Ms. Susan Gogue

Social Studies Teacher
Baraboo Middle School
Baraboo, Wisconsin

Ms. Susan Gogue has been a Social Studies teacher for thirty three years; thirty years as an 8th grade World Geography and former Economics teacher at Baraboo Middle School in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Ms. Gogue incorporates the study of Japan in a six week unit. Along with her colleague, John Gunnell, they teach not only the geography and history of Japan, but incorporate dance, music, games, art and food into their unit. Students are able to read and write katakana as well greet one another in Japanese. Two highlights of the unit include a field trip to a Japanese restaurant and “Japan Night.” In October, 2004, 105 students and six chaperones participated in the field trip. Over two hundred fifty community members joined students for “Japan Night” in November, 2004 where students displayed their projects, taught guests the Tanko Bushi, introduced the visiting Japanese teachers, and sold Japanese food and goods at the Japanese Store.

In 1989, Ms. Gogue participated in the U.S. Japan Foundation trip to Japan. She was a planner and facilitator for the Great Lakes Japan in the Schools Project from 1989 to 1994. For three years, the Baraboo School District hosted Japanese teachers through the Japan Language and Cultural Program. Ms. Gogue participated in the Rocky Mountain Japan Project in 1998 in Boulder, Colorado. From 1999-2002, Baraboo was chosen to participate in the Japan Sister School Project with Chiba Prefecture. In 1999, Ms. Gogue toured Japan with the Fulbright Memorial Fund. Since 2000, she has coordinated Baraboo School District’s Japan-Wisconsin Education Connection, a program through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. This exemplary program brings one or two Japanese teachers to Baraboo for four weeks during the unit on Japan.

Ms. Gogue has been active in the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies, serving on its executive board for twelve years. She has facilitated several sessions at the annual convention of WCSS; many on Japan. Currently, she serves on the Wisconsin Social Studies Advisory Council for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction assisting with the Performance Assessment Project and state testing projects. Currently, Ms. Gogue is the Title VII Coordinator for the Baraboo School District. In addition, she is chair of the Professional Development Committee of the South Central Education Association which provides professional development opportunities to its 1400 members.

Ms. Gogue was selected as Teacher of the Year by the Wisconsin Council of Special Education Administrators in 1983. In 1988, she was chosen Secondary Teacher of the Year for the Baraboo School District. In addition to her tours of Japan, Ms. Gogue participated in the National Council for Economic Education Study Tour to Russia in 2003 and the Goethe Institut Study Tour to Germany in 2004. In 2004, Ms. Gogue received the Senator Herb Kohl Award.

Ms. Gogue plans to utilize grant funds to expand Japan Night, to allow more students to participate in the Japan restaurant field trip, as well as provide funding for many activities during the Japan unit.