Cleveland Area Teachers Creating “Love of Place”

Arin Miller-Tait, Director, Teaching Cleveland

CLEVELAND -- Teaching Cleveland, a new non-profit organization, educates teachers on the history, economics, and public policy challenges that Cleveland faces, with a hopeful eye on economic development and civic engagement.  Led by Greg Deegan of Beachwood High School and Arin Miller-Tait of Gilmour Academy, The Teaching Cleveland Institute meets over the course of the school year, and brings resources to local teachers so that they can share their knowledge and love of place with their students.  We are creating a growing population of individuals who are both knowledgeable about Cleveland and invested in its future. 

The program brings in scholars and experts to teach the teachers about Cleveland history and policy, but also connects them to many different kinds of resources like museums and other institutions that they can use in their work with students.  Teaching Cleveland understands the impact of starting with teachers.  We believe that one teacher, over the course of a career could reach thousands of students.  We have been working with area educators to develop lessons, units, or even classes on Cleveland history, economics, and public policy, in the hope that by learning, then teaching about Cleveland, their students will contribute to its future success.  As they “teach Cleveland,” they increase awareness and love of place, and create a broad platform for many types of civic engagement. 

The area’s young people are an untapped resource for renewal.  Area leaders have been working hard to address economic and public policy challenges, but the future of Greater Cleveland also depends on developing and maintaining a strong “love of place” in students and showing them how to become the next generation of civic leaders. For Teaching Cleveland, education is the way to tap that resource.

With this premise in mind, encouraging and developing best practices in teaching and learning Cleveland history, economics, and public policy will encourage hundreds, and perhaps someday thousands, of students to see themselves as people who can challenge area leaders and institutions from an educated perspective.  Youth engagement in public policy matters can foster collaborative relationships beyond geographic and political boundaries, and help generate additional enthusiasm for local projects and initiatives.  The future of Greater Cleveland depends on maintaining and developing new enthusiasm for this place in order to grow a generation of engaged, dynamic leaders. 

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Please join us for the Teaching Cleveland fundraiser on Thursday November 8 from 5:30-7:30 at Hawken School’s Gries Center for Experiential and Service Learning in University Circle. For tickets: http://teachingcleveland.eventbrite.com. For more information on Teaching Cleveland: www.teachingcleveland.org