Colonial Williamsburg Offers Teachers a Submersion in History

Many history teachers are going back to school - and back in time.

Each year, Williamsburg, Va. hosts summer training in early American history for teachers. The setting is fitting - the town itself operates as a giant history museum, restored to its 18^th-century feel. Town residents play the role of slaves, soldiers, and tradesmen for tourists and teachers alike.

Fifth-grade teacher Susan Carvey said the town's unique character helps with her own learning during the summer session.

"It completely changed the way I teach," Carvey, a teacher from Southlake, Texas, said. "Every time I come back, it adds another layer of teaching I can use in my classroom."

The program, which has existed since 1990, caters to both elementary and high school teachers, who take advantage of both Williamsburg and historic sites in the surrounding area. During the week-long program, which takes place in several different sessions throughout the summer, educators visit the site of the Jamestown Settlement, as well as the Great Hopes Plantation in Williamsburg itself. Teachers are housed in the town, submerging them in history even further.

Program officials said teachers pay $1,900 for the program, but many have their tuition offset by governmental grants for history teachers.

Tab Broyles, a director with the program, said Williamsburg offers teachers something they can't get elsewhere.

"The all-out effort by our staff provides the inspiration for teachers to return to the classroom and inspire students who will be our future citizens and leaders," he said.

During the sessions, teachers learn from the history of the area. The program provides primary documents, maps, and other materials and asks teachers to draw conclusions about the documents' owners. At the end of the session, teachers receive a copy of all the materials on CD to bring back to the classroom.

"We provide (teachers) with new methods for teaching history and ways in which to make the stories of our past relevant to students," Broyles said.

Port Washington, Wis. Teacher Beth Breuer said she found the week enlightening.

"It provided tremendous inspiration for me but also provided me with the means to inspire my students," she said.

The town of Colonial Williamsburg has operated since 1926. It has become a popular tourist destination as well, drawing visitors with its nearly 500 different restored buildings across more than 300 acres of land. The town employs 3,500 different historians, archaeologists and actors to try and ensure a historically-accurate experience for educators and tourists.

Sources:
http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?beat=BEAT_TRAVEL&view=LATEST&resourceid=3450177
http://www.history.org/history/teaching/tchsti.cfm
http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/visit/tourTheTown/tour.cfm