Midyear Teacher's Retreat at White Oak, February 2005
The 2005 Midyear Retreat brought teachers from across the state to White Oak Conference Center in Winnsboro. Participants reflected on their Teaching American History experience and shared lesson plans and teaching strategies with colleagues from the three regional Summer Institutes.
Friday night provided a relaxed atmosphere for participants to get to know one another. A bonfire, complete with s'mores, made the perfect backdrop for the weekend's sharing to begin. Lowcountry co-Master Teacher Becky Dingle and professional storyteller William Wilder entertained the group with tales designed to make your skin crawl, tickle your funny bone, and awaken the imagination to the power of finding history in the spoken word.
On Saturday, two guest speakers addressed creative ways to approach history in the classroom. Master Scholar Dr. Melissa Walker shared her own research for Country Women Cope With Hard Times: A Collection of Oral Histories and encouraged teachers to use oral history projects in the classroom. Dr. Kasey Grier, Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina, presented a unique approach to studying material culture. Read more about it in the What's New article: From the Boston Tea Party to Disposable Lids.
The day would not be complete without thanking all the participants for their hard work. The closing ceremonies included a slide show of the summer's activities, the presentation of certificates, the heartfelt appreciation for all in attendance expressed by Steering Committee Chairman Joel Walker and Project Director Marshall Angle. As the closing ceremony for the 2004 Summer Institute the retreat offered a chance for all to look back at the successes of the past year and to look forward in anticipation to the future.