By: Mary Ann Cozza

Urban education students in assistant professor Colin Dalton's READ 3305: Foundations of Literacy classes visited Houston City Hall Monday, June 18, to view the Educating Houston: 1836-2011 exhibit which is on display there.

According to Dalton, the purpose of the trip was to allow students to view historic artifacts and photographs of important events in Houston's history of education, thereby providing the future teachers with a historical perspective on their role in the city's education. Dalton said that photographs clearly showing the segregation of black and white students, classes lacking the diversity of today's classrooms, large class sizes, and the formal attire worn by students generated the most discussion.

The field trip was also used as a model for the students to build prior knowledge before teaching a novel. The students will use what they saw at the exhibit to help them read and prepare literacy educational activities based on Mildred D. Taylor's novel "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry."

For more information, contact Dalton at daltonc@uhd.edu.