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| Serving Callaway County communities since 1875. | www.fultonsun.com | Saturday, July 04, 2009 |
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Local teacher learns from Washington elite By CHRIS WALLER The Fulton Sun
Last week, Wright received a unique opportunity to meet some of the figures of American history that she lectures about to her students. Wright was one of 30 teachers selected nationwide to attend a seminar on the American judiciary system in Washington D.C. During this seminar, Wright was able to meet and discuss the future of the American educational system with Sandra Day O'Connor, the first women to be appointed to the US Supreme Court. “Meeting Justice O'Connor was a dream come true,” Wright said. “Discussions of her appointment helped shape my civic education in elementary school. “Now as a teacher and mother of 11-year-old twin daughters, I enjoy teaching my students and children about the contribution of women to our government.” Wright first heard about the meeting - which was sponsored by the Sandra Day O'Connor Project at Georgetown Law School - through the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, another supporter of the project. “I got involved looking for professional development opportunities,” Wright said. “I use the Gilder Lehrman Web site because they have a large collection of American history documents I use in the classroom.” “I had to send in letters of recommendation, transcripts and essays that I have written throughout my career,” she said. “It was a long process, but well worth it.” The seminar provided Wright plenty of supplemental material to use in her classes about American government, including discussions with O'Connor about the judicial system and a lecture from Pulitzer Prize-winning scholar Jack Rakove about the Constitution. “It was a great opportunity to learn more,” Wright said. “We had lectures, readings and discussions about the things we teach.” Even though the experience yielded classroom material, she saw it more as a learning opportunity for herself. “I got graduate credit for it in American history,” she said. “I already have a masters degree in teaching, but mostly I just like to do a little bit of learning when I can.” |
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