Dixon Center hosts Alabama History Institute

What better place for Alabama teachers to learn about the importance of the Longleaf Pine than in the midst of a forest? That’s exactly where more than 30 educators find themselves this week as part of the four-day Alabama History Institute for Teachers being held at the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center.

Facilitators of the four-day workshop hope to provide participants with a hands-on learning experience, equipping them with new skills, ideas and techniques to take back to their classrooms this fall.

The Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center is the host for this year’s workshop, held for teachers of grades 3-5.

“We have kindergarten through high school teachers here as well,” Jessica Tucker, who is a master teacher and helps to facilitate the event, said.

This year’s theme is Alabama Longleaf Pine: A Closer Look.

“This is my second year participating in this workshop. It’s held for four days in the three summers leading up to Alabama’s Bicentennial,” Tucker said.

“Each year the workshop aims to train 300 teachers with immersive, hands-on learning experiences so that they can go back to their classrooms with new techniques.”

Begun in 2017, AHIs are facilitated by master teachers and content specialists and focus on topics ranging from early statehood to voting rights to agriculture and industry and beyond.

The workshop started on Mon., June 25 and ends on Thurs., June 28.

Across the state of Alabama, 12 institutes will be held as a part of Alabama’s Bicentennial Celebration.

Institutes are made possible in part by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Alabama will celebrate its bicentennial in 2019.