Teachers take a school bus tour

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Teachers generally have weekends off. On Saturday, one group spent the day learning a new teaching tool for their students.

Area fourth grade teachers participated in a seminar followed by a bus tour to introduce the educators to Mobile's African-American history.

The training began with a seminar at the Museum of Mobile on Royal Street followed by the school bus tour, which showed the Mobile African-American Heritage Trail.

The purpose of the tour and seminar was to train all fourth grade teachers to function as guides for their students when they embark on the interactive educational tour.

The school bus tour is designed to complement the Mobile County School System's fourth grade Alabama history curriculum. It will also introduce students to Mobile's African-American history by including historical points of interest along the way.

Historical tour organizer Dora Finley told FOX10 News that these tours are an important teaching tool.

"We've developed several tours in order to share that story, the most crucial to us has been our school children. So that those children can understand the costs that have been paid by their ancestors," said Finley.

This educational tool was free to participating teachers thanks to a grant from the Alabama Humanities Foundation, the University of South Alabama Instructional Design Department, Museum of Mobile, and Mobile County.

Beginning in February, these field trips will be available to all fourth grade students in the Mobile County School System.