Armstrong H.S. Teacher Studies in Turkey During the Summer

Some may forget that summers aren't only breaks for students, but teachers as well.

But as many educators know, the summer isn't always a "break." It's time to vacation, but also prepare for the next school year. And this summer brought a great learning opportunity for Robbinsdale Armstrong High School teacher James Redelsheimer who went to Turkey.

Redelsheimer is one of four teachers from the Twin Cities area who spent two weeks studying in Turkey through the Turkish Cultural Foundation’s (TCF) Teacher Study Tour program, fully sponsored and organized by TCF in collaboration with the World Affairs Council of America and its nationwide chapters. 

The teachers were selected by the Minnesota International Center and include Redelsheimer as well as one teacher from St. Paul Central High School, Orono High School and Bloomington Kennedy High School. They were all part of a group of 54 teachers split into two tours. 

During their time in Turkey, the teachers learned about the Turkish educational system through meetings with fellow teachers and students from various Turkish schools, including Darussafaka, a school for orphaned children, the Terakki Foundation School in Istanbul and the Atakoy Elementary School in the village of Karacasu. The latter school has been adopted and is being supported by visiting American teachers from this and previous TCF Study Tours. 

The teachers also visited numerous cities and villages across the country, beginning in Istanbul, where they toured famous historical sites such as the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Spice Bazaar and the Topkapi Palace Other highlights of the trip included a visit to Bursa, the first capital of the former Ottoman Empire, where the teachers learned shadow puppet techniques to share with their students, and a trip to Ephesus, where they toured the site of the Celsus Library, one of the richest libraries in the ancient world when built in 117 A.D.

From there, the teachers visited the archeological excavation of Catalhoyuk, a 7,000-year-old Neolithic settlement, and toured the Cappadocia region, known for its famed landscapes and ancient cave churches. Catalhoyuk was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

With the return of the two tours this summer, TCF will have introduced 425 American educators to the history, culture and landmarks of Turkey since 2007. Planning is already underway for the 2014 tours. Interested teachers may learn more here. 

(Information provided by a TCF press release.)