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The Tulip Project: The liberation of the Netherlands
1.1k Plays1 month ago
Debbie Mar (Sema:th Elementary School, Abbotsford, British Columbia)
Finalist of the 2024 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching
For more information about the award visit CanadasHistory.ca/TeachingAward
Through a creative, interdisciplinary approach and with deep purpose, Debbie Mar’s grade 3/4 class paid tribute to local Second World War veterans by educating their school and community about the special friendship between Canada and the Netherlands — and the sacrifices made by Canadian citizens. The Tulip Project bloomed in 2018 upon the receipt of 75 red Liberator tulip bulbs from the BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War. An impactful film — The Tulip Project — documenting students’ learning, has captured the hearts of Canadians. Inspired by previous classes, students continue to carry the torch of education, commemoration, and remembrance. The Tulip Project blooms to this day.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast and Award
00:00:05
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of the Teaching Canada's History podcast. I'm your host, Brooke Campbell, and today we are speaking with the finalists of the 2024 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching.
History and Purpose of the Teaching Award
00:00:17
Speaker
Created in 1996, the award recognizes innovative and impactful approaches to teaching Canadian history. For more information, visit canadashistory.ca slash teaching award.
Introducing Debbie Marr and the TULIP Project
00:00:28
Speaker
Today I'm speaking with Debbie Marr, an elementary teacher in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Welcome, Debbie. Thank you,
Origins and Goals of the TULIP Project
00:00:35
Speaker
Brooke. Thank you for having me and providing me with this space to talk about the TULIP project.
00:00:41
Speaker
Wonderful. Well, will you share more about that project? We'd love to know i mean know what what this project is that you've envisioned and what your students have been doing. Well, the Tula Project began in the fall of 2018 and with the gift of 75 Liberation Tulip bulbs, it came along with the teacher's guide celebrating liberation with a promise from the British Columbia Agriculture and the Classroom Foundation.
00:01:07
Speaker
to commemorate the 75th liberation of the Netherlands by Canadian soldiers in 1945.
Documenting and Educating Through Film
00:01:14
Speaker
And the motivation for this study grew from the surprising fact that our community was not aware of the achievements and sacrifices of Canada's Second World War veterans and why tulips are a symbol of the gratitude and friendship between the two countries. why there's a friendship between the Netherlands and Canada, and why to this day, the Netherlands send tulips to Canada to thank them for their freedom.
00:01:43
Speaker
And so students really wanted to tell this story. We um had a videographer, which was documenting our learning from the start, one of the students' dads, and we wanted to create an informative short film to educate and that's how the TULIP project started. So the initial objectives of the project were twofold.
Connecting with Veterans and Real-life Stories
00:02:08
Speaker
Well, first it was to enlighten the students about the special international friendship formed between Canada and the Netherlands during World War II and then it was to educate our school community and country about the pivotal role Canadian soldiers played in liberating the Netherlands.
00:02:26
Speaker
So to start the study, I went to the Abbotsford Legion to see if I could find a veteran or some information about this historical period. And it was close to Remembrance Day. And they thought I was just another teacher coming to invite a veteran to the Remembrance Day ceremony. However, as I started speaking to the Vice President, sergeant retired Sergeant Kelly Watson, he had an emotional connection to the project because his uncle had fought in World War II and is buried in the Netherlands. So he offered to come to our classroom and talk about his knowledge of World War II, the service of his uncle.
00:03:08
Speaker
And the students became even more inspired and more intrigued. He's a big, tall man and it was just very gentle and his words were very age appropriate.
Engaging Students with Interactive Learning
00:03:20
Speaker
And following his talk, we all went out and planted tulip bulbs because that's how the Tula Project always starts, with the planting of tulip bulbs.
00:03:30
Speaker
The next stage was the students created a timeline of the World War II events that was used to help them tell the historical story, but also it was used as a guide to create a visual presentation that was going to be communicated on Remembrance Day to the school community.
00:03:50
Speaker
And while we were doing the timeline, the events sparked some very good questions. Such as a student asked, does Abbotsford have any soldiers who fought in World War two and are they buried here?
00:04:02
Speaker
So this prompted a trip to the Cenotaph and we took red crayon rubbings of the embossed names of the Abbotsford soldiers who served in World War II and the the names were read at the Remembrance Day ceremony by retired Sergeant Watson.
00:04:20
Speaker
Then the students had to work in pairs and they had to choose an event on the timeline and decide how they were going to communicate that. So for example, was it how Canada protected the Dutch royal family? Was it going to be about the hunger winter? Or why the Netherlands to this day sends tulips, the significance of the tulip? And they had to really think about their visual imagery and really had to explore creative modes to enhance their presentation because we wanted to really bring history to life. We wanted to be interesting and engaging and wanted to captivate
00:04:54
Speaker
our audience. And the
Symbolism and Emotional Impact of Art
00:04:56
Speaker
students did that. they had They came up with maps, they had props, they had parachutes to demonstrate the food drops. So that was, I was very proud of my students. They came in wearing red and they came in with such confidence and grace. And it was, the the gym was absolutely silent and people were very moved by the presentation.
00:05:18
Speaker
Following the presentation, the students used symbolism to communicate the their understanding of the friendship between Canada and the Netherlands by creating watercolor paintings. And the paintings were amazing and they became a window into an important historical time.
00:05:36
Speaker
And the best part is they evoked emotion and they invited conversation, which is what we wanted.
Commemoration and Historical Exploration
00:05:44
Speaker
And As the study progressed and the students learned how the Dutch citizens show respect and care for the fallen Canadian soldiers by erecting monuments in their honour, by naming roads and bridges after them.
00:06:00
Speaker
and especially the school children who, on a regular basis, visit the grave sites of the fallen Canadian soldiers and lay flowers on their headstones. And at Christmas especially, the children were so moved that the Dutch children come and sing to the Canadian soldiers so they won't be alone at Christmas and lay flowers and lay tea lights. And And then there's this voice. When you're teaching, sometimes you hear this voice and you have to decide, what do I do? So somebody said, but what do we do?
00:06:36
Speaker
What do we do? And i investigated and the answer was nothing. And so this even motivated the students more and inspired them to really educate people.
00:06:52
Speaker
educate And so we worked with the city to try to look to locate the graves of the World War i veterans. And I still remember that phone call to the city. I'm sure the receptionist, she was wondering, what does this teacher want? And i had to it took me a long time to explain to her the purpose of this. And and finally, she gave up and she said, I will find you four. I will find you for four graves. And so she sent us the maps.
00:07:21
Speaker
And on a cold Friday in November, we were off to Hazelwood Cemetery. And this is not a very common field trip. And I had to be really careful that I had the parents support.
00:07:34
Speaker
And they were all on board and they drove their children to the cemetery. And sometimes when you're teaching like this, you um you're taking these risks and things can sometimes get messy. And what happened was I got there and I've been there before.
00:07:50
Speaker
And I just got nervous because we had a videographer and a professional photographer and I couldn't find the graves. And once you panic, your cognition is gone. And and I didn't know what to do. And luck was on my side because I had a student who was traveling in the States and they were looking for their ancestors and they were going through cemeteries and reading graves. And I and i said, Austin, go get your mom.
00:08:16
Speaker
I need her. Tell her Miss Mark cannot find the graves and tell her to come fast. And Thankfully, she came and she took the map and she led us to to the site.
Community Engagement and Recognition
00:08:24
Speaker
So it's just all these things that happen, but they make the learning so meaningful. And so while we were there, the students took crayon rubbings of the great of the grade of the headstones.
00:08:37
Speaker
And I was watching them and I knew that something special was happening that was this intimate thing. act and it was like there was a connection between the past and the present and it was creating this emotional reaction and perhaps this emotional memory that I'm not even sure how that will play out in the children's lives and we shared words of gratitude we we lay flowers we lit tea lights and And um it was a very, very special.
00:09:10
Speaker
And the Eppisford News was very interested in the story. So they came to our classroom and they interviewed the adults involved in the project. And then they um the journalist interviewed the students. And I really wanted it to be an authentic experience for them. So I actually left the room because I trusted my students so much and was so confident that in their knowledge that they they could do this.
00:09:38
Speaker
And after some time went by and nobody was coming out, I thought I better go in there and see what was happening. And the journalist was just on his way out and and he's just sighing. And I go, what happened? I'm sorry, I should have maybe come in sooner. And he goes, no, he goes, I just can't believe it.
00:09:53
Speaker
They knew so much. that They wanted to keep talking. And he was so impressed. And I was so proud to be their teacher, knowing that um that my students were doing important work.
00:10:04
Speaker
and that they impressed the journalist. So from this, we our our our document, our film was ready, and so we wanted to present it in a larger space at the Community Arts Centre.
00:10:17
Speaker
And so the students provided a summary. They wore white T-shirts with Canadian flags, and some had the Netherlands flags. And they provided a summary of the of the history.
00:10:28
Speaker
And then they did a candlelight march with members from the legion. to honor the Canadian soldiers in honor of their service. And then we we played our our film, The Tulip Project, and which was followed by the children singing in Dutch, Silent Night, which was really beautiful because it took weeks and weeks to learn to learn
Adapting Amidst COVID-19
00:10:52
Speaker
the song. And after the after the presentation, the feedback from the audience was just...
00:11:00
Speaker
amazing and they were it what what it made it want to do is for the adults to to talk to their parents, to to learn more about their history. And they were so moved by by the children's by the children's presentation. And so as time went on, different people started noticing the film, and it was placed on various websites. marele Mark Zelke, Canada's award-winning author of popular military history, featured it on his Facebook.
00:11:29
Speaker
The president of the Dutch Liberation Canadian Society and in Vancouver, BC noticed the film. and was was impressed and it was some put on on several different websites. And even Mark even invited, wanted the children to come on his liberation tour in Holland. And it's just, this all happened when COVID just started to set in. And so a lot of the opportunities um where were taken away from the students because of that, but it didn't stop us. some the The next thing that happened was the Government of Canada, Veteran Affairs, invited the children to the Seaforth Armory in recognition for their in-depth study for a poster launch with Norm Kirby commemorating the 75th anniversary of liberation. And the students were there with World War II veterans, Minister Macaulay,
00:12:22
Speaker
um Holocaust survivor, the Dutch consulate. um And they received the boots of remembrance there, for um which um represent the Canadians who trade their civilian shoes for combat boots to serve in times of war or military conflict and peace. And they were encouraged to continue carrying the torch of remembrance. And they had an opportunity to interact with World War II veterans And they gave them gifts of tulips and they got their autographs on the back of their
Sustaining the Project's Legacy
00:12:55
Speaker
shirts. And then back at um at school, when the tulips bloom, the students go out and sketch them and create vibrant crayon and watercolor images, which are accompanied by poems that pay tribute to the World War II veterans. And we recite our poetry with members of the Legion in our in our tulip garden. And I was wondering if I could just read a few short ones.
00:13:23
Speaker
World War II Friendship. Germany, Hitler, Nazis. Brave Canadian soldiers. Struggle, hunger, loss. Courage, kindness, love.
00:13:34
Speaker
Canada and the Netherlands. Friendship bloomed. Liberation, 1945. And this one was dedicated to Norm Kirby. Run free. Kids, kids, go be free.
00:13:47
Speaker
You are safe now. The war is over, says the brave Canadian soldier, Norm Kirby. So every year, students learn and build on the work from the previous students by planting tulips, writing poetry, creating art, and then communicating their learning.
00:14:05
Speaker
And so the Tula Project continues blooming to this day. And the focus this year was on ethical dimensions where students reflected, deeply reflected on how the events and decisions and actions in World War II impacted their lives as Canadian citizens and what lessons can be learned. And they published their pieces as as poetry or narratives and And they shared their words behind a podium embellished with tulips and the Dutch and Canadian flags. And actually, their words were so powerful that I feel they need to be shared on a larger scale. But I just I need to think more about this.
00:14:49
Speaker
There are so many layers to this to this project. um And I just think that's so beautiful. And I know you just you were just mentioning the ways that your students engaged with the ethical dimensions of history. um Can you speak more to the ways that your students utilize the historical thinking concepts throughout throughout their work?
00:15:11
Speaker
Yes, I can speak of of of several. um The students established historical significance by the creating the visual timeline of the World War II events. And this was important. And it wasn't because of the dates and the sequence.
00:15:26
Speaker
But it allowed them to determine what advanced ideas and long-term impact were most important and how that is determined by their own current interests and their values and their priorities. And and this also influences the questions that we ask. And um the questions that the students asked were important and interesting to them. And I will never forget, we were heavy into our study and the recess bell rang and everybody's coming out and and Natalie rushes to my desk in some sort of distress and she says, Miss Marr, my mom is German and my dad is Dutch. How can they be married?
00:16:10
Speaker
So this is just beautiful. This is just such a powerful um inquiry question and what happened in Hitler's life that made him so mean? and they The students also engaged with um primary sources such as photographs and a diary to gain a deeper understanding of the events and their impact.
00:16:32
Speaker
um We used a well-known photograph that was hung in every school in BC during the World War II, and it's titled Goodbye Daddy, and it was taken in 1940 as the BC Regiment marches down the street in U.S. Minister to an awaiting train. And the photographer was there.
00:16:51
Speaker
photographing the march when suddenly a child dashes out into the road and it was five-year-old Warren Bernard. He tory tears away from his mom's hand and rushes to his dad and his dad outreaches his hand as well and it was ah it was a very emotional photo photo and it appeared in the newspaper the next day and his father does return in 1945 after the war and Warren does go to meet him at the train station, but he goes with his grandfather, not his mom, because his mom really didn't want his dad to go to war and their marriage dissolved as a result.
00:17:30
Speaker
And this was just evidence of how of the sacrifices that the soldiers had to make and And Warren recalls this as being the happiest day of his life. So so um students examine this photograph and they go through observation. So they work like a detective. What do they what do they notice?
00:17:49
Speaker
And I find students are much better than adults at picking out the details. And then they connect to the photo. What does it remind them of? And they ask questions. Where is the photo taken? What are the people doing? Why was the photo taken? And then they make inferences and draw conclusions using I think. And so they develop critical thinking skills using evidence to draw conclusions and connect to what has been learned. And and thinking about what been like to be a kid during World War II, to have a brother or a dad gone for years and fighting overseas and and the family being worried.
00:18:28
Speaker
um We also, we were lucky because we had access to a diary. One of the students' great, or maybe great-great-grandmothers, was in Holland during the hunger winter, and she kept a diary of the events. And so we were able to read her account and compare it to the learning that we had gained from other primary and secondary sources. And students then drew images, their own images, for the dot for the diary. And as and as i mentioned earlier about the ethical dimensions, the the students really, this especially this year, deepened their ethical judgment and about the events
00:19:08
Speaker
and the decisions and actions that occurred during World War II and what lessons could be learned from that. And their written reflections allow them to think critically and analyze how the learning gained from the TULIP project has impacted their life and what they will do now with this new knowledge.
Tools and Resources for Historical Education
00:19:27
Speaker
Because um yes, it looks like we're so interested in the study and we're doing great work, but I want to know what you're going to do when you leave this classroom.
00:19:36
Speaker
And so they have a new historical consciousness that allows them to participate in social actions in ah in a much more and with much more informed understanding. And I would just like to read a few of their reflections.
00:19:53
Speaker
Torch of Compassion. I will remember the sacrifice and bravery of the Canadian soldiers and how they helped those who were suffering. During the hunger winter, Soldiers shared their own food with the starving Dutch and dropped boxes of food from the plains.
00:20:08
Speaker
I could imagine how grateful the Dutch were. The soldiers even stayed after liberation to help rebuild the Netherlands. I will carry the torch of compassion and help those who need kindness.
00:20:21
Speaker
Esther, age 8. and torch of remembrance. The war was wrong. I wish it did not happen. Six million Jewish people were killed for being who they are. I promise to celebrate differences and make everyone in my class feel welcome.
00:20:36
Speaker
I will be kind. I will keep the soldiers who lost their lives fighting for freedom and peace deep in my heart. I will carry the torch of remembrance by teaching others about World War two and the soldiers' bravery, service, and sacrifice.
00:20:52
Speaker
Logan, age nine. Now that I've been away from the project and as I read that, I i just got a little emotional.
00:21:04
Speaker
Yes, it's so special. Thank you for sharing sharing the words of your students. um It's just so moving. You've shared the ways that your students have used photographs and and primary source material in your classroom. What other resources do you use to support teaching and learning history and And how do you use them?
00:21:25
Speaker
there There are so many. and But first of all, and the and the most important is we move beyond the walls of the classroom. We go to people who know something to make it very real for students. And and as a result, we have developed so many friendships during the study. But I really would like to mention some that as a teacher have been very helpful to me.
00:21:48
Speaker
The first one is Canada's History Society website. There's a very um good article on analyzing a primary source, and I love the title. It's called The Anatomy of a Photograph.
00:22:01
Speaker
Not an Anatomy of a Flower, but Anatomy of a Photograph, teaching students how to analyze photographs. And we actually did that. Our school turned 100 years old, and so we found these historical photos and ended ran through the same process, but we had people who can answer are questions that had gone to that school. um The second resource is the Canadian Encyclopedia. There is a section, Think Like Historian, and it it features the Liberation of the Netherlands. Excellent article on photo analysis again, and using photographs as primary sources. And as I was going through that, I came in contact with um Molly Lam, who was a war artist.
00:22:41
Speaker
And I thought that i might that might become part of our study next year because she was um doing sketches of service women behind the scenes as they helped reconstruct the Netherlands, so using art.
00:22:53
Speaker
The other one was Historica Canada Memory Project. um Excellent article on how to do commemorative services, Remembrance Day in the Classroom, was very helpful as we were getting ready for our presentation. And Canada's History, Kayak 2020, the Second World War.
00:23:10
Speaker
a very fun approach to learning history. And it also in there it talked about um the role of women in World War two And it also stressed how life was hard for many veterans when they returned back and many had serious injuries and horrific memories. And and also the unjust treatment of the Indigenous veterans who felt that when they when they served, they were respected. But upon return, some of them did not even receive their veteran benefits. So it it just demonstrates that
00:23:43
Speaker
that the treatment of the Indigenous people in Canada had to change and so discussing that. Government of Canada Veterans page for educators, the youth remember the liberation of the Netherlands was really helpful because the the lessons were very simple and easy for a busy teacher to access and it also had them listed as age appropriate. Sometimes when teaching history, you need help in in determining is this appropriate for my age. For example, I would love to go deeper into the Holocaust because but my students are quite young.
00:24:20
Speaker
I have to be very mindful of how I navigate that. And so they provide some guidance guidance in in regard to that. And there was really interesting, the Veterans Second World War stories was of interest because we had actually met some of those veterans when we were at the Seaforth Armory. And it was sad that some of them have passed, but we were able to give their families with the footage, video footage of them interacting with the youth. and And once again, as I mentioned earlier, is real people, Mark Zelke, Adriana Zillmans, people who are emotionally connected to the TULIP project and the friendship between the two countries.
Empowering Students and Community
00:24:58
Speaker
I feel like that that leads really well into my my last question, talking about that emotional connection. And that's what is the impact that this project has had on your on your students, on on their learning, and and and on the community?
00:25:11
Speaker
Oh my goodness. Well, never in a million years would I have ever imagined that the TULIP project would grow to such a magnitude. It surprised me because the project mattered to everyone involved. And seven, eight, and nine-year-olds,
00:25:27
Speaker
are the leaders educating their community about Canadian history and caring for those who served and doing so with such confidence and grace and with voice and creativity and touching the hearts of their community. The the students knew they made a difference and they were empowered. And there were so many emails and phone calls coming from history professors, Dutch citizens, school board officials, veteran affairs, the Dutch Canadian Liberation Society,
00:25:57
Speaker
And even um the the Dutch Canadian Liberation Society, the President Adriana Zilmans and Vice President Eric van der Waen, they took the students, they created panels that honoured the students' paintings of the friendship between the countries.
00:26:13
Speaker
and which helped to commemorate Dutch Heritage Day, which is May 5th in um Canada. And these panels were put on our fence for the community to come and observe. And how cool is that for students to see their work displayed in such in such a powerful way? And I learned that because sometimes I'm teaching them, they're they're so engaged. And I said, why are you so interested? The recess bell rang. Don't you need to go? Like, what is it?
00:26:40
Speaker
And I learned that students are truly interested in history and they're deeply curious. They want to know what happened in the past. They want to make sense of it. They care about their country and the people in it. And they're very tenderhearted and they're passionate about giving voice to those who have suffered.
00:27:00
Speaker
And every time I have a new group of students they rush in as, when are we going learn about World War i And um each year they're inspired by the work of those who came before them. And they're always motivated to carry the torch of remembrance by educating and and commemorating and and working as ambassadors of peace and promising to stand against injustice and to celebrate differences and ask respectful questions and show gratitude or to Canadian veterans and
00:27:34
Speaker
And I guess most importantly to um to never forget because that is one of the fears of the veterans and the Holocaust survivors is this time in history will be forgotten. And I would just like to read another reflection from a student. touch Torch of Remembrance. I promise to carry the torch of remembrance. I will honour the fallen Canadian World War II soldiers who left their loved ones behind fighting from water, land and sky.
00:28:03
Speaker
losing their lives, liberating the Netherlands. They were young and brave, and now they rest with their comrades in the care of the grateful Dutch. Torch of Love After learning how World War II started, i will carry the torch of love. I will teach others that power is dangerous.
00:28:20
Speaker
Power can bring hatred and war. i will teach how kindness can bring love and peace. I choose to be kind. i want to live and play in a peaceful world.
00:28:31
Speaker
Magal, age 8. And the project, in terms of community, just from the beginning of the project, when we went to Seaforth Armory and the students got off the charter bus wearing their white t-shirts with the flags, I was so firm with them because I knew the TV stations were going to be there and reporters. And I said, do not act up. Be good. Promise me.
00:28:54
Speaker
And as we came in, um this lovely woman just came dashing toward us. and i And I was taken off guard because she had such a sense of urgency about her and she she, when she got to me she said, um my name is Amalia and I am a Holocaust survivor and i just want to thank your students for remembering and and doing such important work and she just rushed over to to speak with them and that was really um impactful and
00:29:25
Speaker
Just something about that we got to witness is we watched her thank Norm Kirby for liberating her and he's no longer alive, but he she had her hand on his shoulder. He had his hand on on her shoulder. She had her hand on her heart and it was it was um it was very powerful and very beautiful for the children to witness. And um also when we were there,
00:29:52
Speaker
The students were, if you were sick, you cannot come because that's when COVID was starting and to keep distance from the veterans. And however, after the students finished interviewing,
00:30:03
Speaker
Norm Kirby and Minister McCulley was escorting him off the stage. He broke away and and jumped off the off the stair, at least 97, and rushed over to my to my students and opened his arms, wanting to embrace them all and began shaking their hands. And the youth really do have an impact on our veterans and and the work is um is so meaningful. and And when children speak, for some reason, adults listen.
Reflecting on the Project's Success
00:30:30
Speaker
Mark Zelke, he writes in his his hope in the preface of one of his books in the Canadian Battle Series, victor um On to Victory in the Canadian Liberation of the Netherlands.
00:30:41
Speaker
He writes, I hope to enable readers of all ages to comprehend the reality of what those are now old endured and when they were young soldiers, wanting desperately to live and again see a world at peace. And I was some reflecting on that and I believe The students who participate in the TULIP project comprehend this reality and often i find a TULIP on my doorstep because I live in the community that I teach and I know that they remember and that the work mattered and that they will continue to commemorate and and not forget.
00:31:25
Speaker
what ah What a perfect note note to end on. Thank you so much, Debbie, for sharing your work and for sharing the Tulip Project with us. Thank you so much for having me.