This session is designed for educators who want to bring a more accurate and nuanced understanding of Arab history and culture into their classrooms. Participants will explore key aspects of Arab culture, language, and history while learning how to challenge common stereotypes that often shape perceptions of the Middle East. The session will also offer practical strategies for teaching about Middle Eastern conflicts in a way that balances historical accuracy with empathy and cultural awareness. Educators will leave with concrete tools to facilitate respectful discussions on complex topics, helping students engage with global histories and diverse perspectives in meaningful ways.
K-12 Curriculum Coordinator, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
Rania Hammoud is a passionate educator and curriculum leader dedicated to making history education more inclusive and meaningful for all students. As the K-12 Curriculum Coordinator for Social Studies, World Language, and School Climate at Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, she works... Read More →
Wednesday August 13, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm EDT Room 4
As part of the Wayne County Teaching Diverse Histories Summit, this session will explore how The Zekelman Holocaust Center serves as a powerful site for historical inquiry and disciplinary literacy. Educators will examine how museum assets—artifacts, survivor testimonies, and exhibits—can support student inquiry and deepen engagement with complex histories. Through culturally responsive, inquiry-based, and place-based pedagogical approaches, participants will develop strategies to integrate museum-based learning into their classrooms. This session will equip teachers with the tools to help students critically analyze historical evidence, explore the experiences of marginalized communities, and make meaningful connections between the past and present. By the end of the session, educators will have a framework for using The HC’s resources to enrich their teaching and foster inclusive, inquiry-driven historical learning.
Renea Di Bella is the Education Specialist at The HC. She has an M.A. in Education from Eastern Michigan University, with a concentration in curriculum and instruction for diverse learning groups. Renea taught 8th grade Social Studies at Scarlett Middle School in Ann Arbor, MI for... Read More →
Wednesday August 13, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT Room 4
Asian Americans have been an important part of America’s growth and development since the mid-1800s. This course will explore the immigration history of Asian countries into America. Through a closer investigation, we will learn how America shaped these newcomers as well as how the nation was in turn shaped by these immigrants from Asia. While many students are familiar with the Chinese railroad workers and Japanese American internment during WWII, the story of Asians in America offers a deeper introspective into America’s social, political, and economic development. Since the 1965 Immigration Act, immigration from Asia has seen tremendous growth. This increase in immigration has raised new opportunities as well as new challenges for American society. No where is this more evident than in the Metro Detroit area. According to the latest census estimates, the Asian American population is approximately 221,000 which is a 106% increase since the 2000 census. This significant number necessitates a deeper understanding of the Asian American story for both Asian and non-Asian alike. As immigration from Asia continues to expand, we will explore the themes of culture, identity, and other pertinent issues to what it means to be an American.
Richard attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he received his B.A. in History. Richard continued his education at Wayne State University where he earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching degree. Since college, Richard has worked with numerous community organizations in... Read More →
Wednesday August 13, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT Room 4
The struggle for equal voting rights in the United States is as old as the country itself, as different attempts throughout American history to narrow and expand the electorate, both through legal and extra-legal means, have had profound impacts on electoral outcomes and social, political, and economic life in the United States.
In this session, we will use various forms of data– including electoral maps and timelines describing the ongoing struggle for suffrage–to answer these essential questions: *Who can vote and does vote in US elections?, *How has who can vote and does vote shaped American social, economic and political life over time? *What predictions might we make about the electorate moving forward and how it will shape and reshape our country?
By digging into historical timelines and considering data on who votes in elections, we will explore the nature of the fight for suffrage, voting participation, and participants’ lived experiences that inform how voting might shift or re-align during moments in history. The stories of how the American electorate has been shaped and reshaped throughout history are vital to unpacking so much about the overarching American story, including the current chapter.
This session will model practical ways to expand the use of data-based inquiry in the Social Studies classroom and across disciplines. Participants will receive the materials to teach the model lesson in their own classrooms.
Kristi Hanby has been a Mathematics Consultant at Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency (Wayne RESA) since 2015. In her role, she advocates for students to have greater access to mathematics learning and for educators to critically consider the meaning students can make... Read More →
Thursday August 14, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am EDT Room 4
