Strengthening
the Teaching of American History
Program Outline 2004
Preparatory
Workshop I / Saturday, March 27, 2004
Program Orientation & Presentation Skills Workshop
- Program participants will gather on the campus of American
University for a one day intensive workshop to lay the groundwork
for the year’s activities. Teacher participants will be introduced
to historical topics, research techniques, and pedagogical themes
that will be covered throughout the year. A Presentation Skills Workshop
will also be held to provide teacher participants with the skills
necessary to immediately improve the liveliness of their American
history lectures by incorporating techniques for scripting presentations,
using props and role plays, and involving students more actively in
their American history lessons.
Preparatory
Workshop II / Saturday, May 15, 2004
U.S. Capitol Historical Society Seminar - Teacher participants
will attend a one day seminar at the U.S. Capitol Historical Society
and will be introduced to the wealth of historical documents, paintings,
and furniture, as well as the exemplary architecture of the capitol
building and ways that they can incorporate these primary materials
into their teaching strategies. The seminar is intended to build a
working relationship between the teachers and the U.S. Capitol Historical
Society so that teachers can take full advantage of this invaluable
resource located in their community.
Two
Week Summer Institute / July 8, 2004 – July 21, 2004
History Content Course - The history course of the Summer
Institute will expose teacher participants, working closely with expert
faculty from the American University Department of History, to a theme
or cluster of themes pertaining to a particular era in American history.
Courses will be comprised of a blend of readings, lectures, and exposures
to primary sources and artifacts through field visits to museums,
monuments, and historical sites. Teacher participant will receive
three graduate level credits upon successful completion of course
requirements including an American history research paper.
Curriculum Design Course - The curriculum design course of
the Summer Institute conducted by the American University School of
Education will use a model of project-based professional development
focusing on four primary objectives. Teacher participants will focus
on principles of curriculum design from a cognitive-constructionist
position, assessment and action research for evaluating learning in
the classroom, actively engaging students in work with primary sources
and artifacts in history, and integrating the use of technology into
the teaching of American history. Working in groups, teacher participants
will design lesson and unit plans that will incorporate American history
content learned in their Summer Institute history courses, workshops,
and seminars. Teacher participants will receive three graduate level
credits upon successful completion of course requirements in the curriculum
design course.
Follow-up
Seminar I / Saturday, October 2, 2004
Historical Society of Washington, D.C. - Teacher participants
will spend the second Follow-up Seminar at the Historical Society
of Washington, D.C. learning about the societies many resources available
to DCPS educators which will help increase their knowledge and enrich
their instructional strategies of American history. As the National
History Day Coordinator for the District of Columbia, teacher participants
will also learn techniques for helping their students prepare for
and participate in this active learning event.
Follow-up
Seminar II / Saturday, October 30, 2004
Keynote Speaker & Historical Walking Tour of D.C. - The
primary objectives of the Follow-up Seminars are to reinforce the
enthusiasm of teacher participants for American history and continue
their exposure and orientation to the vast array of resources available
to American history educators teaching in DCPS. Teacher participants
will meet on the American University campus for the first Follow-up
Seminar to hear a keynote speaker on a special topic which ties together
themes of previous workshops and the Summer Institute American history
courses. This Follow-up seminar will also include a Historical Walking
Tour of D.C. to visit historical sites related to the history of African
Americans in the nation=s capital. The walking tour will enable teacher
participants to incorporate a local perspective into their American
history curriculum and the ability for their students to experience
this history first hand.
Follow-up
Seminar III / Saturday, January 15, 2005
Keynote Speaker & Project Presentations - The third Follow-up
Seminar will be devoted to a keynote speaker and to the presentation
of the lessons plans designed in the Summer Institutes. The seminar
is geared to the evaluation of the effectiveness of the lesson plans
and the improved instructional strategies at raising student outcomes.
