Saturday, June 13, 2009
Summer in TAH Land
For most of this decade, Teaching American History grants have dominated my summer responsibilities and taught me as much as I ever learned in any formal schooling. We just finished up our fourth grant, TAHPS (Teaching American History with Primary Sources), with a trip to Boston the first week of June. With a week in between at home to mow lawns, water flowers and gardens, and other various duties, I'm now preparing to go to Andover for a the first summer institute with our new group of teachers. This is the first grant we've had where teachers are all from the same district so it will be a new experience regarding curriculum coordination. It's a growing district and I'm looking forward to getting to know the teachers.
We've set up a Google groups account since the education service center is moving away from Blackboard and we didn't want to be stuck with various transition issues. It's also a way to more fully utilize Web 2.0.
Our Logistics Director is on maternity leave but has made arrangements for most everything we need this month. Two critical members of the team are two veteran teachers who compose part of our Teacher Leadership Team. Will has been with us since our first TAH grant, Project Mine. In fact, that's how I first met him. Kevin was a former student who also possesses keen insight into what works for teachers and what doesn't. The informal feedback they continually provide throughout the grant is as crucial as the formal feedback.
Through our partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute, David Blight and a master teacher will be joining us to share his expertise on slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Civil War in modern memory. They will be with us Tuesday through Thursday. On Monday, Kevin and Will will be sharing what they have learned about teaching with primary sources from their involvement in previous TAH grants and how they have implemented more primary sources into their classrooms. The teachers will do some presenting of the work they have put together on Friday. This fall, we will have an online class focusing on historical cognition and then in the spring we will have a spring institute and three reading seminars where they can get together to discuss significant monographs in American history.
The weather looks good for next week, too - always an added bonus.
We've set up a Google groups account since the education service center is moving away from Blackboard and we didn't want to be stuck with various transition issues. It's also a way to more fully utilize Web 2.0.
Our Logistics Director is on maternity leave but has made arrangements for most everything we need this month. Two critical members of the team are two veteran teachers who compose part of our Teacher Leadership Team. Will has been with us since our first TAH grant, Project Mine. In fact, that's how I first met him. Kevin was a former student who also possesses keen insight into what works for teachers and what doesn't. The informal feedback they continually provide throughout the grant is as crucial as the formal feedback.
Through our partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute, David Blight and a master teacher will be joining us to share his expertise on slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Civil War in modern memory. They will be with us Tuesday through Thursday. On Monday, Kevin and Will will be sharing what they have learned about teaching with primary sources from their involvement in previous TAH grants and how they have implemented more primary sources into their classrooms. The teachers will do some presenting of the work they have put together on Friday. This fall, we will have an online class focusing on historical cognition and then in the spring we will have a spring institute and three reading seminars where they can get together to discuss significant monographs in American history.
The weather looks good for next week, too - always an added bonus.
Labels: Andover, Blight, Boston, Gilder Lehrman Institute, TAH, teachers, Teaching American History, USD 385
Monday, January 05, 2009
AHA - Day 3
Day 3 began with my teaching-focused panel with my colleagues Cary Wintz and David Gerwin. We discussed teaching techniques and technology related to teaching African-American history. David focused on slavery in the Chesapeake while Cary talked about the behind-the-scenes work that went into his book, Harlem Speaks.
Then, I discussed how we have gradually increased the technology we use with teachers in our Teaching American History grants dating back to 2001. We also discussed our delivered master's degree and the struggles of the approval and implementation of off-campus programs. Here's the link to the PPT.
Lunch brought a meeting with Cengage (formerly Houghton Mifflin) about the current edition of Making America now in preparation. Other meetings with colleagues followed along with more time in the expansive book exhibit. I headed to an afternoon session but the main speaker that interested me was unable to attend.
Dinner was with a history/techie colleague (there aren't many of us) and then more drinks with the St. Louis crew. They are _always_ fun.
Then, I discussed how we have gradually increased the technology we use with teachers in our Teaching American History grants dating back to 2001. We also discussed our delivered master's degree and the struggles of the approval and implementation of off-campus programs. Here's the link to the PPT.
Lunch brought a meeting with Cengage (formerly Houghton Mifflin) about the current edition of Making America now in preparation. Other meetings with colleagues followed along with more time in the expansive book exhibit. I headed to an afternoon session but the main speaker that interested me was unable to attend.
Dinner was with a history/techie colleague (there aren't many of us) and then more drinks with the St. Louis crew. They are _always_ fun.
Labels: AHA, Berkin, Cherny, conferences, Making America, NYC, Petrik, TAH, Teaching American History
Friday, October 26, 2007
TGIF! . . . and TAH
As I work more to have actual weekends (note the verb) where I can choose what I want to do without feeling overwhelmed by pending/looming deadlines, I'm going to start celebrating Fridays more - a way to compartmentalize my life a bit s that work doesn't control everything else.
The TAH Project Directors conference was the best they ever had along with extensive collaboration time with colleagues both in the hotel and in the Quarter. They separated out the first year grantees which was a great thing for those of us who have had several grants. Meetings that offer engaging content are worth it - those that are introductions to the experienced just frustate everyone involved. Carol Berkin's talk on colonial female spies and Lee Ann Potter's "mystery" were some of the highlights - history and teaching history are great combinations.
Now we're all busy writing up our annual and/or final reports that are due next week. And that's on top of writing our TAH 2008 proposals!
I'm also excited about being asked to join the TWG (Technical Working Group) for the TAH Clearinghouse Project proposed by George Mason University/Stanford University/AHA, among others. This should be another engaging experience and I'm anxious to see more of the inner workings of CHNM. My friend Paula that is there has given me some clues but being involved in the development of a project with such great personnel and resources available to it will be such a fun and engaging experience. The anticipated launch date is February 1, 2008. Thomas Thurston (also of H-TAH with me) and I had a nice chat with Kelly Schrum (someone else who spells their first name correctly ;-) ) in New Orleans about how the existing community can work to enhance the work of this community that will have the technology and manpower to do what we have only dreamed of doing.
TGIF!
The TAH Project Directors conference was the best they ever had along with extensive collaboration time with colleagues both in the hotel and in the Quarter. They separated out the first year grantees which was a great thing for those of us who have had several grants. Meetings that offer engaging content are worth it - those that are introductions to the experienced just frustate everyone involved. Carol Berkin's talk on colonial female spies and Lee Ann Potter's "mystery" were some of the highlights - history and teaching history are great combinations.
Now we're all busy writing up our annual and/or final reports that are due next week. And that's on top of writing our TAH 2008 proposals!
I'm also excited about being asked to join the TWG (Technical Working Group) for the TAH Clearinghouse Project proposed by George Mason University/Stanford University/AHA, among others. This should be another engaging experience and I'm anxious to see more of the inner workings of CHNM. My friend Paula that is there has given me some clues but being involved in the development of a project with such great personnel and resources available to it will be such a fun and engaging experience. The anticipated launch date is February 1, 2008. Thomas Thurston (also of H-TAH with me) and I had a nice chat with Kelly Schrum (someone else who spells their first name correctly ;-) ) in New Orleans about how the existing community can work to enhance the work of this community that will have the technology and manpower to do what we have only dreamed of doing.
TGIF!
Labels: AHA, Berkin, CHNM, clearinghouse, George Mason University, H-TAH, history, Potter, Revolutionary Mothers, Schrum, spies, Stanford, Teaching American History, Thurston
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