The Teaching American History program is designed to raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge and understanding of and appreciation for traditional U.S. history. Grant awards will assist LEAs, in partnership with entities that have content expertise, to develop, document, evaluate, and disseminate innovative and cohesive models of professional development. By helping teachers to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of U.S. history as a separate subject matter within the core curriculum, these programs will improve instruction and raise student achievement. (from the TAH webiste)
Over the past 6 years, teachers from Teton County School District have participated in the federally-funded Teaching American History grant. The two-fold mission of the Teaching American History grant was to:
(1) create significant, systemic change in the way American history is taught in project districts
(2) create a community of historians (teachers and students) who are more informed and active citizens within local, state, and national communities.
The grant used a blended approach to professional development that capitalized on the best features of various strategies while eliminating the inadequacies and gaps that arise when any one is used alone:
(1) professional development trainings
(2) implementation support
(3) online network
(4) resources.
Teachers participated in a variety of activities such as seminars/workshops, field/travel studies, mentoring and on-line discussion groups and covered a wide range of topics in American History. The teachers in this project have completed over 600 hours of professional development and have increased their instructional capacity significantly. Teachers in this project have not only increased their content knowledge, but their capacity for instruction by learning techniques to increase student engagement. Teachers practiced and incorporated the following instructional practices in their classrooms: Fishbowl, talk and turn, effective questioning and small group collaboration to increase student engagement. Teachers have developed tools and lesson plans that encourage students to actively question the themes of History. In conclusion, the Teaching American History grant has played an important role in professional development and instructional capacity of teachers in Teton County School district #1