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Alabama Master Teacher Experience (AMTE) 2025

Program Information & Registration Links

The Alabama Master Teacher Experience (AMTE) is a dynamic, residential professional development program that brings together faculty from all Alabama Community College System institutions for an intensive week of collaborative learning, reflection, and teaching innovation. Now in its 22nd year, AMTE continues to foster excellence in instruction by uniting educators in a retreat-style environment focused on sharing best practices and enhancing classroom impact.

Faculty from all ACCS institutions are invited to attend the Alabama Master Teacher Experience hosted by 51½ÖÉä in Rainsville, Alabama.

About AMTE

The Alabama Master Teacher Experience program has played a role in developing faculty members at all 24 member institutions of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) for over 20 years. The philosophical foundations that drive the professional development activities of AMTE are based on three basic premises set forth by Roger Garrison:

• Excellent teaching takes place in American higher education.
• Teachers striving for mastery of their craft have much to share.
• Bringing teachers together in a relaxed, informal atmosphere to share their successes and their experiences enhances the skills of all.

Accommodations

Participants will be staying at Scottsboro’s Goose Pont Colony Resort. Located on the banks of the Tennessee River’s beautiful Lake Guntersville and nestled into the picturesque Cumberland Mountains, Goose Pond Colony Resort awaits your arrival. Goose Pond Colony is a municipally owned resort that will take your breath away. With two beautiful 18-hole championship golf courses, comfortable lakeside cottages, lodge, relaxing waterfront campground, walking trail, full-service marina, meeting facilities, The Docks Restaurant, swimming pool, beach area and Lake Guntersville, we are all you need for a relaxing vacation or one day outing. .

Transportation

Participants are responsible for transporting themselves to Scottsboro, AL on Monday, July 14th for the start of the program. Once participants arrive, all transportation is provided by us! Sit back and let someone else drive for the week!

Cost

Conference registration is $750. The fee covers the total cost of tuition, supplies, shared room accommodations, and all meals. Registration is non-refundable, but it is transferable. Checks should be made payable to 51½ÖÉä with AMTE in the memo line.

Homework Preparation Before Attending

Participants will be assigned homework to prepare in advance and engage in an intensive week of engaged discussions and activities centered around teaching and learning. More information about the homework assignments will be sent to the email address you provide.

Homework Information Link

(Homework will be made avaiable no later than 2 weeks before the start of the program.)

Why Does This Program Work?

• Seminar participants actively share their expertise and can teach and learn from instructors from every discipline offered by ACCS institutions.
• Participants gain cross-disciplinary experience in a positive and productive environment free from distractions.
• Diversity generates creative thinking.
• The collective wisdom and experience of the group surpass any individual approach.
• The relaxed setting allows for constructive reflection about their approach to teaching.
• The Master Teacher Movement is characterized by spontaneous ignition of ideas, clear communication, and shared leadership.
• Though it is a retreat-like setting (this is not a vacation), participants will be in some form of activity or session from 8:00 in the morning to nearly 10:00 p.m. each evening.

Note About Share Accommodations

Please note that this is a residential program, so you should plan to stay with us for the duration of the program. You will share a room with another participant, so do not plan to bring friends or family with you.

• Many participants expressed concern about rooming with another adult. However, this is part of the residential program embraced by the Alabama Master Teacher Experience. If you are not willing to share a room with another participant while attending the program, perhaps AMTE is not for you. Participants find that having a roommate puts them back in the "college dorm" frame of mind and leads them to share many instructional ideas and questions that they might not otherwise share.
• Please be aware that the Alabama Master Teacher Experience is truly an experience; you will be in sessions day and night. Therefore, you will not be spending long hours in your room with the roommate.

Instructions Regarding Summer Work Responsibilities

To fully benefit from the Alabama Master Teacher Experience, you must set aside your normal teaching duties. If you live in or near Rainsville, you are still expected to stay onsite. You should not plan to perform any parts of your job during your week away – no teaching of online classes other than to respond to messages and/or emails at night. It is our recommendation that you make arrangements for your courses for the week that you will be attending AMTE. Participants must commit to full engagement in AMTE for the week in order to gain all of the benefits from the experience.

Questions/More Information

For questions, please contact:

• Derrick Griffey, Director, Alabama Master Teacher Experience
  • ·¡³¾²¹¾±±ô:Ìýmasterteacher@nacc.edu
  • Phone: (256) 392-6833 or (256) 439-6833

Use the links below for more information: 

• (Please Share with Colleagues)
• (Downloadable PDF)