SAN FRANCISCO, June 17, 2002 -- Nearly a year after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, San Francisco State University next month will hold one of the country's first sessions for middle school and high school social studies teachers to help schoolchildren better understand the implications of the tragic, historical event. Several dozen teachers are expected to attend.

Serving as instructors for the "Understanding the World After September 11" summer academy July 15-19 at S.F. State will be S.F. State faculty experts in fields such as terrorism and its history, politics of the Middle East, American foreign policy and, women and Islamic culture.

"We plan to give teachers the background and context to help teach young people who all have so many thought-provoking questions about Sept. 11," said Genie Stowers, associate dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at S.F. State and organizer of the summer session. "Since some time has gone by since Sept. 11, we can now look at the significance and long-term consequences of that day."

S.F. State, known for its role in educating many of the Bay Area's schoolteachers, offers unique insight into helping social studies teachers prepare for classroom instruction and discussion as the new school year and the anniversary of Sept. 11 draw closer, said Stowers. "I believe that, like many other people, teachers have been overwhelmed by just trying to keep up with events and answer questions. Can you imagine being in a current events classroom last fall? For a social studies teacher, the job must have been enormous," said Stowers.

Among the topics the summer academy will cover include an overview of Sept. 11 and subsequent events, American foreign policy today and yesterday, the politics of the Middle East, women and Islamic culture, an overview of terrorism and its history, the role of the United Nations and other international organizations, the impact of events on American civil liberties and freedom of speech, implications for the U.S. economy and the global economy, the psychological impact of physical threats and governmental response to issues raised by Sept, 11.

Distinguished S.F. State faculty for the summer academy include former American Ambassador David Fischer, an authority on the roots of terrorism; Professor of International Relations Dwight Simpson, a widely quoted expert on the Middle East; Minoo Moallen, a scholar on Islamic fundamentalism and chair of women studies; Michael Graham, an authority on civil liberties and chair of political science; Joanne Aviel, an expert on the workings of the United Nations and chair of international relations; and Joel Kassiola, a noted scholar on social policy and dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.

In addition to those sessions, teachers will be able to work together as teams on curriculum development, instructional resource and review. Teachers will form subject-matter teams to work together to identify instructional resources and develop unit and lesson plans on topics related to Sept. 11. Teachers will have the advantage of working in S.F. State's state-of-the-art "Collaboratory," a unique high-tech, user friendly computer/boardroom facility designed to promote effective teamwork. Participants will be able to receive orientation and access to the Internet as well as to instructional and research resources. The teachers will have access to S.F. State's campus computer laboratory facilities and to the expertise of the university's Center for the Enhancement of Teaching, a popular center on the campus for faculty to help improve their teaching.

The summer academy sessions will all take place on the S.F. State campus, which is located at 1600 Holloway Ave. The fee is $375 per participant. Teachers can earn four units of continuing education credit through the university's College of Extended Learning. Advance registration is required. For more information, call (415) 338-1846.