Author: Brooke Sauer, Durham School of the Arts
Attending the Biscuits & Banjos Festival was a transformative experience and a powerful reminder of the innate human connection provided by food and music. As a science teacher in Durham Public Schools, where my students come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, I’m always seeking ways to make science relevant, relatable, and inclusive. This festival not only gave me ideas of ways to incorporate culture into my classroom, but provided me with a renewed sense of connection with my fellow educators and with the deeper purpose of what we do in the classroom.
It was a reminder that the history we teach in classrooms is not abstract—it is rooted in real people, real places, and real pain, many of which are just a few miles from where our students live and learn.
We weren’t in workshops “sitting & getting” information; we were gathered around the dinner table, sharing stories about the roles that music and food play in our own traditions, offering examples of how to use culture as a form of resistance, and discussing how we might incorporate local history and cultural narratives into our curriculum. We found that we were all trying to bridge academic and cultural divides in our classrooms. Thus, the exposure to images, recipes, music, and Southern traditions provided by this professional development served as a reminder of the common thread of the human experience–something which we could capitalize upon in our classrooms to build a sense of community and help us bridge those divides between our students. I left not just with new classroom strategies and ways to use my festival experience in the classroom, but with a deep sense of camaraderie and a network of educators who reminded me that I’m not in this work alone.
A highlight of the weekend, and one that deeply resonated with me both personally and professionally, was the opportunity to tour the Stagville Historic Site, managed by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR). Located right here in Durham County, Stagville was once one of the largest plantations in the South. Walking through its preserved buildings and grounds was a sobering and powerful experience. It was a reminder that the history we teach in classrooms is not abstract—it is rooted in real people, real places, and real pain, many of which are just a few miles from where our students live and learn. Combined with my weekend at the Biscuits & Banjos Festival, this experience reminded me that culture—when honored and thoughtfully integrated—can be the bridge that makes science relevant and personal.
I would be remiss if I didn’t express my heartfelt thanks to DNCR for sponsoring and organizing this opportunity to both attend Biscuits and Banjos and engage in coinciding sessions designed for educators. Their vision and commitment to celebrating and preserving our state’s cultural and historical heritage made this experience possible for me and other teachers who will carry its lessons into classrooms across Durham Public Schools. Thanks to their support, what began as a weekend of music, history, and food became a lasting source of inspiration, connection, and fun!
Brooke Sauer is a teacher at Durham School of the Arts, serving Biology & AP Biology students in grades 9-12. Her curiosity and creativity extend beyond the classroom as she seeks to explore the outdoors, discover new restaurants, and share a well-timed science pun whenever possible.