Students will learn about the origins and beliefs of a variety of world religions, both ancient and modern. This will both increase their knowledge and their cultural sensitivity to those with different religious beliefs.

This class will meet the following NY State Common Core Social Studies Framework Standards:
9.2.a and 9.2.b

This class will meet the following C3 Standards:
D2.Geo.2.9-12
D2.Geo.7.9-12
D2.His.3.9-12
D2.His.4.9-12
D2.Rel.1.9-12
D2.Rel.2.9-12
D2.Rel.3.9-12
D2.Rel.6.9-12
D2.Rel.10.9-12

I am a NY-certified Social Studies teacher 5-12, an experienced Educational Coordinator and Supervisor with 7+ years of administration, management and customer service experience, 5+ years of teaching, student advisement and project development, and 2+ years working with international students, qualitative research, and course development. I hold a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Anthropology from Binghamton University, and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology/Anthropology and Music from Mansfield University, in addition to a TEFL certification. I am also a course complete PhD student in Anthropology, studying the intersection of politics and religion. I also hold a General Class Amateur Radio License with 13wpm Morse Code. Currently, I am a full time NY certified high school social studies teacher.

My anthropological training in academia includes learning about human evolution, race and racism, colonialism, cultural diversity, cultural awareness and education, bias education and training, reflexivity, impacts of academic research on minority groups, and research ethics. I am also the Educational Coordinator and Lead Teacher of a Sunday school and a substitute teacher in 5 local school districts. I give talks on issues of religion, politics, and race issues, and have taught classes related to this topic previously. I conducted a thesis paper for my undergraduate on conflicts international students faced, which discussed issues of race, religion, language, cultural misunderstandings, and xenophobia. My Master's research focused on immigration issues, racism towards immigrants from Ethiopia in Israel, and conflict between religious sects. I also run a group that addresses issues of race, religion, politics, and teaches cultural awareness and diversity through education of traditions, history, and music from around the world.

Homework Offered
Some small research assignments.
0 - 1 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered
Grades available upon prior request.

Sources for this class include: Research from Emile Durkheim, E. B. Tylor, Henry Morgan and other sociologists and anthropologists who focused on religion, PEW Research Center, Crash Course, National Geographic, United Religions Initiative, PBS, Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Cayuga Nations, Skä•noñh Center- Great Law of Peace Center, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, An Introduction to Native North America (Mark Sutton), The Buddhist Centre, Oxford Acadamy, Sikhs.org, Paul Thebert, History Channel, History.com,  Hinduism Today, uri.org, jivamuktiyoga.com, beliefnet.com, ABC News, Smithsonian, OMF International, Ryan Churchward, Nearpod Lesson Plans, Summit Ministries, JTV, Sefaria, Jewish Virtual Library, Bim Bam, Penn Today, Anywhere Cuba, About Santeria, MyJewishLearning, Business Insider, Refinery29, Viceland, Now This World, Ted-Ed, The Big Myth, Ethnographic research from my master's thesis and dissertation work, and online documentaries on Santeria and NeoPaganism (including Irish documentary film "Sacred Sites: Oracles" of Tile Films Ltd. for the Smithsonian Channel (2016))