from Inquiry, Volume 6, Number 1, Spring 2001
© Copyright 2001 Virginia Community College System
Summer of 2001 will mark the tenth anniversary of
The Virginia Master Teacher Seminar. Sponsored by Southside Virginia Community
College since 1991, over 350 teachers from 27 states have attended the five-day
long seminar. Virtually every possible teaching discipline has been represented
in the past ten years. From artists to welders, from architects to zoologists,
teachers of all ages and persuasions have gathered on the genteel campus of
Hampden-Sydney College for an exploration of the art and craft of teaching. Six
schools from across the nation send faculty every year. Indiana, Alabama, New
Jersey, and Georgia expressed the most impressive form of flattery; they copied
the seminar in their own states.
Originated in 1962 by Roger Garrison at Westbrook College in Portland, Maine,
the sole aim of the residential program is the practical exploration of ways to
improve teaching. Central to the master teacher philosophy is the belief that
teachers have much to share and that bringing them together in a relaxed,
informal atmosphere to share experiences and to demonstrate successes will
enhance the skills of all. Limited to 35 participants to maintain the mission of
in-depth exploration of teaching, the seminar is a relaxing, yet invigorating
mix of professional, social, and personal development.
The $650 fee covers tuition, private room, and full dining privileges for the
entire seminar. Two full scholarships in the name of Johnnie E. Merritt, CVCC
past President, is sponsored by the Executive Board of the Virginia Community
College Association. For additional information or registration, contact:
Dr. W. Terry Whisnant, Director
The Virginia Master Teacher Seminar
Southside Virginia Community College
109 Campus Drive
Alberta, Virginia 23821