Educators preparing for state history lessons

May 2, 2006

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU - Lessons from history often are difficult to unlock. For Alaska teachers charged with imparting Last Frontier history to high school students, instilling a sense of the state's past is filled with unique challenges.

&#8220So many kids up here are not born here, and they don't have a real strong connection to the state to begin with,” said Dave Stull, a social studies teacher at Su Valley Jr./Sr. High School.

Stull is one of hundreds of Alaska teachers preparing to teach mandatory Alaska history classes next year to high school students across the state. The courses are part of a new state requirement, mandating that students graduating by 2009 receive a half-credit in Alaska history, or demonstrate proficiency in the Alaska history performance standards.

The Alaska Humanities Forum joined a chorus of educators and high-profile Alaska citizens to strongly support the Alaska history requirements. They also developed an extensive Web site with teaching materials for Alaska history and cultural studies. This summer, they will offer two summer institutes to help Alaska history teachers as they begin new classes next year.

&#8220We are trying to reach all the teachers in the state that are teaching Alaska history so they have the benefits of hearing from Alaska historians and those who made Alaska history,” said Marjorie Menzi, project director at The Alaska Humanities Forum.

The five-day summer institute is free to those who are accepted. Participants also will receive a $300 stipend for finishing course work.

The institutes take place in June and August at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where state historians, geographers and master educators will work with teachers to give them ideas for how to unlock the stories of Alaska's yesteryear.

&#8220There is a wealth of information to be shared that helps generate enthusiasm for a subject matter that teachers may or may not have a background in,” Menzi said as she described the institute's goals. &#8220We want to help teachers be effective and enthusiastic in teaching Alaska's history.”

The Humanities Forum material covers state geography, various cultures, Russian colonies, territorial history, state government and modern Alaska history. State historians, authors and key citizens from Alaska's past helped develop the material over a period of several years. The goal is to assure that future generations draw from the traditions of the past in forging Alaska's future.

&#8220We want students who are participatory citizens in this state,” Menzi explained. &#8220These students are the ones who will take leadership soon.”

Stull participated in the first summer institute training course last June. He is one of 13 Mat-Su teachers who completed a summer institute session. Stull is now drawing from those training days as he develops lesson plans for next year.

&#8220I will take a lot from the Alaska Humanities Forum material,” he said. &#8220I also plan to incorporate other books and authors.”

Stull is particularly fond of all the original state documents compiled on the Humanities Forum Web site.

&#8220As I've been writing up lesson plans, there haven't been any places where I think we've been lacking or weak,” he said. &#8220I think we are going to have a good program.”

Those interested in participating in a summer institute can find out more about the program at www.akhf.org or by calling Menzi at (907) 586-1714. The application deadline for the June institute is May 10. Application deadline for the august session is May 31. The sessions are funded through grants by the Department of Education.

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266, or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.