National Archives Summer Institute for Educators Workshop on Using Historical Documents in the Classroom

Website: http://www.archives.gov/education/primarily-teaching/ 
Dates/Locations: Various dates and locations throughout the United States - check the website for details.

What is the National Archives and Records Administration?
The National Archives and Records Administration preserves and makes available to the public the permanently valuable records of the U.S. Government. In addition to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, the National Archives of the United States holds millions of documents, maps, drawings, photographs, films, sound recordings, and computer tapes that document the American experience of government from 1774 to the present. The National Archives comprises the richest record of America's past in the nation. And all of this material is available to teachers.

What will Primarily Teaching offer teachers?
This workshop provides a varied program of lectures, demonstrations, analysis of documents, independent research, and group work that introduces teachers to the holdings and organization of the National Archives. Participants will learn how to do research in historical records, create classroom material from records, and present documents in ways that sharpen students' skills and enthusiasm for history, social studies, and the humanities. Each participant selects and prepares to research a specific topic, searches the topic in the records of the National Archives, and develops a teaching unit that can be presented in his or her own classroom.

Who should attend?
Teachers of history, geography, government, civics, sociology, psychology, economics, American studies, literature, and the humanities from upper elementary through college levels take Primarily Teaching. Librarians, media specialists, archivists, and museum educators also find it useful to their work. Primarily Teaching demonstrates secondary strategies, but educators at all levels can easily adapt them to their particular needs.

What does the workshop cost?
The fee for each of the workshops is $100, which includes all materials.

Some comments from past participants:
"I am a critical audience who is always second-guessing the instructor in courses I take, but if each teacher of social studies took this . . . , the teaching and learning of history in this country would be utterly transformed."

"This is the BEST, most VALUABLE class I have ever taken. My vocabulary is insufficient to describe it properly. Thank you!"

"I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone with an interest in research and/or the social studies. There is no better way to earn 3 graduate hours! I hope to come back and do much more work here."

"I gained the confidence and knowledge and information to do my own research in the future."

"An energizing academic experience."

"I thoroughly enjoyed the excitement of discovery. Many thanks to all those who supported us in many ways."

"A wealth of information and documents that will be incorporated in my teaching units."

"I have a renewed sense of enthusiasm for beginning yet another school year."

How do I apply?
An application is available from the Web site. Enrollment is limited to 20 persons at the DC session, and 10 persons at the Abilene and Laguna Niguel sessions.

Completed applications are due no later than 6 weeks before the workshop.