Leon Sultan

Abraham Lincoln High School, San Francisco CA

Research the Catalan independence movement in Barcelona by filming interviews to create a video blog (VLOG) that serves as an exemplar for a similar student project using their own geographical field work.

Where I've Been

  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Girona, Spain
  • Olesa de Monteserrat, Spain

My Fellowship in Images

Upon arriving in Barcelona, I began my fellowship by documenting the cultural landscape. Here I am in Park Güell (designed by famous Catalan Architect Antoní Gaudi).
I began my research by meeting and speaking with local people. Nearly every day I sat and talked with a group of people from the Gracía neighborhood at Ca'l Pep- a historic bodega.
Throughout my fellowship I recorded eleven interviews. My focus started with the Catalan independence movement, but throughout my fellowship the topics covered broadened to include issues around immigration and gentrification.
After the first few weeks, I began to explore places in Catalonia outside of Barcelona; including the historic city of Girona and its beautiful Cathedral.
The political situation remained dynamic throughout my fellowship. I documented a street protest that was focussed on freeing Catalan activists who had become political prisoners.
As I conducted my research I produced and edited videos for my YouTube channel. My students watched these over the summer as an introduction to course concepts. These videos will serve as exemplars for their own projects in the Fall.

Igniting Personal and Professional Growth

What changed as a result of your fellowship? Why was it vital for you to pursue this particular opportunity/experience? What learning gaps (yours and/or your students’) were/will be filled as a result of your fellowship?

As a result of my fellowship, my understanding of the complexities of the Catalan independence movement increased exponentially. I also gained a much clearer perspective of internal Spanish politics as well as issues unique to Barcelona. In doing field research, conducting and recording interviews, and ultimately producing short videos, I was able to learn the process of video production and editing- which will be invaluable as I teach these skills to my students this fall.

How do you see your teaching evolving after your fellowship? Your students’ learning?

This year I am adding a new project to my curriculum as a direct result of my fellowship. I am going to have my students conduct field research, shoot video and conduct interviews with the goal of producing their own short videos that demonstrate course concepts. The videos that I have produced through my fellowship informed how I will undertake teaching this project, and will also serve as examples or templates for my students to follow as they undertake their own research projects.

What were some unplanned or unexpected experiences or outcomes of your fellowship?

My initial focus was the Catalan independence movement. As my research progressed I began to expand my focus to include more topics. After having done 8 interviews centered on the independence movement, I began to investigate the experiences of immigrants in Catalonia. I ended up interviewing 3 immigrants; from Senegal, Venezuela and Morocco. Using these interviews I produced another video that I assigned my students to watch this summer- which introduced another key course concept; immigration.

Impacting Your Classroom, School and Community

How will your students learn differently because of your new knowledge or skills?

The topics of devolution and the breaking apart of states is a relevant, yet challenging part of the AP Human Geography curriculum. As a result of my fellowship I now have a complex understanding of the Catalan independence movement. I will use my research and the videos that I have created in order to teach these concepts to my students through the case study model. Additionally, through the skills developed as a result of my fellowship I will now be a resource for video production and editing.

What specific events, projects or deliverables will your students experience related to your fellowship?

This summer my students watched 2 videos I produced during my fellowship that introduced them to the key course concepts of immigration and the cultural landscape. During the political geography unit I will show them a longer video that explains the Catalan independence movement through interviews, narration and local footage. This Fall my students will conduct their own field research, recording video, doing interviews and producing short videos to demonstrate understanding of course concepts.

How, specifically, will your fellowship extend beyond your classroom? (e.g. families, school-at-large, afterschool groups, surrounding community, colleagues, etc.)

The research project that my students complete this fall will engage community partnerships in the surrounding communities; as my students will being doing short interviews with local community members. They will produce short videos that can then be shared with the community, other students and teachers at our school. Ultimately I want this project to serve as a template for other teachers to follow as our school moves towards more technology integration and interactive project-based learning.

Inspiring the Future

Why was this opportunity transformative for your teaching on a macro-level?

This opportunity allowed me to deepen my content knowledge and add a new skill to my repertoire. I have dabbled in using video in the past, but I never had the opportunity to fully commit to producing documentary style videos that I could use as teaching tools.This fellowship allowed me to do that in a challenging environment, on a topic that is compelling, relevant and interesting to me personally. I hope to continue to produce videos that support my teaching well into the future.

Why do students benefit from this type of teacher learning?

Students benefit from seeing their teachers as role models and life-long learners. This summer my students saw first hand how I conduct field research. When I arrived back to school in fall, students I had never met before were already well acquainted with me, and with key course concepts- through watching the videos I produced on my fellowship as a part of their summer assignments. I also knew them, as I interacted with them online through their written responses to the videos.

How would you describe to a friend or grant funder the fundamental ways in which your fellowship changed your personal and/or professional perspective?

My fellowship allowed my continued growth as an educator. It invigorated and engaged me to go deeper into my content knowledge, and learn a completely new skill. My fellowship challenged me, pushed me, and ultimately will make me a better teacher. As long as I remain a committed educator I will always be looking for ways to innovate, push my craft and move forward. My Fund For Teachers fellowship allowed me to do all of these things.

FUND FOR TEACHERS ©