PORTLAND – The Maine Humanities Council’s “Teachers for a New Century” offers Maine teachers K-12 content-rich professional development programs. Beginning on Thursday, March 3, the spring series will focus on such subjects as interpreting documentary film, bringing Native American studies into the curriculum and following in Walt Whitman’s footsteps through Civil War Washington.

The seminars will be led by independent scholars and faculty from Bowdoin College and the University of Southern Maine and are designed to improve teaching by introducing new material and encouraging lively discussion in a collegial setting.

The first, “Using Documentary Film, Photography and Oral History in the Classroom,” will be held from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Glickman Library, University of Southern Maine.

The second seminar, planned for Thursday, March 31, will take place at the Topsham Public Library from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Maine schools are required by the state to teach Native American studies, yet few schools have the resources or the teacher expertise to meet that mandate. The Maine Humanities Council has planned an all-day seminar on “Native Americans in Maine.”

“Walt Whitman’s Civil War” will be the topic for the seminar from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at Bowdoin College in Brunswick.

All programs are open to Maine educators grades kindergarten through 12. A nominal registration fee is charged to offset the cost of the seminars and includes breakfast or lunch and, where applicable, a copy of the book or text.

Teachers participating in the seminars earn continuing education credits.

Preregistration is required at least 24 hours prior to the seminar. For more information about the programs or to register, contact the Maine Humanities Council at 1-866-637-3233.

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