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Teaching The History of Thanksgiving: Are We Doing It Right?

Growing up I was taught the history of Thanksgiving in school, just like many of you. The stories were about cornucopias, planting corn, peaceful dinners, and interactions of the Native Americans (referenced as Indians at the time) and the Americans. It was a great story that left us all feeling satisfied and happy with the ending, understanding why we all sit around the table every Thanksgiving Day with our families and eat food. 

And then one day I learned more about the true history behind Thanksgiving, as I’m sure most of you did too. If you haven’t yet, just do a quick Google search and it’ll give you a deep dive of information. I distinctly remember that day in my college class when I learned the true, brutal history of Thanksgiving and how betrayed I felt learning that I had been withheld from the truth. It made me think of the reason behind the misinformation given. Here were the few I came up with. 

  1. Because my teachers were genuinely misinformed. They hadn’t taken the time to research it themselves, they just trusted the curriculum placed before them and went with it. And we can’t blame them for that! Have you ever thought about researching long division and questioning if it really works or the history behind it? No! 
  2. Our schools teach American Exceptionalism in their curriculum. They want students growing up thinking we as a country are the most exceptional and incredible at everything we do. So this means hiding history. 
  3. I think in a way it’s also their mindset that they are “protecting” students by shielding them from the violence and bad things of the world. That if we teach only good things, that’s how our society will continue to act. 

But is this the right way? Information is incredible for teachers, it would be beneficial to research the history before teaching it. And it’s okay to admit that our country isn’t the best at everything! For example, if you Google search “Which country has the most advanced health care?”, you’ll get multiple lists all with various answers, but it’s important to note that The United States is not even in the top 5 of the majority of these lists. It’s okay to admit that we aren’t the best in health care (or education, or transportation, or anything else!), because it’s a good learning opportunity for our country to receive information from those that are better at it than we are. 

And is it really doing our students any good to protect them from the truth? I know for me, it didn’t “protect” me from anything, it just made me feel betrayed and lied to once I did learn the truth. There’s power in learning about our harsh pasts of the country because we as a society can recognize the mistakes and learn from them so they aren’t repeated again. 

This video does a great job of giving a quick (real) history of Thanksgiving:

What are your thoughts on teaching the true history of Thanksgiving in classrooms? 

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#GoGreek Interview: Mariah Woodford

#gogreek interview: Mariah Woodford

Welcome to our #GoGreek series! This blog series focuses on interviewing past and present members of sororities and fraternities. We are able to learn more about their experiences and ask them questions to help others learn more about the Greek world, bust stigmas, and find out if Greek life is right for you. Check out all of our #GoGreek interviews here.

Today we are interviewing Mariah Woodford, alumni of Delta Delta Delta at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming. 

Mariah wanted to be a part of Tri Delta specifically because she felt connected to the women in this organization and also felt drawn to their philanthropy. She originally joined because she saw posters for recruitment her Freshman year and decided to give it a shot just to try to make more friends and be involved with events on campus, even if she didn’t end up joining. She and her roommate both ended up joining two different sororities! 

What was your philanthropy and what effect did serving this philanthropy have on your life?

“Our philanthropy was St. Jude. It was such a fun and fulfilling philanthropy to be a part of. I truly felt and believed we were helping such a great cause and made a difference. The hospital actually has a building next to it called “Tri Delta Place” where families of St. Jude have a place to stay so that they don’t have to move or relocate while they are going through such a tough thing that childhood cancer brings. Being a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, service is something we always try to focus on. Being able to raise money for St. Jude was a great way to serve people and in this case, children who absolutely need all of the love and service they can get. Even though I have graduated and my sorority days are long behind me, I never miss the opportunity when presented to me to give to St. Jude.”

What was your favorite part about being in a fraternity or sorority?

“My favorite part was being able to grow amazing friendships and truly just have so much fun. It definitely made my college experience so much better. I also really appreciated that as a house, we stressed the importance of our academics. Living in the house, there was always someone that was either in your class, had taken your class, knew someone in your class, etc. that could help you when you needed it.”

What advice would you give to someone who wants to or is about to enter a sorority or fraternity?

“Joining a sorority is a big decision, but it was one of the best decisions I made when I went to college. There are so many amazing things within Greek life that from the outside you would never see or know until you join. Be true to yourself and who you are, and you will find the house that best fits you.”

Mariah also comments that her time in her sorority also helped boost her resume by the ability to network and add in leadership positions in multiple ways. 

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A Spotlight on Delta Delta Delta (Tri Delta)

a spotlight on delta delta delta sorority

Delta Delta Delta (Tri Delta) was created by two women at Boston University who saw a need for a different form of a sorority, even though there were already three women’s groups on campus. They set out to start an organization that was more inclusive of everyone and looks at a person more on what’s inside than their physical appearance. 

Their founders are Sarah Ida Shaw, Eleanor Dorcas Pond, Florence Isabelle Stewart, and Isabel Morgan Breed. Photos from tridelta.org

  • Sarah Ida Shaw
  • Eleanor Dorcas Pond
  • Florence Isabelle Stewart
  • Isabel Morgan Breed

Tri Delta’s purpose is “to promote and develop mutually beneficial relationships between the Fraternity and the colleges and universities where the Fraternity has established chapters, to develop qualities of unselfish leadership among its members, and to encourage them to assume, with integrity and devotion to moral and democratic principles, the highest responsibilities of college women.” (tridelta.org)

Their philanthropy is to treat and defeat childhood cancer. They’ve partnered with St. Jude and over the years have raised more than $75 million in support of them! Tri Delta also has a scholarship program in place for both undergrad and graduate school students. 

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Review Games For Every Age and Subject

review games for every age and every subject

Points: This one is simple. It’s easy and can be done on a whim. Divide the class into groups or just in half. Start asking questions on the topic you want to review and give points to teams that answer correctly. It’s a bonus if you ask probing questions that require a discussion among the team! 

Kahoot!: I believe this game is well-known among most teachers, but if not, you can see their website here. It’s free! And a great way to study as a whole group or individually. 

Jeopardy: A classic! You can find free templates online to use from your computer, or go with the old-fashioned paper taped to the whiteboard way. This can be fun to switch it up from not using technology all of the time, and it’s an easy one to store and use again the next year. 

Beach Ball Toss: Write or tape review questions onto a beach ball and toss it around the room. Whoever catches the beach ball, answer the question that their left thumb lands on. 

Hedbanz: If you own this popular game, you can easily change out the cards to reflect the information you are reviewing. 

Whiteboards: Need a review game but haven’t planned ahead? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Have your students grab their personal whiteboards and write or draw answers to questions. If you want to promote collaboration, break into groups and have each group answer on one whiteboard. 

Be The Teacher: This role reversal can be so fun for students! It can be done as a bigger project that lasts a few weeks with plenty of preparation, or just on a whim if you feel like you have students that can easily get up and teach specific subject matter. 

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Why Learning Geography Is Important (Pt. 2)

teaching geography

Back in 2013, we published an article on “3 Reasons Why Learning Geography is Important.”

The three reasons outlined in the article are: 

“ Increasing Worldviews: This is what opens doors for students to realize that there are unlimited options for the “right” ways to live your life. Learning about other cultures (and where they’re located) is a huge step in increasing tolerance of all different lifestyles. It shows the differences, which we all expect to see, but can also shed light on unchanging factions of human nature that we all share.

Creating Contributing Citizens: Knowing about geography, the resources located in each country, and the effect those have on the economy can educate students on the reasons for certain current events. Learning about the governments in each country can also contribute to growth in other areas involving world events.

It’s Impressive: Not that we should learn solely to impress others, but there is something to be said for a person who can talk about Azerbaijan and Andorra. Plus, if you ever want to work for the CIA or be the next Lara Croft or James Bond, knowing your geography is a must! Haven’t you ever noticed how all the really awesome adventure stars in movies randomly know all sorts of things about the most random places? Geography.”

While this article still stands and is relevant today, there are more points that I feel like we can add about learning geography. 

Studying Geography is a gateway into studying History. So we know the pyramids are in Egypt and the Eiffel Tower is in Paris, but what’s the history behind it? What can we learn about why these icons are there, where they came from, and who built them? There is so much of our world’s geography to learn, along with the history and background of the location. 

Globalization: Some of our oldest community members do not fully grasp the concept of globalization, because the idea of leaving your state, let alone your own community, was not as attainable as it is in today’s world. Right now we can have conference calls while sitting at our home in Minnesota with someone else sitting in their home in India and another person at their home in Japan. And even beyond that, it’s a simple airplane ride away to visit these various places for work, recreation, education, and more. Navigating our entire world is easier than ever, and it’s important to know where you’re going while doing it. 

And more. There are so many reasons to learn geography! It is not a lost subject, it should be a growing one. What other reasons would you add to this list? 

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Supporting Your Philanthropy Through The Holidays

supporting your philanthropy through the holidays

The holiday season is coming up, which means a whirlwind of things to remember and do! But one thing that is always on the mind of a sorority and fraternity is, “How do we support our philanthropy through the holidays as well?” It’s no secret that everyone needs a little extra love and help during this time of the year, so here are a few ideas of ways you can help support. 

Fundraisers- the possibilities of fundraisers are endless! 

Donate unused items- it’s such a great way to go through everything in your organization’s house and find unused items that can be donated directly to your philanthropy in one way or another.  

Give your time- giving doesn’t have to require your money. Sometimes a few hours serving your philanthropy in some way can be incredibly beneficial. Reach out to them to see what you and your organization can help with. Many hands make light work! 

Reach out to other sororities and fraternities to see how you can help

How else do you support your philanthropy through the holidays? 

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Teaching Empathy in School

teaching empathy in schools

A big change in the school’s curriculum over the last ten years is adding in the process of teaching empathy to kids. While some parents and teachers believe it’s a waste of time in the day, others have seen the positive effects of taking that time out of their day to explicitly teach how to be empathetic to their students. 

This YouTube video is a pretty well-known video, as it’s been out for a few years. However, I think it’s a great reminder no matter how many times you’ve watched it! 

I noticed firsthand how well modeling empathy works as I watched my 4-year-old daughter sit on the steps with her crying friend. She placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder, sat in the sound of her cries for a time, and eventually said, “This made you really sad, I am here for you.” 

My four-year-old had just displayed better empathetic skills than I ever have and I was blown away! But upon pondering why she was so incredible at handling the situation at such a young age, I came to the conclusion that she has an army of great examples all around her teaching empathy, being myself, her grandparents, her teachers, and more! 

After this encounter with my daughter, it really made me stand on the side of teaching empathy in schools and how important it can look. Because what would have been the alternative to her not showing empathy? Her friend would have been crying on the stairs and my daughter would have reacted in a way that included saying things like, “Stop crying, it’s time to play!” or, “Sorry you’re sad, that sucks for you.” and it would have dismissed her friend’s feelings, causing more sadness and hurt. But instead, she recognized the feelings in her friend and sat in sadness with her for as long as it took. 

I can’t see why the alternative would have been a better way for her to react than using her skills to show empathy would have been. So, yes. I do stand on the side of teaching empathy in schools. And yes, it will take more time and effort on everyone’s part. But what results would come from it? In extreme cases, it can save a life. 

What are your thoughts on teaching empathy in schools?