Magical Meeting 2010:  Dani Friesen-Bethune Presents with  Holocaust Educator's Network at NWP in Orlando

Dani with David and Ellen Field. David is on the Memorial Library Holocaust Educator's Network Board of Directors.

Set against a backdrop of Cinderella's Castle, bright sunshine, and swaying palm trees, my experience was magical.  In November 2010, I presented at the National Writing Project Annual Meeting at sunny Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

HEN Group at Friday social

I was a part of the Holocaust Educator's Network presentation group.  I shared methods of integrating both the Holocaust and technology into teaching and curriculum.  Along with my HEN fellow Larry Neuberger from Missouri, I discussed the use of blogs, video diaries, GoogleDocs, Prezi presentations, and Glog projects in my Social Justice Literature course.  In addition to this, I shared my students' collaborative work with Missouri students via a blog and ning.  We showed how our students read Elie Wiesel's Night "together" and conversed through technology.  All together, four different aspects of the Holocaust Educator's Network were presented to a packed house.  My presentation highlighted the classroom level.  The other levels addressed included district, regional development, and writing project outreach.

The Holocaust Educator's Network also awarded me a $1,000 grant to fund books for my new Social Justice Literature course.

Though 2010 was a magical experience, I am already looking forward to Chicago in 2011!

Both the Nebraska Writing Project and the National Writing Project Annual Meeting allow me the networking capabilities I need to be a creative and passionate educator.

Story Writer:  Dani Friesen-Bethune
                      9-12 English, Social Justice Literature, Journalism
                      Hampton Public High School  
           
Story Editor:  Mary Birky