MEC Outreach Program
The Middle East Center Outreach Program at the University of Pennsylvania is uniquely situated to offer K-12 educators and the wider public in the Greater Philadelphia area access to the multitude of resources available at Penn. Our outreach activities reflect the diverse nature of the region, and cover a wide array of religions, languages, civilizations, countries, and contemporary issues in the Middle East.
Services and Resources for Educators and the Public
Workshops
The Middle East Center offers a number of workshops for teachers, either independently or in collaboration with other organizations such as the World Affairs Council, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and other National Resource Centers at Penn. All participants receive information packets with such resources as maps, background materials and articles, timelines, and suggested lesson plans.
Speakers Bureau
A very important asset at Penn are our outstanding graduate students who are willing to come to your school or event to talk about the Middle East. They come from a wide variety of disciplines, with expertise in such fields as politics, culture, religion, and gender issues. We can tailor a session according to your needs in the classroom, place of worship, or organization. However, this is a limited resource, so please call well in advance to arrange for a speaker to come to your classroom or event.
Materials
We have an extensive video lending library, which includes documentaries on a wide range of topics and feature films from nineteen countries. An annotated list is on our web site, but please call and we can recommend a film that is both interesting and age appropriate for your class or group. In addition, we have an outstanding collection of books and teaching materials that we can loan or photocopy for you to help supplement your event or classroom teaching on the Middle East.
Consulting Services
We are available to consult with K-12 educators and the public on all needs or issues. Our staff can help teachers locate appropriate written and audiovisual materials to strengthen their units on the Middle East, or help provide background information on a particular topic for members of the public who would like to learn more about the Middle East.
List-serves
We maintain a list-serve of teachers and the interested public to whom periodic messages are sent. These will notify you of upcoming events on campus and in the Philadelphia area, new and useful resources for the classroom and the community, professional development opportunities for teachers, and other news items of interest. Email info@mec.sas.upenn.edu to join our list-serves.
For more information on our outreach activities, please contact Erika Tapp at (215) 898-4690 , or e-mail: tapp@sas.upenn.edu