Sam Forman

I am Sam Forman and I am interested in running for PCSS Board. Since I was 16 years old, I knew I wanted to be a social studies teacher. It was always my favorite subject in school, but with the strong mentorship of incredible teachers, I saw from my teen years that there was power in knowing history and the perspective it gives someone on who they are, where they are. In my 10th grade US History II, the final 3 weeks were reserved for a seminar project. In small groups, students were tasked with preparing a full 85 minute lesson on a subject from the scope and sequence of the course. After my partner and I built and executed a two-day lesson about westward expansion and the U.S. Mexican War, my teacher, the great Mrs. Olivia Betances, asked me if I’d ever thought about teaching. Perhaps it was the excellent interactive explanation of the U.S. annexation of Texas through a modified game of “Red Light, Green Light, 1, 2, 3” on the front lawn of the school that made her realize I had a mind for historical significance and a knack for lesson design, but she saw something in me that I had not.

Shortly after that fateful conversation, I spent my summer on a cross-country bus trip for Jewish teens called Etgar 36. The theme of the non-partisan trip run by Billy Planer was history, politics, social justice, and advocacy. While seeing the country and learning about history, we would also meet with advocates on both sides of major issues, each prefaced by an open-circle conversation with our busmates and counselors. We met with Tom Mauser, father of a Columbine victim and notable gun-control activist, in a park in Denver where he wore his son’s shoes while telling his story. 3 days later, we met with Clark Aposhian, a lobbyist for the Utah Shooting Sports Club, where he excitedly showed off his gun collection and spoke of the importance of the right to bear arms. I got to walk through Kelly-Ingram Park with Bishop Calvin Woods and met with the late John Lewis in his office at the Capitol. These experiences taught me the importance of civic dialogue and seeing the dignity and humanity in every side of the pursuit of a more perfect union. I came home motivated to take this experience and train myself to be a teacher who could do for my students what my mentors had done for me.

I worked hard to be the best teacher I could. I helped write curriculum for a high school class while still in high school. I went to Temple as an education major from day one, and I achieved my dream of having my own classroom at Freire Charter High School. It was not always easy, and I struggled at times, but over my 7 years, I built a career I am proud of. Teaching American History and Civics was every bit of the meaningful experience I dreamed it would be. I thoroughly enjoyed working with students to facilitate a learning experience that helped them better understand the world around them and how to engage with it. However, over time, a new dream began to formulate in the back of my mind.

As I began to achieve success in the classroom, I felt a pull to learn more about the world of education policy. I was curious about how American systems of education developed over time, shaping the policy environment I was actively teaching in. I felt the lack of investment in civics and social studies in my practice, and I felt that I would be a better teacher if I better understood why social studies were deemphasized through education policy. Shortly after enrolling in the educational policy masters program at Temple University, I realized that I wanted to do more than just bring my new knowledge to my practice. I believed then as I do now that I can contribute to the fight to reintegrate social studies as a critical aspect of an impactful education through a combination of my knowledge and experience. I made the difficult decision to leave the classroom in pursuit of this new dream, which led me to the Committee of Seventy and the PA Civics Coalition, where I have been fortunate enough to begin this new phase of my career. Though only three months in, I already have learned so much and feel even more strongly in my conviction that I can be an asset in the greater mission of promoting a quality social studies education for all students in Pennsylvania.

When I told my students I was leaving the classroom, one class in particular made me promise that I would justify this decision by making an impact. They believed this was a cause worth fighting for and that I could make a difference, but nothing less than my best would justify my removing myself from the classroom. I owe this to them and believe that being a member of the PCSS Board would provide me an incredible opportunity to fulfill my promise.