Seminar tutors teachers in economics

BANGOR – Helping students understand global economics is the goal of a new five-week seminar for middle and high school social studies teachers that begins Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Bangor High School.

As part of the series, “The Global Economy: Cases Old and New,” economists, historians, business leaders and state policymakers will lead discussions on how technological and political advances have changed the economic, political and geographic global landscape.

The classes, which will run from 4 to 7:30 p.m., were created by the Maine Council on Economic Education and by Primary Source, a nonprofit organization that promotes history and humanities education by connecting educators to people and cultures throughout the world, particularly East Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The curriculum was developed based on surveys of area social studies teachers who were asked what type of economics curriculum would be most useful to them, said Ryan Bradeen, director of Maine Programs for Primary Source.

Teachers felt the “most unprepared” with the international trade portion of the Maine Learning Results academic standards, said Bradeen, whose Bangor office provides materials and resources and offers seminars, workshops, and study tours for educators who teach kindergarten through grade 12.

Among those participating in panel discussions during the classes will be University of Maine Provost John Mahon who will discuss doing business in the 21st century. He will be paired with representatives from L.L. Bean and Hannaford Bros. Co. who will explain how Maine businesses are responding to changes in the economic climate and the technological environment and how the nature of work in American corporations is changing.

Another week’s panel will include representatives from UM’s Bureau of Labor Education, the United Technologies Center in Bangor and the Maine International Trade Center who will discuss how changes in the international economic landscape affect Maine workers.

Curriculum material and ideas on how to use the topics in the classroom will be provided.

Teachers interested in attending the conference may e-mail Bradeen at Maine@primarysource.org or telephone him at 942-7146.