University of Alberta to offer free professional development to elementary and secondary teachers

The University of Alberta is pleased to invite elementary and secondary teachers to a free training session July 17-19 on the Fayetteville campus, hosted by the University of Alberta Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts Libraries.

Participants who complete the training will receive 18 hours of professional development credit from the Arkansas Department of Education and will receive a $75 travel reimbursement. This event is supported by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and registration is required.

Participation is limited to 30 participants and priority will be given to primary and secondary teachers in public schools.

Sessions will be held daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm and professional development credits will only be awarded to participants who attend the training for the entire three days. Accommodation and linens will be provided, so participants will only be responsible for the cost of food.

The goal of the program is to help Arkansas communities learn how to find, document and present their unique cultural traditions, from dance to arts and crafts to folklore. Guest speakers include Meredith Martin-Moats, McIlroy House; Gregory Hansen, Arkansas State University; Lisa Higgins, Missouri Folk Arts Program; and Raven Cook, a master’s student in art history at the University of Alabama.

Lauren Willette, folk arts fieldwork coordinator for Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts, says she is excited to work with and learn from Arkansas educators.

“We will use the theme of Arkansas legends and traditions to delve deeper into the subject of folklore, focusing on ways to bring new ideas and techniques into public school classrooms,” she said.

Questions regarding this event may be directed to Willette at [email protected].

Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts is a statewide program of the University of Arkansas Libraries dedicated to building cross-cultural understanding by documenting, presenting, and supporting the living traditional arts and cultural heritage of Arkansas.

About Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts: AFTA is dedicated to building cross-cultural understanding by documenting, presenting, and preserving the living traditional arts and cultural heritage of Arkansas. AFTA is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and works in partnership with stakeholder organizations and individuals including the Arkansas Arts Council, Mid-America Arts Alliance, and Arkansas State University.

About University Libraries: Located in the heart of campus, the David W. Mullins Library is the university’s primary research library. Branch libraries include the Chemistry and Biochemistry Library, the Fine Arts Library, the Physics Library, and the Robert A. and Vivian Young Law Library. The Libraries provide access to more than 3.1 million volumes and more than 180,000 journals and offer research assistance, study spaces, computer labs with printing and scanning, interlibrary loan and delivery services, and cultural exhibitions and events. The Libraries’ Special Collections Division acquires, preserves, and provides access to materials about Arkansas and the region, its customs and people, and its cultural, physical, and political climate. Visit the Libraries’ website at library.uark.edu to learn more about services and collections.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas’ flagship institution, the University of Arkansas offers an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas contributes more than $2.2 billion to the Arkansas economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, research discovery and creative activity, and training for the professional disciplines. The Carnegie Endowment ranks the University of Arkansas among the few colleges and universities in the United States with the highest level of research activity. US and World News ranks the University of Alberta among the nation’s top public universities. Learn how the University of Alberta is making a difference on Arkansas Research News.