with the rest of the
kids and how to answer any questions that other campers have. Sometimes they would ask me, How
come you always have to be with Zachary? I would respond, Because sometimes people need more
support than others, so Im here to help him. Does that make sense? They would nod and go back to
whatever they were doing. If everyone was exposed the same way to people with special needs, the world
would be a more accepting place. If more people were inclusive to those with disabilities, people would
be more inclusive in general. There would be less people who feel left out, and thats what I think would
make the world a better place.

Girls Education Around the World

The second thing everyone needs to learn is that millions of girls around the world are denied
access to education. It is extremely important for these girls to be able to go to school. I currently am
teaching this topic, as I am the founder and co-president of Blairs Girl Up Club. I have already done a lot
of research on this topic, which has prepared me to teach this course. Girl Up is associated with the
United Nations and they work with many countries to put all girls in school.
How can you convince people that girls matter to the social and economic welfare of the country?
How can you convince people that educating girls will improve the world? Below is a general course
outline of the goals and lesson plans for teaching this topic.
 Abby Landesman
Pd. 9
September 21, 2016

Units
The Problem
Students will learn about the breadth of this issue: how many girls are not in school and what exactly is
causing this?
More than 60 million girls worldwide are not in school
The causes of this include child marriage, poverty, long distances between school
and home, and the valuing of boys over girls
Why are boys generally valued higher over girls? What is the history of
this?
Current Actions Defending Girls Education
What is already being done for girls education worldwide? This unit will help students determine that it
is an urgent topic that is being addressed by influential groups, such as the United Nations.
The UN has many programs dedicated to helping girls around the world,
including Girl Up and the United Nations Girls Education Initiative
The Let Girls Learn Initiative, started by Michelle Obama, is an American rooted
project for change
Impact on Girls
We will take a look at specific girls and their stories, as well as do simulations and watch videos to really
connect with the girls who are in trouble. This allows students to have an empathetic look at the problem
so they will be more convinced.
Meet Diana, who lives in Guatemala
https://girlup.org/schoolcycle/
She is now able to go to school safely because of a bike given to her by
Girl Up.
Meet Nasttho
http://static.smallworldlabs.com/girlup/content/resources/Educate%20Re
fugee%20Girls%20Advocacy%20Challenge%20FINAL%20TOOLKIT.
pdf
She fled her home in Somalia in the middle of the night amid bombs and
fighting. During this, she was separated from her family, and she still
 Abby Landesman
Pd. 9
September 21, 2016
doesnt know if they are alive. She is now in an Ethiopian refugee camp,
and with help from Girl Up she has the school supplies and other
necessities to be able to go to school.
Visit the Zaatari Refugee Camp using Virtual Reality
Using phones and headsets, be given a tour of the camp by a little girl
who lives there every day
Watch Girl Rising, a documentary that follows nine girls all over the world on
their quest to get an education
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsvklXhYaE
Learn about Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban for
standing up for girls education.
Watch the documentary about her life: Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cug1-eTOVSk
Do simulations to have a glimpse of what it is like for these girls
Walk in Her Shoes, a simulation that asks participants to imagine they
are leaving their home immediately (the participants choose five things
to take with them). The simulation continues, giving scenarios where
their belongings slowly dwindle. What are you left with? How does this
reflect reality for some children?
The Effects
During this unit, students will learn about the significant effects that come from more girls going to
school. Why girls?
Every year of schooling increases a girls future earnings by 10-20%
Child mortality is reduced by 18 per thousand births each additional year of girls
education
An education allows girls to marry later, have fewer children, and are more likely
to get health care for them and their children
This decreases population growth, which will be beneficial to cities in
poverty that also suffer from overpopulation
The girls who have gotten the chance to go to school have children when they are
women, and because they are pivotal in raising their children, they are able to
teach the next generation
 Abby Landesman
Pd. 9
September 21, 2016
An increase in the amount of girls in school by only 1% raises the average GDP
of a country by about .4%, and raises annual GDP growth rate by .2%

How to Advocate
One way to fix the restrictions on girls going to school is by advocating to your representatives in
government. Students will learn how to effectively contact and persuade their representatives to support
this issue.
Read samples of letters and phone scripts
Learn why it is helpful to work with the government
Get tips on being effective, for example: be persistant and keep coming back; be
polite, but firm; get many people to campaign with you as a group

I believe that this course will convince people of the significance of girls getting an education and give
them the skills and inspiration they need to convince other people, as well as actually make a difference.
 Abby Landesman
Pd. 9
September 21, 2016

Course on Captivity

Teacher: Dr. Landesman

Contact: 330212@mcpsmd.net

Welcome to this years class on captivity! Throughout the course, you will learn about different
kinds of captivity and how they affect people. Below are the units we will cover.

Lesson 1: Definitions
How is captivity usually defined? How are we going to define it in this course? Some
people in captivity are considered victims, while others in captivity are considered
deserving. How do different forms of captivity affect our views of the captives?

Lesson 2: Literal Cages

Unit 1: Animals in Captivity
This unit will focus on animals being kept as pets as well as those in zoos. Why is
it okay for other species besides humans to be kept for entertainment?
Possible Reading: Choice and control for animals in captivity, by Laura
Kurtycz
Unit 2: Prisoners in Americas Prisons
America has one of the largest prison systems in the world. What is our view of
prisoners and how are they treated? How does being behind bars affect their
transition back into society?
Possible Reading and Video: American Slavery, Reinvented, by Whitney
Benns, and video Angola for Life: Rehabilitation and Reform Inside the
Louisiana State Penitentiary, by The Atlantic
Unit 3: Prisoners of War
In jail, prisoners are considered dangerous or deserving. If a POW makes it back
from war, they are considered heros. Why? What kind of torture do they endure
and how does this affect their mind?
Possible Readings: Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, Does wartime captivity
affect late-life mental health? A study of Vietnam-era repatriated prisoners of
war, by Crystal Park
Unit 4: Holocaust
 Abby Landesman
Pd. 9
September 21, 2016

During World War 2, Jews and other groups of people were put in concentration
camps. What allowed people to survive these harsh conditions without giving up
hope? Additionally, those who escaped capture were often hid in peoples homes,
having to be absolutely silent to avoid being found. What was this like?
Possible Reading: The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank
Unit 5: Kidnapping
The news often tells stories of kidnapping. Some result in people being kept in a
basement for years, subject to physical, mental, and sexual abuse.
Possible Movie: Room (2015)

Lesson 3: Metaphorical Cage

Unit 7: Mental Illness
Sometimes, people can be trapped within their own minds, preventing them from
doing all of which they are capable. How can being trapped without physical
boundaries be just as debilitating as being behind bars? Included in this unit is a
guest speaker who will talk about their experience with mental illness.
Unit 8: Domestic Abuse
Many people are the victims of domestic abuse. Often, nothing is physically
stopping them from seeking out help, and yet leaving the dangerous situation is
something that takes a lot of effort, and a lot of people cant do it. Why?
Possible Reading: Compelling Reasons Women Stay, from DAP
Unit 9: Societal Expectations
Often, societys expectations prevent people from doing what they want. For
example, gender roles puts a lot of pressure on girls and boys to act like girls
and boys. This can manifest in preventing boys from wearing nail polish, but
also in preventing girls from going to school. How do expectations affect you?
Possible Readings: Masculinity and the stalled revolution: How gender
ideologies and norms shape young mens responses to work-family policies, by
David Pedulla, Education and agency: Muslim women and the tensions of
traditional and modern expectations, by Shabnam Khan.

Lesson 4: Slavery
Unit 10: Americas Past
Slavery in the United States didnt end too long ago. This subject is important to
learn about when looking at captivity. This unit we will be looking at primary
sources to analyze the subject.
Unit 11: Modern Slavery
There are different types of modern slavery, and we will be looking at most of
them, including bonded labor, human trafficking, etc.
 Abby Landesman
Pd. 9
September 21, 2016

Possible Reading: Badges of Modern Slavery, by Amir Paz Fuchs

Feel free to come outside of class for extra help, or even if you would like to discuss something
we couldnt get to in class! My door is always open.

Links to readings and videos:

Animals in captivity:
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&A
N=111057805&login.asp&site=ehost-live
Prisoners: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/prison-labor-in-america/406177/
POW:
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&
AN=2012-22623-002&login.asp&site=ehost-live
Domestic Abuse:
http://www.domesticabuseproject.com/get-educated/compelling-reasons-women-stay/
Societal Expectations:
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&
AN=2016-32236-002&login.asp&site=ehost-live
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&
AN=2011-99190-013&login.asp&site=ehost-live
Modern Slavery:
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&A
N=117789334&site=ehost-live