Attention Teachers!
Southern Studies Teacher Institute Scheduled for Summer 1997
Teachers participating in the 1997 Southern Studies Teacher Institute at the University of Mississippi will discover riches sure to enhance their classrooms back home. Set for June 22-27 on the Oxford campus, the Southern Studies Teacher Institute is an interdisciplinary program that provides opportunities for elementary and secondary teachers from all over the country to explore the latest scholarship on the history and culture of Mississippi and the South.
A
day-long excursion to the Mississippi Delta has been a regular part of
the two previous institutes, but this year's trip will supply a prototype
for teachers to use with students studying their own region, said coordinator
Charlene Dye. Historical and cultural geography scholar Rob Brown of Louisiana
State University will lead teachers in exploring how the geography of the
Delta influenced the people and how they affected the geography. "This
day in the Delta will provide a model teachers can use anywhere,"
said Dye. "Our goal is to provide a model for teachers to use to help
their students see what is available in their own backyards, so to speak."
The institute also includes a trip to Memphis. Additionally, teachers will have the opportunity to explore new teaching strategies and the use of blues music, folk art, documentary films, and other materials; expand their knowledge of American history and the field of Southern Studies; collect new teaching resource materials; and understand the roots of blues music and its international influence.
"Kenneth Jackson, the Memphis musician and educator who was our driving force last year, will be back to actively involve participants in using blues music in the classroom," said Dye. Among the other faculty are professors from various departments at the University, the curator of William Faulkner's home, Rowan Oak, and a historical photographs consultant. The exact registration cost for the Southern Studies Teacher Institute has not been set, pending outside funding. However, Dye said it will be in the $150-$275 range, which includes the week of instruction, two field trips, the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, a four-volume set of Mississippi Writers, a three-volume set of blues records, and three group meals. For more information or to register, contact Dye by telephone (601-232-1047), fax (601-232- 5138) or e-mail (cdye@olemiss.edu).
Jennifer Bryon Owen
