North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching.

              nccat

THE NORTH CAROLINA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF TEACHING

276 NCCAT Drive • Cullowhee, NC 28723- 9062 • Phone 828- 293- 5202 • www. nccat. org

FALL NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 4 • OCTOBER 2006

Back from the first run of one of NCCAT’s new

seminars, “ Capital Culture: Museum Resources of

Raleigh,” a group of teachers are now familiar with

the state capital’s many educational and enrichment

resources.

Sometimes these resources can be overlooked.

And often, even for teachers familiar with Raleigh’s

museums, it can be difficult to organize and fund a

class trip from Murphy, Manteo, or even Cary.

With this in mind, Dr. Jonathan Wade of the

NCCAT faculty and program associates Barbara

Macon and Linda Kinnear organized a thorough

exploration for teachers of museums and community

resources in Raleigh.

The teachers’ first stop, at the Prairie Ridge

Ecostation for Wildlife and Learning, was perhaps

the most unique. A field station of the North Carolina

Museum of Natural Sciences, the Ecostation was

conceived as a way to recreate a parcel of the prairies

that once covered much of the piedmont.

At Prairie Ridge, the teachers met Mike Dunn,

a museum educator for the Museum of Natural

Sciences, who led the teachers on a tour of the outdoor

classroom. The eco- friendly facility makes use of

recycled materials and rainwater collected in a cistern

onsite. At a demonstration pond, the teachers identified

species of insects and other aquatic life.

“ I loved the bugs and getting outside, the looking

and investigating. I can really see the kids doing that,”

said Media Specialist Laura DeStefano of Supply.

By Zach Laminack

NC’s museum resources

During an NCCAT seminar,

teachers Sheila Vaught and Laura DeStefano

study one of the many species of insects.

PHOTO BY BARBARA MACON

E x p l o r i n g

( continued on page 2)

www. nccat. org

Guided by Artspace’s IlaSahai

Prouty, teacher Rich McElfresh

sinks his hand into gel used to

create molds for life casting.

Up- close study of a Cecropia moth

caterpillar at the North Carolina

Museum of Natural Sciences.

According to a spokesperson for the

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences,

plans call for the future residential facility to

provide programming and allow students and

teachers from across the state to see this unique

environmental education site.

After Prairie Ridge and the Museum of Natural

Sciences, the teachers traveled to the Museum

of Art, where they studied techniques useful

for viewing art and for using art as a way to

inspire critical thinking in young learners. In the

classroom space of the museum, teachers learned

about ArtNC, an online resource sponsored by the

museum, which includes interdisciplinary lesson

plans and other curriculum materials for grades K– 12 and printable images for use in the

classroom.

The teachers also visited Artspace, a nonprofit visual art center dedicated to

presenting quality exhibitions and educational programs within an open- studio

environment. As the teachers discovered, Artspace approaches that goal from a different

angle, preferring a hands- on approach over the more traditional lecture setting.

“ We have thirty- five artists who work here in the building and have studio spaces

here, and we invite the public to come in, see art being created, and learn about the

creative process. We serve schools, teachers, the community, and we invite them to use

our artists as resources. We also do summer programs, outreach programs

with youth in the community, and put on almost thirty exhibitions per

year,” said Lia Newman, director of programs and exhibitions.

The “ Capital Culture” seminar also introduced the teachers to a variety

of online resources especially beneficial to those who live a long bus ride

away from Raleigh. Online museums are available through LEARN North

Carolina and North Carolina ECHO, Exploring Cultural Heritage Online.

A resource from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s

School of Education, LEARN NC features lesson plans, articles, online

courses, and more— all downloadable for free. Also on the LEARN NC

website is a link featuring virtual field trips through Discover NC!, a

website that allows users to view and interact with museum resources in counties across

North Carolina, and provides links to NC ECHO, another good resource for teachers.

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NCCAT Fall News

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NC Museums Online

LEARN NC— www. learnnc. org

NC ECHO— www. ncecho. org

ArtNC— www. ncartmuseum. org/ artnc

Museum of History— www. ncmuseumofhistory. org

Museum of Natural Sciences— www. naturalsciences. org

Raleigh City Museum— www. raleighcitymuseum. org

PHOTOS BY BARBARA MACON

www. nccat. org

Broadway bound

During an NCCAT seminar held

in New York City in August, teachers

learned part of a Broadway stage

routine from two of the nation’s top

dance masters. The lesson, from Mindy

Cooper and Gregory Butler ( at right

with teachers) of the smash hit show,

Chicago: The Musical, was one of the

activities in a seminar appropriately

titled “ On Broadway!”

During their experience, the

teachers gained insights into

perspectives of the performers,

directors, costume designers,

producers, choreographers, and others

involved in the creation of major

productions. The seminar featured a

rare opportunity for the teachers, thanks to William Ivey Long, a member of the Board

of Directors of the NCCAT foundation. The widely acclaimed Tony award- winning

costume designer invited them into his home and design studio for one of their

seminar sessions. Long, one of North Carolina’s most famous native sons, and his

associate, Donald Sanders, have been instrumental in the development of NCCAT’s

“ On Broadway!” seminar, now in its second year. The experience offers the teachers

who participate a rare opportunity to meet and learn from the nation’s top dance,

costume, and theatre professionals, and discover ways to nurture student talent.

In comments he wrote about the seminar, Cleve Davis of Hope Mills, one of the

participants, said that the experience gave

him a much greater appreciation for the

many contributions of theatre to our culture.

“ Theatre lifts the human spirit, elevating the

soul to travel, the mind to grow, and the heart

to explore emotions,” he wrote. “ This week

was a journey where I think we all need to

venture within ourselves, and only theatre

can do this.”

Michele Hutchinson of Rockingham,

wrote that the seminar reminded her that

studying the arts can benefit students.

“… I will definitely encourage my students

to pursue their interests in the arts. More

importantly, I will provide many more

opportunities for my students to experience

the arts in my classroom,” she wrote. “ I

will be more aware of my students who are

creative and have a fire inside.”

October 2006

NCCAT Fall News

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PHOTOS BY BARBARA MACON

Below: At Tricorne Inc., in New

York City’s Garment District,

participants listen intently during

a discussion of the intricate

process involved in taking a

costume design from illustration to

finished product.

William Byrum ( center)

accepts the certificate and vase

commemorating the endowment

of the scholarship created in

his name. With him are Willis P.

Whichard ( left) of Chapel Hill,

vice president of the Development

Foundation of NCCAT, and Dr.

Kenneth Wells of Manteo, chairman

of the NCCAT Board of Trustees.

A. Craig Phillips got his nickname,

“ Old Fossil,” from his family on

his eightieth birthday. Before that

he was known as “ The Chief” for

serving as the state’s top public

education official.

Byrum scholarship is endowed

An Honored Educator Scholarship at NCCAT

is named for one of Perquimans County’s most

respected educators, William Byrum.

The pastor of Whiteville Grove Baptist

Church in Belvidere, Byrum has served on the

Board of Education of Perquimans County for

six years, including three years as chairman.

He was principal at Perquimans County High

School for thirty years. After his retirement, he

served as a testing coordinator and as a special

assistant to the superintendent. His lifelong

contributions to public education and his service

to his community were celebrated during a June

ceremony at the Perquimans County Schools office.

“ William Byrum has been a friend of public education in Perquimans County for

more than four decades,” said Wells, superintendent of Perquimans County Schools.

“ He has faithfully served students, teachers, and our community as a classroom

teacher, high school principal, central office administrator, and currently as a board

member of the Perquimans County Board of Education.”

The scholarship was endowed when it reached $ 25,000. Most of the funds were

contributed by Byrum’s former students and fellow teachers and administrators who

were pleased to have the opportunity to honor one of the county’s most admired

citizens. The scholarship, to be awarded annually to the Perquimans County Teacher of

the Year, provides an NCCAT seminar experience and $ 250 for classroom use.

Phillips scholarship golf tourney

raises $ 8,000

Dr. A. Craig Phillips, former superintendent of

Charlotte- Mecklenburg schools, and superintendent of

the State Board of Education for twenty years, hit the

links with other golfers in June for the “ Old Fossil”

Golf Tournament named for him.

The event at the Longleaf Golf and Country Club

in Southern Pines raised almost $ 8,000 to benefit

the Honored Educator Scholarship fund at NCCAT that is named for Phillips in

recognition of his service to the state. The scholarship fund will become endowed

when it reaches $ 25,000. Special thanks go to John Marentette, the PGA director of

golf at the country club, and to Jim Simeon, who coordinated the tournament. Others

serving on the tournament committee were Bryce Cummings, Bob Boyd, Andy

Phillips, Reeves McGlohon, George Norris, and David Bryant.

The event was such a success that next year’s “ Old Fossil” tournament already

has been scheduled for June 19, 2007, on the same course. For more information,

contact Greg Bauguess in the NCCAT Development office at 828- 293- 5202, email

bauguessg@ nccat. org, or Jim Simeon at 910- 693- 9910.

NCCAT Fall News

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PHOTO BY BRENDA LASSITER

www. nccat. org

Chappo and Dalton join faculty

Historian John Chappo and fiber artist Jane Dalton were recently named center

fellows at NCCAT. They join a faculty of twelve members who research, design,

and implement more than ninety residential seminars each year to renew teachers’

enthusiasm for teaching and provide them with new knowledge for the classroom.

Chappo has worked in a variety of fields including human

resources, financial planning, and education. From 2001 until

2003, he chaired the social studies department at Horizon

Science Academy of Cleveland, Ohio. While in graduate school

at the University of Southern Mississippi for the past two years,

he taught undergraduate sections of survey courses in American

and world history.

He received his bachelor’s degree in history from Eastern

Michigan University and his master’s degree from the University of Southern

Mississippi, where he is currently completing his Ph. D. in history.

Dalton has taught at Augustana College in Rock Island,

Illinois, the Out of Door Academy in Sarasota, Florida, and the

Cary Academy in Cary. Her work has been featured in shows

and exhibitions around the country, including Duke University’s

Louise Jones Brown Gallery and the North Carolina Museum

of Art. It also is included in the permanent collections of the

Affiliated High School of Peking University in China, the SAS

Institute in Cary, and other locations. She is co- author with Lyn

Fairchild of a book, The Compassionate Classroom.

Dalton received her bachelor’s degree from Augustana College and her Master

of Fine Arts degree from the School for American Craftsman, Rochester Institute of

Technology. She earned K– 12 teaching certification from the University of Iowa.

Thirty schools honored

Thirty North Carolina schools

will be receiving special certificates

and a personal thank you this year,

thanks to loyal NCCAT alumni who

led efforts on behalf of the Annual

Fund in their schools.

The schools are known as

Golden Apple Schools, a designation

made when all of the NCCAT

alumni at a school participate in

the Annual Fund. To qualify for

Golden Apple designation, schools

must have a minimum of four

teachers who are NCCAT alumni.

For information about becoming

a Golden Apple School, contact: Dee Grantham by phone at 828- 293- 5202 or email

granthamd@ nccat. org.

NCCAT Fall News

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October 2006

Fred A. Anderson Elementary, Bayboro

Asheboro High, Asheboro

Roger R. Bell Elementary, Havelock

Bethel Elementary, Midland

Durant Road Elementary, Raleigh

Easton Elementary, Winston- Salem

Enfield Middle, Enfield

First Flight Elementary, Kill Devil Hills

Gateway Education Center, Greensboro

Hunter Elementary, Raleigh

Holbrook Elementary, Fort Bragg

Leaksville- Spray Elementary, Eden

McNair Elementary, Fort Bragg

Meadowlark Elementary, Winston- Salem

Morrison Correctional Institution, Hoffman

2005- 2006 Golden Apple Schools

Mountain View Elementary, Jefferson

Newton- Conover Middle, Newton

North Buncombe Elementary, Weaverville

North Chatham Elementary, Chapel Hill

North Ridge Elementary, Raleigh

Oakwood Elementary, Hickory

Pope Elementary, Fort Bragg

Sedgefield Elementary, Greensboro

Stoneville Elementary, Stoneville

Timber Drive Elementary, Garner

Union Elementary, Clinton

Vandora Springs Elementary, Garner

Warlick School, Gastonia

West Brunswick High, Shallotte

Wintergreen Primary, Greenville

www. nccat. org

Webs ite has

new loo k

Check out the new

NCCAT website

www. nccat. org

We’ve been working

diligently to make

our website more

user- friendly and

informative.

It’s an ongoing

process, so stay tuned

as we continue

to refine our web

presence to best serve

our audiences.

www

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NCCAT Fall News

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Living history on the Missouri

Beth Floyd of Fairmont readies herself for canoeing

with other teachers- turned- explorers during a six- day

history seminar that retraced part of the nineteenth century

route of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. She was

among a group of twenty- five teachers in “ Caught Up in

the Current: Traveling with Lewis and Clark” held in June

in Montana.

During the seminar, reading and discussions of history

were paired with the physical challenges of paddling

and making camp alongside the Missouri River. For

the teachers, the experience created a different kind of

classroom than the ones they’re accustomed to, one where

experience is a valuable lesson.

The teachers began their trip in Great Falls at the

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive

Center, where they studied President Jefferson’s vision for

westward expansion and the travels of Lewis and Clark.

After studying the museums in Great Falls, the teachers

set out to relive the journey for themselves via canoe, and

wound up with an experience that has helped them see

both the landscape and the contributions of history in a

whole new way.

Alumna takes her NCCAT experience back to school

Looking back, Maggie Harder says that “ Learning

on the Fast Track,” the NCCAT seminar she attended

two years ago, wasn’t her first choice at the time. The

activities had a science emphasis and involved the

laws of motion and building model cars. An English-as-

a- second- language specialist, she thought at first

that she would be better suited in a writing seminar.

But two years later she says her experiences have

benefited students at Estes Hills Elementary in Chapel

Hill. Harder volunteered to work with a group her

school describes as “ fragile learners,” who needed

extra motivation. A study of cars definitely held their

attention. On Friday mornings for several weeks

Harder recreated activities from the NCCAT seminar.

The students built and raced model cars, some of

which ran on solar energy, others powered by air- filled balloons. “ All of their

teachers said that these students were really excited and couldn’t wait for Fridays,”

she said. The activities motivated them to learn.

PHOTO BY SANDRA BOWLING

www. nccat. org

Harder at NCCAT in 2004

PHOTO BY NATALIE ELDERS

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October 2006

Ocracoke revovations progress

Construction crews have been hard at work in Ocracoke over the

past few months. Much progress has been made at the former U. S.

Coast Guard Station, which will host NCCAT seminars for teachers

when it opens in 2007. Workers have framed interior walls and

installed plumbing and electrical rough- ins. In the coming months,

they will focus on exterior siding, window and door installation,

and roofing.

When complete, the new campus will include housing for

twenty- four visiting teachers, several seminar rooms, office space, a

commons area, kitchen facility, and a dining hall. The facilities will

make use of an environmentally friendly geothermal energy system.

This features an underground network of water- filled pipes that take

advantage of the fairly constant temperatures beneath the Earth’s

surface to provide heating and cooling for the buildings.

Top teachers discuss character, leadership

North Carolina Teacher of the Year Diana Beasley

of Conover leads a brainstorming session about the

qualities of human character during “ Leadership,

Creativity, and Change,” a seminar held in June.

Using what is known as a fishbone diagram, the

participants, teachers of the year from regions across

the state, marked such qualities as honesty, integrity,

and courage.

The seminar focused on leadership as an integral

part of being recognized as one of the state’s

outstanding teachers. Participants were charged with

modeling their successful teaching practices in order

to make positive changes in their schools.

PHOTOS BY CLAYTON GASKILL

NCCAT Executive Director

Dr. Mary McDuffie and

Alton Ballance, coordinator of

the Ocracoke campus, check on

construction.

Workers are making rapid progress restoring the Ocracoke facility.

PHOTO BY BLAKE MADDEN

www. nccat. org

nccat Ocober 2006

The North Carolina Center for the

Advancement of Teaching

276 NCCAT Drive

Cullowhee, NC 28723- 9062

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PERMIT NO. 1

Coming in 2007— Alumni Weekend Seminars

At an Alumni Weekend Seminar held last year, teachers had an opportunity

to connect with colleagues from all over the state while learning to play musical

instruments from other lands. If you’re one of our alumni ( teachers who have

participated in NCCAT’s residential seminars), you’ll be

receiving a brochure about the 2007 events being planned

just for you. Held in three parts of the state, they promise

an activity- filled weekend focused on topics of interest. The

schedule includes “ New Year, New You: Renewing Our

Commitment to Healthy Living,” January 12– 14, 2007, at

Pinehurst Resort; “ The Beaches Are Moving,” February

16– 18, 2007, at Sheraton Atlantic Beach; and “ Music of the

Mountains,” March 23– 25, 2007, at NCCAT. Alumni are

invited to attend one seminar of their choice. Watch your mail

this fall for a brochure including registration information.

NCCAT • FALL NEWSLETTER

Volume 19 • Number 4 • October 2006

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching

Published by: The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching

276 NCCAT Drive, Cullowhee, NC 28723- 9062

Phone: 828- 293- 5202 Toll Free: 800- 922- 0482 Fax 828- 227- 7363.

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching is a unit of

The University of North Carolina

Dr. Mary D. McDuffie, Executive Director

An Equal Opportunity Institution

24,000 copies of this public document were printed

at a cost of $ 3,420 or $ 0.14 per copy

Address newsletter inquiries to: Christy McCarley, Editor.

E- mail: mccarley@ nccat. org

PHOTO BY TOOTIE WATSON

www. nccat. org