Teachers Discovering History As Historians

About The Grant

See TDHAH Grant Summary Below:

Teaching American History grant supports projects to raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of traditional American history.  Initiated by Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the grant is federally funded. 

Project Goals: The overarching goal for the entire project is the improvement of student achievement across all involved school districts and engaging students in  learning history not as a litany of facts, but as an interconnected series of ideas relevant to the past, present, and future. The project will also (1) develop deeper content knowledge and historical perspective for all teachers, (2) add to the range of teaching methodologies currently employed by teachers in the teaching of American history, (3) build a well-versed peer support group for teachers that will continue beyond the life of the grant and develop teaching skills and integrated curriculum activities through a vertical dialogue between teachers from all involved grade levels, (4) develop curriculum that aligns vertically and deepens in richness, (5) engage local resources in the continuing education of teachers, students, and community members, (6) create intentional links between national resources and the Chautauqua area community, (7) develop a standard template for the design of units so that sharing in district and between districts can take place, (9) embed national and state standards into teaching content, delivery, and designed lesson plans, and (10) develop, document, and assess a replicable model for professional development in American history education for other districts that is grounded in best practices and current research.  

Project Partners: The project will be administered by the Jamestown Public Schools in cooperation with the 18 public school districts of Chautauqua County, located in western New York.  These schools represent a diverse mix of urban, suburban, and rural students with a wide range of educational needs.  This Chautauqua County Consortium will work with additional partners to develop and implement all described activities. Two non-profit history/humanities organizations are integral project partners: the Fenton History Center will provide educational resources through the use of local archival materials and the Robert H. Jackson Center will coordinate and provide guest lecturers regarding the development of international law and United States social justice.  Both organizations are dedicated to the provision of educational services and the preservation of unique historical materials.  Additionally, the Consortium will work with Jamestown Community College, St. John's University, Vanderbilt University, St. Bonaventure University, and the University of Buffalo and other institutions and organizations.  The Prendergast Library, the co-central library of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System, will promote historical literacy and resources for both program participants and interested members of the community through supplemental community outreach and reading activities.  The Chautauqua Institution will provide summer and ongoing optional symposiums that provide the highest quality public speakers and nationally recognized authors.  The Chautauqua County Teachers Center will provide additional professional development trainers and support staff on an as-need basis.     

Program Design: Teachers Discovering History as Historians will engage 100 teachers in a continuing professional development opportunity over three consecutive summers.  Each summer, the Consortium will host teachers in a 7 to 12 day summer institute developed around one of three topics: (1) The Growth of Government and the Impact of Turning Points, (2) Struggles for Justice in the United States, and (3) United States Foreign Policy and International Relations.  Teachers will develop common use lesson plans that will be published on the Consortium's website.  Summer sessions will be followed by professional development in-service conferences in the fall and spring and optional symposia hosted by the Chautauqua Institution.

Authorizing Legislation

Counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Schuyler, Southern Erie, Steuben Tompkins and Tioga Counties

TAH Cadres: Chautauqua, Catt/Allegany Southern Erie and GST

Layout:

• Paid Five-Day Summer U.S. History Workshop for 35 new participants each summer for GST BOCES Districts 2007, 2008, 2009
• Two Inservices, Fall and Spring for each Cadre
• Spring Inservice for all three Cadres is an annual conference for the Southern Tier Social Studies Consortium
• Required Development of Classroom Materials and Professional Development (One per year w/stipend):
  • Online Courses from AccelerateU (Chaut 06-09; CAEW 07-09; GST 06-09)
  • Classroom Activity/Lesson Plans (Chaut 06-09; CAEW 07-09; GST 06-09)
  • National History Day Competition
  • “We the People” Constitutional Program
  • Media Development: Breeze, Podcasts, Distance Learning, etc. (Chaut 06-09; CAEW 07-09; GST 06-09)
  • Local History Resources
• Southern Tier Social Studies Consortium
  • Permanent organization for Social Studies Teachers across the western New York and the Southern Tier
  • Annual Conferences
  • Future subset of the New York State Council for the Social Studies
• Project Partners:

• AccelerateU of the Genesee Valley Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES
• Bath Teachers Center
• CAEW BOCES
• Chautauqua Institution
• Corning Museum Of Glass
• Fenton History Center
• GST BOCES
• Organization of American Historians
• Robert H. Jackson Center
• Rockwell Museum of Western Art
• Southern Tier School\Community Network

Teachers Discovering History as Historians

The goal of the project is the improvement of teacher content knowledge and pedagogical skills across involved school districts, positively impacting student achievement and engaging students in learning history not as a litany of facts, but as an interconnected series of ideas relevant to the past, present and future.

Three Grants: 2002 Chautauqua County (100 Teachers) ; 2005 Allegany, Cattaraugus and Southern Erie (100 Teachers); 2006, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Schuyler, Southern Erie, Steuben Tioga, Tompkins and Counties (100 Teachers). 

At the conclusion of the project, over 300 teachers will have participated in professional development summer seminars and inservices developed around the following three topics:

·        The Constitution and the Impact of Key Turning Points

·        Civil Rights and the Struggles for Justice in the United States

·        United States Foreign Policy and International Relations

Emphasis is placed on technology training to integrate electronic resources into the classroom to develop powerful and enriching teaching activities.  Professional development focuses on pedagogical and personal skills to address educational change. 

Website:

 Teachers develop common use lesson plans and classroom activities published on the website.  Summer sessions are followed by professional development in-service days in the fall and spring; and optional free access to lectures during the summer at the Chautauqua Institution.

Partners: The Chautauqua Institution, Corning Museum of Glass, the Robert H. Jackson Center, Jamestown Community College, the Fenton History Center in Jamestown and Rockwell Western Museum in Corning.

Content is provided to teachers of American History by nationally prominent historians, professional development is focused on technology training and its utilization in the classroom.

To date, we serve 170 teachers in 68 Districts across south western New York.  By 2009 we anticipate 300 teachers.  Currently developing the Southern Tier Social Studies Consortium to act as a networking, collegiate and advocacy group.  Also initiating a book club, blog and listserve. 

2006 summer seminar: 18 speakers, two venues, two BOCES, four NYS Teacher's Centers, 38 school districts across for four counties serving 140 teachers

Speakers and Lecturers 2003 - 2006

Technology and Professional Development Sessions

 

www TDHAH.com

Jamestown Public Schools

197 Martin Road

Jamestown, NY 14701

Project Director: Paul Benson
716.483.7112
Fax: 716.483.7104

Web Design and  Research Team:
 Paul Benson
 Pam Brown
 Rick Bates
 Carol Shick
 Rick Walters
 Mike Swanson