MOTAL in the Early Days: Some Dreams Come True

California State University, Long Beach Cheers Fullerton Resident for Founding Museum of Teaching and Learning

​The Museum of Teaching and Learning (MOTAL) debuted recently in the lobby of California State University, Long Beach’s College of Education with a special exhibit paying tribute to the father of American Public Education, Horace Mann. The interactive display, the first of two, kicked off the 2006-2007 academic year and continues through Dec.1, 2006.

It explores Mann’s successes and struggles and includes descriptions, video, and creations in a showcase with glass front and filtered lighting. The recorded voice of Mann is actually Long Beach graduate, Ed Arnold of KOCE-TV being interviewed by a “student reporter.” The recording complements a film segment that features Mann’s dedicated work to create equality in public schools. Gigantic photographic images show him as a young man turned toward some of his accomplishments. Guests are also able to compare their own dimensions to a life-sized “Flat Horace” who stands outside the case, and can enjoy his posted quotes and think about how Mann’s work in the mid-19th century influenced schools of today. A Mann Library of books and reprints satisfies curious readers.

  “I’m delighted by the launching of the Museum of Teaching and Learning at CSULB,” said Greta Nagel, newly retired member of the Teacher Education Department and founder of the museum. “There’s nothing like it anywhere. This is a museum that does not honor teachers so much as it honors their influence in the world. Later exhibits will focus on Maria Montessori and John Dewey. Plans are for exhibits to travel to schools as this museum reaches beyond the campus to reach legislators and the community. This is a chance to participate in experiential education and hands-on learning.”
 
          In the dream museum-to-come, exhibits and special activities will help explain phenomena from simple customs such as why apples are for teachers to how our brains acquire and retain knowledge. Each month, visitors will get to observe a different exhibit of “Class Behind the Glass,” a real class of students chosen to come with their teacher from their hometown to engage in their daily learning activities…in a fishbowl environment.


          “Horace Mann was the first to fight for education to reflect true democracy. He stood for equity in education, the same things we are dealing with today,” said Nagel, a Fullerton resident. She is the author of “he Tao of Teaching, and The Tao of Parenting. She received her bachelor’s from Illinois’ Knox College, her master’s in literacy from Cal State Fullerton and her joint doctorate in multicultural education from San Diego State and Claremont Graduate School in 1992. Her awards include the California Distinguished School award, the IRA Celebrate Literacy award, the Claremont dissertation grant, as well as being named Outstanding Alumna of the Graduate Reading Program at California State University, Fullerton.
 Seeing her utopian dream emerging, Nagel is looking forward to the success of “the first museum of teaching and learning,” she said. “None of this would be possible without the ongoing input from four ‘dream teams,’ seven faculty and staff coworkers on our exhibit team, two administrative assistants, two university interns, 12 advisory committee members, almost 200 contributors, and seed funding from the nonprofit National Education Institute and from Edison International.”
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Media Contacts: Rick Gloady, 562/985-5454
Shayne Schroeder, 562/985-1727