Vicki L MorrisonCanadian teachers are being invited to walk in the footsteps of history. The Juno Beach Centre is now accepting applications for the 11th Annual Battlefield Tour for Teachers.
During the 10-day tour, teachers have the opportunity to visit Vimy Ridge, Beaumont-Hamel, Dieppe, the Juno Beach Centre, the D-Day landing beaches and various other sites in Normandy.
“This is a unique and extremely rewarding experience for any teacher who attends. There is something very poignant about travelling to the historical battlefields. The journey is emotional and educational, and the teachers take that back to their students,” said Jenna Zuschlag Misener, executive manager, Juno Beach Centre Association.
Some highlights of the tour include meeting locals who lived through D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, enjoying the kind hospitality in Normandy, and sharing teaching ideas with colleagues from across Canada.
“A Canadian historian is on hand to provide in-depth historical content to participants throughout the tour. This expertise and historical perspective will provide informative and practical knowledge for classroom application,” said Misener.
A full-day professional development session at the Juno Beach Centre helps teachers connect these experiences with their provincial curricula, incorporating the Historical Thinking Concepts and commemorative work in their teaching.
The travel cost for successful applicants, return from Toronto to Paris, is $2000. The Juno Beach Centre Association will subsidize the balance of the costs with the exception of some meals and personal expenses.
Since 2005, the Juno Beach Centre has provided over 300 Canadian educators an exciting professional development opportunity to discover the Canadian First and Second World War historic sites in France.
The Juno Beach Centre is Canada’s Second World War museum and cultural centre located in Courseulles-sur-Mer on the historic beach of the Canadian D-Day landings of June 6, 1944. The centre pays homage to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives during the war.
Opened in 2003 by veterans and volunteers with a vision to create a permanent memorial to all Canadians who served during the Second World War, the centre’s mandate is to preserve this legacy for future generations through education and remembrance.
The Juno Beach Centre Association owns and operates the Juno Beach Centre. The Canadian non-profit charitable corporation is governed by a board of directors based in Burlington, Ontario.
The deadline to apply to the program is February 27, 2015.
For more information about Eleventh Annual Battlefield Tour for Teachers please visit the Juno Beach Centre website.
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