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Excerpts
from Participant Applications
2002- 2003
- I would like to participate
in the project to increase
my knowledge of U.S. History
as well as to learn new ways
of effectively teaching history…Students
often come into history class
with a negative opinion. If
I am able to use a plethora
of ideas and activities, then
my students may realize that
history is not only interesting,
but very important.
- 11th grade teacher
- I am constantly seeking
innovative ways to share American
History with my students in
an engaging, historically
accurate way. One of the ways
I have been able to enliven
my classroom is by simultaneously
furthering my own American
History education and subject
matter knowledge, and sharing
ideas and methodologies with
American History colleagues.
-8th grade teacher
-
I have always been an avid
student of history and I’m
constantly trying to find
ways to transmit my excitement
about the past to my students.
There has been a tremendous
devaluation of social studies
in schools recently, and
I am eager to counter that
trend by developing my expertise
and sharing it with other
teachers. I want to get
good ideas, collaborate
with my colleagues, and
disseminate our ideas to
others.
- 5th grade teacher
- As a school librarian, I
welcome the opportunity to
collaborate with teachers.
Our 8th grade American History
teacher, is a member of this
group. My participation in
this project will allow time
for us to collaborate. I can
support him by providing the
resources available in our
library…The American
History Grant Project will
provide an opportunity for
me to improve my knowledge
in American history and an
opportunity to work together
with teachers (from different
grade levels) to share ideas
and strategies.
-Middle School librarian
- This opportunity will allow
me to enhance my own practice
as a teacher of U.S. History.
Paramount to teaching the
facts related to historical
events is helping students
communicate through written
work and discussions. Currently,
I teach AP US History and
I know I am still an evolving
educator. I would like to
collaborate with other teachers
and have the opportunity craft
lessons. I have strong interests
in the history of people of
color and this experience
will help me to design lessons
that will enrich the educational
experience of my students.
- 11th grade teacher
- This is my first year teaching
American History, and it is
the subject I've always wanted
to teach. I have always had
a personal interest in history,
and I'm planning on working
on a masters in history over
the next five years. The two
greatest challenges I have
faced so far have been the
difficulty of engaging students
who aren't very self-motivated
and modeling democratic values
in a school system that isn't
based on democratic principles.
- It is difficult to convince
the student that history is
relevant to them when he or
she has difficulty relating
to school as a whole…Students
often don't buy into the system
because the system doesn't
serve their needs. How can
they be taught democracy if
there are few examples where
they can see it working for
them? It is this question
that I would most like to
raise and perhaps find some
answers to while attending
the workshops offered as a
part of this grant.
-8th grade teacher
- I am newly CLAD credentialed,
from CSUH, and understand
the need to develop lessons
that are easily accessable,
and, yet, deeply relevant
to students' lives. My focus
has been to bring students
to a critical assessment of
the unique experiment democracy
in America has been, and continues
to be from the varied perspectives
involved in historical events.
I am especially interested
in women's rights and roles
in our history. In teaching
history, I try to help students
put events into perspective
by asking them to categorize
them into areas of liberty
and equality, justice and
global interdependency. This
project sounds like it would
be a wonderful opportunity
to develop and refine my skills
with other
professionals.
- 8th grade teacher
- I believe by participating
in the Teaching American History
Project I would be in even
a better position to assist
teachers as the project builds
in unique opportunities for
teacher and librarian collaboration.
- high school librarian
- I enjoy learning about the
past and the powerful implications
it has upon our present society.
As an educator, I want to
impart this enthusiasm and
zest for knowledge to my own
students. I encourage them
to analyze, expolore, and
question.
- 5th grade teacher
- The Teaching American History
grant project will offer a
great opportunity to focus
on history. Having worked
in Oakland for 8_ years now,
we have never had this opportunity
before. The chance to build
lasting relationships and
an arsenal of lessons, strategies
and methods is intriguing.
I look forward to making contributions
based on my ethnic identity
and cultural perspective.
Also further exploring ideas
in American History that focus
on our unknown cultural contributions.
- 8th grade teacher
- The thematic topic interests
me. Democracy as a topic,
a cultural and political ideal
is thematically stressed without
equivocation in our texts.
However, there is an equivocal
aspect which has to become
part of our narrative. Working
with peers in a collegial
atmosphere could contribute
to making this subject part
of our scholastic agenda.
- 8th grade teacher
- I think I would benefit
a lot form collaborating with
other teachers from my grade
level and the chance to work
with historians. Most of all
I am excited to plan my lessons
and strategies with a partner,
or two, especially since I
am the only 5th grade teacher
at my school.
-5th grade teacher
- I feel participating in
this experience would afford
me a greater depth and breadth
of knowledge in teaching this
curriculum area. It would
also be a valuable sequel
to the work I began at Williamsburg
last summer…I have bbeen
supportive of teachers at
my school in this teaching
endeavor. The more knowledgeable
and enthusiastic I am, the
more I can help support others.
The end result is a new, or
renewed energy in this area.
I’d like to help ignite
the fire in other teachers
and watch it grow!
- 5th grade teacher
- I want to participate in
the Teaching American History
Grant because I am painfully
aware that history is, and
has always been, my weakest
subject. I know that my weakness
in this subject is reflected
in my teaching practice, and
I desperately want to change
this!…I find myself having
to learn US History along
with my students, and while
this new knowledge is exciting
for me, it does not allow
for variation and experimentation
with my pedagogy…My experience
and excitement with teaching
math, science, art, language
arts, and technology shines
through and reaches my students
- I know this- and I want
that in Social Studies!!
-5th grade teacher
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