Resources for Teacher Learning
United States History
American Bar Association
Designed especially for teachers of U.S. History, Government, Civics, and Law, the Federal Trials and Great Debates Summer Institute deepens participants’ knowledge of the federal judiciary and of the role the federal courts have played in key public controversies that have defined our constitutional and other legal rights.
The American Civil War Museum
Emancipation and Evolving American Identity is a two week summer institute for K-12 educators that includes discussions with leading scholars, field trips to Virginia sites highlighting the complex history of emancipation, and workshop sessions that focus on techniques and strategies you can use in your classroom.
The American Revolution Institute
The American Revolution Institute Master Teachers Seminar is a week-long residential program for teachers focusing on the events and legacy of the American Revolution. The Master Teachers Seminar is held each summer at Anderson House, the headquarters of the Society of the Cincinnati located in Washington, D.C. The seminar includes a series of morning lectures and discussions about teaching the Revolution, followed by afternoon sessions working with the rich resources in the Institute’s library and museum collections to develop lesson plans on specific aspects of the American Revolution. The best of those lessons—credited to their authors—will be published on the Institute website. Teachers chosen to participate in the seminar will receive a stipend for travel to and from Washington, D.C., and be treated to meals and lodging at Anderson House. Additionally, each participant will receive a letter documenting sixty hours of professional development.
Ford’s Theater
The city of Washington was a complex, gritty, unfinished and precarious place during the Civil War. In this institute, connect with peers to illuminate new perspectives and under-told stories, explore historic sites and collect a wealth of resources. Gain tools to help students grapple with histories whose legacies matter today in this program for K-12 educators.
Fort Ticonderoga Teacher Institute
While thought of in a modern context as remote, the Ticonderoga peninsula on Lake Champlain found itself at the center of two centuries of contest for control of the North American continent. Using an expansive document and artifact collection that supports the study of the period from 1609-1815, this Institute explores the evolution of America’s military heritage, with an emphasis on the French & Indian War (1754-1763) and the American Revolution (1775-1783). Twelve teachers will spend a week at Ticonderoga, using the museum’s object and archival collections to examine the age of exploration, the quest for control of the continent by competing European nations, the War for American Independence, and the War of 1812.
Freedoms Foundation
Freedoms Foundation has been offering critically acclaimed teacher summer courses for more than 50 years. Nearly 14,000 educators, librarians, resource and special education teachers from around the world have participated in our programs with nationally recognized scholars who provide engaging, entertaining and interactive lectures. All programs are accredited through LaSalle University.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Collection of American History primary sources, lesson plans and resources. Offers free professional development seminars in the summer and an inexpensive masters degree in American History.
James Madison Graduate Fellowships
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation offers $24,000 James Madison Graduate Fellowships to individuals desiring to become outstanding teachers of the American Constitution at the secondary school level. Fellowship applicants compete only against other applicants from the states of their legal residence. As funding permits, the Foundation plans to offer one fellowship per state per year.
Library of Congress
Each Institute week, Library of Congress education specialists facilitate sessions modeling strategies for using primary sources to engage students, build critical thinking skills, and construct knowledge. Participants reflect on and discuss how the strategies apply to their students, subject areas, and classrooms or school libraries. During the week, participants draw from among the millions of digitized primary sources in the Library's collections to design and refine a primary source activity to use with their students. While the emphasis is on learning and applying teaching strategies, participants also have opportunities to meet experts from the Library and possibly to research in the Library's reading rooms to gather information and resources to use in developing their activities.
Monticello Teacher Institute
A collaborative environment, facilitated by group excursions, discussions with leading Jefferson scholars, and other focused workshops. Research to bolster their historical understanding, build resources for their classrooms, and contribute to the resources available online at the Monticello Digital Classroom. Tackling the complex and difficult history of Jefferson and Monticello, including race, slavery and freedom. Sharing their experiences ambassadors to their students and fellow educators through conversations about Jefferson’s ideas and the history of Monticello.
Museum of the American Revolution
Explore the Museum of the American Revolution and engage in dynamic conversations about the 18th century with members of the Museum’s Education and Curatorial teams.
Be among the first to use the Museum’s brand new online digital resource, Finding Freedom: African Americans in Wartime Virginia, which uses storytelling and access to primary sources to connect today’s learners with real stories of people of African descent in the Revolutionary Era while asking important questions about the meanings of freedom and liberty. Use the geography, landscape and physical assets of historical sites in Virginia and Philadelphia to connect with individual stories of the Revolution. Engage in close-readings of historical texts and analysis of historical images.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities offers summer seminars and institutes on a variety of humanities topics. They range from one to four weeks in duration, and all offer stipends to help defray travel and living expenses.
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery: Learning to Look Summer Teacher Institute
Integrating portraiture into the classroom provides exciting opportunities to connect students with history, biography, visual art, and many other subjects. The Summer Teacher Institute will take a broad look at the National Portrait Gallery's collection. During the institute, the museum's curators and historians will provide in-gallery content lectures, introducing the collection. Utilizing an interactive approach, NPG educators will model a variety of "learning to look" strategies—unique ways to hook and engage students when they look closely at portraits. Participants will learn how to "read" portraiture and use the artworks as a springboard into a more in-depth discussion about biography and history. Teachers in grades kindergarten-12 may apply as individuals or as part of a team. Priority will be given to social studies, English/language arts, and visual arts teachers.
Teaching American History Multi-day Colloquia
With the support of our donors, Teaching American History is proud to continue offering free multi-day colloquia for social studies teachers. These residential programs allow teachers of American history and government to explore the themes of liberty and responsibility throughout America’s history and constitutional tradition.
Designed especially for teachers of U.S. History, Government, Civics, and Law, the Federal Trials and Great Debates Summer Institute deepens participants’ knowledge of the federal judiciary and of the role the federal courts have played in key public controversies that have defined our constitutional and other legal rights.
The American Civil War Museum
Emancipation and Evolving American Identity is a two week summer institute for K-12 educators that includes discussions with leading scholars, field trips to Virginia sites highlighting the complex history of emancipation, and workshop sessions that focus on techniques and strategies you can use in your classroom.
The American Revolution Institute
The American Revolution Institute Master Teachers Seminar is a week-long residential program for teachers focusing on the events and legacy of the American Revolution. The Master Teachers Seminar is held each summer at Anderson House, the headquarters of the Society of the Cincinnati located in Washington, D.C. The seminar includes a series of morning lectures and discussions about teaching the Revolution, followed by afternoon sessions working with the rich resources in the Institute’s library and museum collections to develop lesson plans on specific aspects of the American Revolution. The best of those lessons—credited to their authors—will be published on the Institute website. Teachers chosen to participate in the seminar will receive a stipend for travel to and from Washington, D.C., and be treated to meals and lodging at Anderson House. Additionally, each participant will receive a letter documenting sixty hours of professional development.
Ford’s Theater
The city of Washington was a complex, gritty, unfinished and precarious place during the Civil War. In this institute, connect with peers to illuminate new perspectives and under-told stories, explore historic sites and collect a wealth of resources. Gain tools to help students grapple with histories whose legacies matter today in this program for K-12 educators.
Fort Ticonderoga Teacher Institute
While thought of in a modern context as remote, the Ticonderoga peninsula on Lake Champlain found itself at the center of two centuries of contest for control of the North American continent. Using an expansive document and artifact collection that supports the study of the period from 1609-1815, this Institute explores the evolution of America’s military heritage, with an emphasis on the French & Indian War (1754-1763) and the American Revolution (1775-1783). Twelve teachers will spend a week at Ticonderoga, using the museum’s object and archival collections to examine the age of exploration, the quest for control of the continent by competing European nations, the War for American Independence, and the War of 1812.
Freedoms Foundation
Freedoms Foundation has been offering critically acclaimed teacher summer courses for more than 50 years. Nearly 14,000 educators, librarians, resource and special education teachers from around the world have participated in our programs with nationally recognized scholars who provide engaging, entertaining and interactive lectures. All programs are accredited through LaSalle University.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Collection of American History primary sources, lesson plans and resources. Offers free professional development seminars in the summer and an inexpensive masters degree in American History.
James Madison Graduate Fellowships
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation offers $24,000 James Madison Graduate Fellowships to individuals desiring to become outstanding teachers of the American Constitution at the secondary school level. Fellowship applicants compete only against other applicants from the states of their legal residence. As funding permits, the Foundation plans to offer one fellowship per state per year.
Library of Congress
Each Institute week, Library of Congress education specialists facilitate sessions modeling strategies for using primary sources to engage students, build critical thinking skills, and construct knowledge. Participants reflect on and discuss how the strategies apply to their students, subject areas, and classrooms or school libraries. During the week, participants draw from among the millions of digitized primary sources in the Library's collections to design and refine a primary source activity to use with their students. While the emphasis is on learning and applying teaching strategies, participants also have opportunities to meet experts from the Library and possibly to research in the Library's reading rooms to gather information and resources to use in developing their activities.
Monticello Teacher Institute
A collaborative environment, facilitated by group excursions, discussions with leading Jefferson scholars, and other focused workshops. Research to bolster their historical understanding, build resources for their classrooms, and contribute to the resources available online at the Monticello Digital Classroom. Tackling the complex and difficult history of Jefferson and Monticello, including race, slavery and freedom. Sharing their experiences ambassadors to their students and fellow educators through conversations about Jefferson’s ideas and the history of Monticello.
Museum of the American Revolution
Explore the Museum of the American Revolution and engage in dynamic conversations about the 18th century with members of the Museum’s Education and Curatorial teams.
Be among the first to use the Museum’s brand new online digital resource, Finding Freedom: African Americans in Wartime Virginia, which uses storytelling and access to primary sources to connect today’s learners with real stories of people of African descent in the Revolutionary Era while asking important questions about the meanings of freedom and liberty. Use the geography, landscape and physical assets of historical sites in Virginia and Philadelphia to connect with individual stories of the Revolution. Engage in close-readings of historical texts and analysis of historical images.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities offers summer seminars and institutes on a variety of humanities topics. They range from one to four weeks in duration, and all offer stipends to help defray travel and living expenses.
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery: Learning to Look Summer Teacher Institute
Integrating portraiture into the classroom provides exciting opportunities to connect students with history, biography, visual art, and many other subjects. The Summer Teacher Institute will take a broad look at the National Portrait Gallery's collection. During the institute, the museum's curators and historians will provide in-gallery content lectures, introducing the collection. Utilizing an interactive approach, NPG educators will model a variety of "learning to look" strategies—unique ways to hook and engage students when they look closely at portraits. Participants will learn how to "read" portraiture and use the artworks as a springboard into a more in-depth discussion about biography and history. Teachers in grades kindergarten-12 may apply as individuals or as part of a team. Priority will be given to social studies, English/language arts, and visual arts teachers.
Teaching American History Multi-day Colloquia
With the support of our donors, Teaching American History is proud to continue offering free multi-day colloquia for social studies teachers. These residential programs allow teachers of American history and government to explore the themes of liberty and responsibility throughout America’s history and constitutional tradition.
Economics
Foundation for Teaching Economics (FTE)
To fulfill the Foundation for Teaching Economics’ mission to promote excellence in economic education by helping teachers of economics become more effective educators, FTE offers different professional development opportunities to teachers. These include week-long residential programs, single day seminars, and online programs. Each program format provides methodological and content instruction. Participants learn to incorporate activity-based lessons into their economics classes and also add to their expertise in the field. In addition to micro-and macro-economics, programs also covered a variety of applied economic topics, such as economic history, international trade, and the environment.
To fulfill the Foundation for Teaching Economics’ mission to promote excellence in economic education by helping teachers of economics become more effective educators, FTE offers different professional development opportunities to teachers. These include week-long residential programs, single day seminars, and online programs. Each program format provides methodological and content instruction. Participants learn to incorporate activity-based lessons into their economics classes and also add to their expertise in the field. In addition to micro-and macro-economics, programs also covered a variety of applied economic topics, such as economic history, international trade, and the environment.
World History/Current Global Events
Boston Upstander Academy
Studying Genocide to Encourage Decolonization and Upstanding in Schools and Museums. Boston Upstander Academy is a 6-day professional development program for humanities teachers and museum educators in an intimate cohort-based setting where the power of storytelling ignites learning and invites self-reflection on complex historic and contemporary issues. Our curriculum uses post-genocide Rwanda and genocide against Native peoples in the U.S. as a framework for historical inquiry, sharing new teaching methods and modeling the skills of upstanders. Our goal: to create more inclusive curricula and schools, public conversations and spaces – and to help educators, institutions and students counter bias by promoting understanding, restoration and the repairing of broken relationships.
Echoes and Reflection
Echoes & Reflections offers two outstanding international advanced learning programs for educators who are seeking to deepen their learning and understanding of the Holocaust and strengthen their knowledge and skills to effectively teach this history to their students. These programs are open to US middle and high school teachers who are actively teaching with Echoes and Reflections in their classrooms.
Harvard University Global Studies Outreach
The examples of climate and environmental change are influencing patterns of diseases, distribution of resources, and movement of people—and, more directly, affecting basic indicators of human well-being like access to clean water and food. These effects act as “threat multipliers,” exacerbating existing fissures across political, social, and economic dimensions. This four-day workshop will take place August 3-6, 2020 on Harvard’s Cambridge campus. Geared toward middle school, high school, and community college educators in the humanities and social sciences (but open to educators in all subjects), this workshop will: feature presentations and regional case studies by scholars, experts, policy-makers and practitioners; explore pedagogy and skill-building techniques to help educators and students better understand the intersections of climate and conflict; and provide an introduction to relevant classroom resources to explore with your colleagues and students.
Harvard: Religious Literacy Summer Institute for Educators
The Institute is open to educators teaching at the middle school, high school, and community college levels in any discipline.This training introduces educators to a powerful set of specific methods and frameworks that will enable them to teach about religion in pedagogically rich and constitutionally sound ways. Participants use teaching resources developed by the Religious Literacy Project, and engage in on-site lesson planning in collaboration with peers. The institute focuses on teaching content that is already embedded in teachers’ current curricula, including courses such as history or literature courses, in addition to courses in world religions. The mission of the Religious Literacy Project is to enhance and promote the public understanding of religion.
National WWII Museum
Beginning summer 2020, The National WWII Museum is launching new immersive teacher professional development programming, Summer Teacher Seminars. Designed for middle school and high school teachers, these week long seminars offer thematic deep dives into a variety of topics on the history of World War II. Employing a rich array of curriculum built upon primary source materials, these seminars will aid teachers to find new and exciting ways to bring the war to life in the classroom. Each seminar will give teachers access to noted WWII scholars, as well as hands-on experiences and virtual resources they can incorporate into classroom instruction. Participants who complete the program will become part of the Museum’s nationwide network of teachers dedicated to improving the quality of instruction on World War II.
The New York Times Teaching Project
Apply now for this program that will bring together a select group of educators who teach with The Times. This opportunity begins with a three-day summer institute in New York City, travel and lodging included.
Qatar Foundation International
We support teachers through a variety of programs and grants focused on professional and curriculum development. This includes access to engaging, high-quality resources for both teachers and students—from books to in-class virtual exchanges. These opportunities provide new learning opportunities, teaching strategies and materials, and ways for you to collaborate with a community of your peers.
TOLI (The Olga Lengyel Institute)
The TOLI Summer Seminar in NYC is an intensive 11-day experience. Graduates of the seminar are expected to return to their classrooms with the commitment to teach about the Holocaust and to create opportunities for outreach to fellow teachers and community members. Our active listserv and mini-grant program are designed to support graduates of our programs in ongoing participation in Holocaust education both locally and nationally. Available to middle school, high school and college faculty.
Studying Genocide to Encourage Decolonization and Upstanding in Schools and Museums. Boston Upstander Academy is a 6-day professional development program for humanities teachers and museum educators in an intimate cohort-based setting where the power of storytelling ignites learning and invites self-reflection on complex historic and contemporary issues. Our curriculum uses post-genocide Rwanda and genocide against Native peoples in the U.S. as a framework for historical inquiry, sharing new teaching methods and modeling the skills of upstanders. Our goal: to create more inclusive curricula and schools, public conversations and spaces – and to help educators, institutions and students counter bias by promoting understanding, restoration and the repairing of broken relationships.
Echoes and Reflection
Echoes & Reflections offers two outstanding international advanced learning programs for educators who are seeking to deepen their learning and understanding of the Holocaust and strengthen their knowledge and skills to effectively teach this history to their students. These programs are open to US middle and high school teachers who are actively teaching with Echoes and Reflections in their classrooms.
Harvard University Global Studies Outreach
The examples of climate and environmental change are influencing patterns of diseases, distribution of resources, and movement of people—and, more directly, affecting basic indicators of human well-being like access to clean water and food. These effects act as “threat multipliers,” exacerbating existing fissures across political, social, and economic dimensions. This four-day workshop will take place August 3-6, 2020 on Harvard’s Cambridge campus. Geared toward middle school, high school, and community college educators in the humanities and social sciences (but open to educators in all subjects), this workshop will: feature presentations and regional case studies by scholars, experts, policy-makers and practitioners; explore pedagogy and skill-building techniques to help educators and students better understand the intersections of climate and conflict; and provide an introduction to relevant classroom resources to explore with your colleagues and students.
Harvard: Religious Literacy Summer Institute for Educators
The Institute is open to educators teaching at the middle school, high school, and community college levels in any discipline.This training introduces educators to a powerful set of specific methods and frameworks that will enable them to teach about religion in pedagogically rich and constitutionally sound ways. Participants use teaching resources developed by the Religious Literacy Project, and engage in on-site lesson planning in collaboration with peers. The institute focuses on teaching content that is already embedded in teachers’ current curricula, including courses such as history or literature courses, in addition to courses in world religions. The mission of the Religious Literacy Project is to enhance and promote the public understanding of religion.
National WWII Museum
Beginning summer 2020, The National WWII Museum is launching new immersive teacher professional development programming, Summer Teacher Seminars. Designed for middle school and high school teachers, these week long seminars offer thematic deep dives into a variety of topics on the history of World War II. Employing a rich array of curriculum built upon primary source materials, these seminars will aid teachers to find new and exciting ways to bring the war to life in the classroom. Each seminar will give teachers access to noted WWII scholars, as well as hands-on experiences and virtual resources they can incorporate into classroom instruction. Participants who complete the program will become part of the Museum’s nationwide network of teachers dedicated to improving the quality of instruction on World War II.
The New York Times Teaching Project
Apply now for this program that will bring together a select group of educators who teach with The Times. This opportunity begins with a three-day summer institute in New York City, travel and lodging included.
Qatar Foundation International
We support teachers through a variety of programs and grants focused on professional and curriculum development. This includes access to engaging, high-quality resources for both teachers and students—from books to in-class virtual exchanges. These opportunities provide new learning opportunities, teaching strategies and materials, and ways for you to collaborate with a community of your peers.
TOLI (The Olga Lengyel Institute)
The TOLI Summer Seminar in NYC is an intensive 11-day experience. Graduates of the seminar are expected to return to their classrooms with the commitment to teach about the Holocaust and to create opportunities for outreach to fellow teachers and community members. Our active listserv and mini-grant program are designed to support graduates of our programs in ongoing participation in Holocaust education both locally and nationally. Available to middle school, high school and college faculty.
Geography
National Geographic Educator Certification
National Geographic Educator Certification is a free professional development program that recognizes pre-K through 12 formal and informal educators committed to inspiring the next generation of explorers, conservationists, and changemakers. These educators are part of a powerful movement to make the world a better place by empowering students to be informed decision-makers equipped to solve meaningful challenges in their communities and beyond.
National Geographic Online Courses
National Geographic’s free online courses for educators equip teachers with powerful tools to transform their classrooms. Through these courses, educators build their own skills and knowledge so they can foster the mindset of a National Geographic Explorer in their students. National Geographic online professional learning courses vary in their lengths and schedules so that busy educators can find a program that fits their needs. Courses are open to any educator from anywhere in the world who works with students in either a formal or informal setting. In many of our courses, learners can earn graduate credits through our university partnerships.
National Geographic Educator Certification is a free professional development program that recognizes pre-K through 12 formal and informal educators committed to inspiring the next generation of explorers, conservationists, and changemakers. These educators are part of a powerful movement to make the world a better place by empowering students to be informed decision-makers equipped to solve meaningful challenges in their communities and beyond.
National Geographic Online Courses
National Geographic’s free online courses for educators equip teachers with powerful tools to transform their classrooms. Through these courses, educators build their own skills and knowledge so they can foster the mindset of a National Geographic Explorer in their students. National Geographic online professional learning courses vary in their lengths and schedules so that busy educators can find a program that fits their needs. Courses are open to any educator from anywhere in the world who works with students in either a formal or informal setting. In many of our courses, learners can earn graduate credits through our university partnerships.
Experiential Travel Opportunities / Global Education
Colorado International Teacher Exchange League (CITEL)
CITEL facilitates Educator Exchanges with Australia. Exchange opportunities exist for classroom teachers and administrators in a K-12 school or Community College. Educators from states other than Colorado may apply.
Fulbright Teachers For Global Classrooms Program
Fulbright TGC is a year-long professional development opportunity for U.S. elementary, middle, and high school teachers to develop skills for preparing students for a competitive global economy. Fulbright TGC equips teachers to bring an international perspective to their schools through targeted training, experience abroad, and global collaboration.
GEEO Teacher Travel Programs
GEEO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that runs travel programs designed and discounted for teachers. With GEEO, educators earn professional development credit and optional graduate credit while seeing the world. GEEO's trips are 7 to 23 days in length and are designed and discounted to be interesting and affordable for teachers. In addition to amazing tour leaders, many of the programs are accompanied by university faculty that are experts on the destination. GEEO also provides teachers educational materials and the structure to help them bring their experiences into the classroom. The trips are open to all nationalities of K-12 and university educators, administrators, retired educators, as well as educators’ guests. The deposit is $350 for each program and then the final payment is due 60 days before departure.
NEA Foundation Global Fellowship
Through the NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship, public school educators develop the knowledge and skills to integrate global competency into their daily classroom instruction, advocate for global competency in their schools and districts, and help students to thrive in our increasingly interconnected world. Fellows transform their classrooms to give students a global perspective.
National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program
Selected educators will travel aboard the ships National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Endeavour II, and National Geographic Sea Lion on expeditions to regions including the Arctic, British and Irish Isles, Canadian Maritimes, Iceland, the Galapagos, Antarctica and more. While aboard, Fellows will share the importance of geographic literacy with fellow travelers, develop activities to bring back to their classrooms, and have an adventure of a lifetime.
Transatlantic Outreach Program
Experience is what the Transatlantic Outreach Program is all about. Since 2002, TOP has sought to find the best and most qualified social studies and STEM educators and give them the opportunity to experience contemporary Germany in the most dramatic way possible: in person. From Berlin to Frankfurt, from Stuttgart to Munich, from Hamburg to Kiel, from Dresden to Schwerin, and from Weimar to Leipzig, each corner of Germany is sampled through sight, sound, touch, and taste!
University of Florida - Summer Teacher Institute
This institute introduces global competencies and helps educators integrate global themes within their daily curriculum. The institute also employs innovative uses of technology to collaborate across borders. Sample topics addressed in the 2018 institute were comparative education, identity and belonging, and sustainable development. Participants will learn different ways to better prepare students to navigate an increasingly complex world where problem-solving and critical thinking needs to take local and global perspectives into account.
Where There Be Dragons
From Nepal to Nicaragua; China to Cambodia; climate change to Islamic identity; learning service to development, our experiential 3-14 day courses engage educators from around the world in critical global issues while training new skills.
