1st Edition
The Teaching American History Project Lessons for History Educators and Historians
The premise of the Teaching American History (TAH) project—a discretionary grant program funded under the U.S. Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act— is that in order to teach history better, teachers need to know more history. Unique among professional development programs in emphasizing specific content to be taught over a particular pedagogical approach, TAH grants assist schools in implementing scientifically-based research methods for improving the quality of instruction, professional development, and teacher education in American history.
Illustrating the diversity of these programs as they have been implemented in local education agencies throughout the nation, this collection of essays and research reports from TAH participants provides models for historians, teachers, teacher educators, and others interested in the teaching and learning of American History, and presents examples of lessons learned from a cross-section of TAH projects. Each chapter presents a narrative of innovation, documenting collaboration between classroom, community, and the academy that gives immediate and obvious relevance to the teaching and learning process of American history. By sharing these narratives, this book expands the impact of emerging practices from individual TAH projects to reach a larger audience across the nation.
Foreword
Sam Wineburg, Stanford University
Preface
Part I: Emerging Practices for Historians
Part I Introduction
- Teachers as Historians: A Historian’s Experiences with TAH Projects
- A New Focus for the History Professoriate: Professional Development for History Teachers as Professional Development for Historians
- Engaging At-Risks Students: Teaching American Military History
- Lost in Translation: The Use of Primary Sources in Teaching History
- Through the Lens of Local History: Enriching Instruction Using
Regional Primary Sources - Introducing Teachers to Archives and Archivists (and Vice Versa)
- History in Every Classroom: Setting a K-5 Precedent
- Teaching American History Projects in Illinois: A Comparative Analysis of Professional Development Models
Rachel Ragland, Lake Forest College. - Finding Common Ground: Conditions for Effective Collaboration between Education and History Faculty in Teacher Professional Development
- Designing and Implementing Content-based Professiona Development for Teachers of American History
- Artifacts as Inspiration: Building Connections Between Museum Educators and Classroom Teachers
- How to Evaluate Teaching American History Projects
- Mirrors, Mutuality of Interest, and Opportunities to Learn: The TAH Program, Assessment, and Faculty
Kelly A. Woestman, Pittsburg (KS) State University
Peter Knupfer, Michigan State University and H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online
G. L. Seligman, University of North Texas
Laura M. Westhoff, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Part II: Emerging Practices for Classroom Teachers
Part II Introduction
Donald D. Owen and Katherine Barbour, Urbana. IL School District #116,
Tim Rives, Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum
Teachers’ Voices in Teaching American History Projects
David Gerwin, Queens College/CUNY
Elise Fillpot, University of Iowa
Part III: Emerging Practices for Professional Development
Part III Introduction
Dawn Abt-Perkins, Lake Forest College
Ann Marie Ryan, Loyola University Chicago and Frank Valadez, Chicago Public Schools
D. Lynn McRainey, Chicago History Museum and Heidi Moisan, Chicago Historical Society
Julie Kearney, University of Iowa, Emily Lai, University of Iowa and Donald Yarbrough, University of Iowa
Part IV: Emerging Practices in a Larger Perspective
Part IV Introduction
Robert Rook, Towson State University
Teaching American History: Observation from the Fringes
Cary D. Wintz, Texas Southern University
Contributors
Index
Biography
Rachel G. Ragland is Assistant Professor of Education at Lake Forest College. She currently serves as the Director of Clinical Partnerships for the Education Department and is a national co-editor for the H-NET Humanities and Social Sciences Online Discussion Network on Teaching American History. She was Assistant Academic Director for the Model Collaboration: Rethinking American History TAH grant from 2001-2004 and a TAH grant reviewer in 2007.
Kelly A. Woestman is Professor of History and History Education Director at Pittsburg (KS) State University. She has written or co-written twelve Teaching American History grants, and has served as Project Director for 5 grants in Kansas and as external evaluator for TAH grants in Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, and Maryland. A founding editor of the H-TAH list community, she was elected President of H-Net Humanities and Social Sciences Online (www.h-net.org) for 2009.
"…This book will be of great use to faculty and graduate students…it includes many interesting and enlightening anecdotes. Summing up: Recommended."--CHOICE
"The editors have organized the book well….In the right hands, The Teaching American History Project might coax historians to nurture relationships with K-12 teachers. Collegial historians might collaborate with education faculty to design a historical methods course. College teachers who wish to expand their repertoire beyond the traditional lecture will find encouragement in this book."--Teaching History: A Journal of Methods
