Joseph T. (Tom) Brannan, a history teacher at George C. Marshall High School was one of 21 social studies teachers from throughout the nation to take part in the 2012 Choices Summer Leadership Institute at Brown University. The Institute focused on helping teachers develop the knowledge and skills needed to lead their classes in deliberations about human rights and its role in U.S. foreign policy.
The Institute provided teachers the opportunity to learn about Human Rights from scholars and foreign policy experts. The teachers also tested various methods of teaching human rights at the secondary level. The Choices Program is a national education program designed to introduce international content into secondary school classrooms.
“The Choices curriculum units provide valuable tools for teaching the 21st century skills my students need if they are to become citizens in our global society,” said Brannan, who also co-sponsors Marshall’s Model United Nations Club. “I am honored to have been selected for this training which I expect to put to good use in my classes.”
During the 2012-13 school year, Brannan will be teaching the IB courses Topics in 20th Century World History and Theory of Knowledge.
