Bob Wimbiscus, in his own words . . .
“Taking the TCI courses, and helping present at one, have been a wonderful way to network with other educators and community leaders. It has been a pleasure to meet people who have dedicated their lives to try to make this community better. I always come away from TCI courses with information and ideas for my class as well.”
I have been teaching for 29 years, 28 years at St. Ignatius. I currently teach World History and Cleveland History, and have previously taught US History, Economics and US Government.
In the never-ending search for continuing education credits, I signed up for the very first Teaching Cleveland institute. I was intrigued by the idea of teaching the city’s history, partially due to my maternal grandfather’s interest in the city to which he emigrated as a child, and also his participation in local politics. His gift to me of the book Cleveland: The Best Kept Secret, by George Condon, also contributed to the decision. But as a history teacher I was always intrigued by the city that I grew up in. So the decision to enroll in the TCI was a no-brainer.
Greg Deegan and his colorful group of sidekicks did a wonderful job of putting on the course. And it honestly lit a desire in me to start a CLE history class at school. I started out by creating a mini-unit in my US Govt class, and it was so well-received, that after two semesters of it, I decided to put together a proposal for an upper-class elective of CLE history. Now, 7 years later, the class is always fully booked.
The course is an ever-evolving entity. After taking another TCI summer course on racism and segregation, and acquiring a red-lining map from the Cleveland public library (printed free for teachers!) it has really brought the class to life. My students really get an idea of how Cleveland, and other cities in our country, have been formed by systemic racism. It opens their eyes to the impact governmental decisions can have on the lives of millions of people.
Several groups of my students have participated in two of the Teaching Cleveland Student Challenges. They enjoyed the program, from meeting students from around the city, to meeting community leaders who gave presentations. They certainly seemed to gain an appreciation for the city and its present leaders.
I have over the years encouraged multiple colleagues to attend TCI sessions. I have heard nothing but praise from them for their participation in the program. I totally recommend a program that has reenergized my teaching career. Thank you Greg, Arin, and all of the TCI educators.
