In The News

By BRIDGET ORTIGO
While their students had a chance to enjoy the spoils of summer vacation, about 120 local teachers spent Monday learning how to add enthusiasm to the classroom.

Using everything from yesterday's newspaper to the Internet, the all-day summit at Region 7 Education Center showed teachers some unconventional ways to teach social studies for grades K-12.

"I want to show them that learning can be fun," said Penny Precopia, a world history teacher at Foster Middle School, as fellow teachers wrapped her in newspaper to look like Neil Armstrong.

"This exercise makes a great evaluation. You don't have to give an end of chapter test," added Donna Ashby, Region 7's gifted and talented specialist. Summit participants picked from eight sessions that focused on history, geography, economics and racism.

Elliot Dlin, executive director of the Holocaust Museum in Dallas, led a session on racism and the debate of nature versus nurture. Dlin outlined a high school curriculum that includes a song lyric by rapper Tupac Shakur and an episode of TV's "The Closer." He also recommended teachers have their students read Dr. Suess' "The Sneetches."

Dale Williamson, a member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, helped fellow member Tom Green present a lesson on the flags of Texas.

"Our state flag is the oldest in America. Every other state has changed theirs while Texas' has remained the same," Green said.

Instructor Rhonda Williams of Stephen F. Austin State University told teachers about the Web-based TIDES program, which offers more than 25,000 free lesson plans, documents, pictures and Mexican cultural material. All curriculum on the site is developed by certified teachers, many from East Texas, and all lessons fit within state guidelines, Williams said.

"No matter what the government's doing, you make a difference. You change lives," U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert said during a speech to kick off the event. Gohmert, whose mother, sister and wife were teachers, urged educators to spend the summer reviving their spark and passion for teaching.

Whitehouse history teacher Adam Brown said events like Region 7's summit offer important tools to teachers. "If I can learn at least one thing and take it back that could help the kids, it's worth it," Brown said.