UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 38, Page 4
August 6, 1992
Summer teacher training

     From the tiny spider underfoot to the stars in the sky, there are
many ways to introduce themes about African-American culture and
heritage into the classroom. Using poetry, art, fashion, music,
stories, folklore and history Delaware teachers have been learning and
sharing some of these ways through the Teachers Summer Institute in
African-American Studies at the University.
     The five-credit course has been offered for the past 15 years by
the Black American Studies Program to give teachers historical
background and hands-on projects that promote understanding of black
American history and culture at all grade levels, according to program
director, James Newton.
     This year's session ended with the teachers making presentations
on ways to highlight black culture and incorporate it into the
curricula. Some of the projects involved books and stories.
     One teacher read a story about Anansi, the spider. The spider is
a favorite character in African folklore, she explained.
     "The Drinking Gourd," a slave song, was the inspiration for a
presentation incorporating music, social studies, mapping, astronomy
and mythology.
     According to legend, a slave who was known as Peg Leg Joe moved
from plantation to plantation encouraging slaves through his song to
seek their freedom.
     The drinking gourd referred to the Big Dipper, which in turn
pointed to the North Star. The slaves, who hid by day and traveled by
night, followed the North Star in their quest for freedom. References
in the song allude to the Tennessee and Ohio rivers for the escape
route, and spring, or when the first quail appeared, as the best time
to leave.
     The teacher suggested using the song as a springboard to learn
about the Underground Railroad, taking a class on field trips to see
and map the former sites in Wilmington. The lesson also suggested
teaching them some elementary astronomy by using a tin can ,
perforated paper and a flashlight to make the bear constellation which
includes the dipper. The constellations could ultimately be used to
teach mythology.
     For older children to continue the musical history lesson, she
introduced songs of the Jewish ghetto and concentration camps and
compared them with slave songs.
     "Teachers are the ones in the trenches, and the program uses
their expertise, by encouraging them to interact with each other and
exchange ideas, as well as learn about African-American history,"
Newton said. "The teachers in the program are enthusiastic and, by
integrating African-American heritage into the curriculum, they will
enrich their students' understanding and appreciation of black history
and culture."
     Teachers who particpated in the summer institute were:

     Roxanne Aggrey, undergraduate, College of Arts and Science;
     Georgia Hicks Brown, social worker, Christina School District;
     Paulette Brown, teacher, William Penn High School;
     Alison Burroughs, teacher, William Penn High School;
     Juanda Davis, teacher, Brader Elementary School;
     Steve Esmond, teacher, Tatnall School;
     Paige Hinton-Mason, teacher, Salem High School;
     Daryl Lloyd, teacher, New Castle Middle School;
     Jayne Marshall, teacher, Carrie Downes Elementary School;
     Elaine Metherall, Swarthmore College;
     Charlotte Nichols, teacher, Burnett Middle School;
     Sybil Pinkerton, teacher, Mount Pleasant Elementary School; and
     Elaine Szumonski, teacher, Brader Elementary School.

                                        -Sue Swyers Moncure