Central High Trip First for MAT Students
Posted on 2/12/2008
Students in the Master of Arts in Teaching program visited Central High School in Little Rock last fall after discussing the school’s historic integration in 1957 and how they may face some of the same issues in today’s classrooms.
The students got up before daylight Nov. 16 to travel to Little Rock with Marcia Imbeau, associate professor of special education, and Linda Eilers, assistant professor of childhood education. Imbeau is an alumna of Central High. During the class discussion, the professors had learned that none of the students had been to Central.
“We met at the new Little Rock Central Visitors’ Center, which opened in September at the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the school’s integration, toured the school and spoke with the principal and assistant principal,” Imbeau said. “It was clear that the students were moved by the story of the Little Rock Nine but also about the issues that we are still dealing with today.”
The students originally planned to go to Little Rock the next day for a regional meeting of the International Reading Association but decided to go down a day early and “squeeze in some more learning,” Imbeau said.
The students also toured the Clinton Presidential Library. They were interns last semester at George, Harp and Smith elementary schools in Springdale. Grace Kerr, clinical instructor of childhood education who serves as university liaison at Harp, also accompanied the students to Little Rock.
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