Montgomery County Public Schools Receives a $491,411
Teaching American History Grant from the U. S. Department of Education
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), in
partnership with Virginia Tech’s Departments of History and Education and the
Virginia Historical Society, has received a three-year $491,411 Teaching
American History Grant from the U. S. Department of Education. The Teaching American History grant program
supports three-year projects to improve teachers' knowledge and understanding
of traditional American history through intensive, on-going professional
development. Grantees work in
partnership with one or more organizations that have extensive knowledge of
American history, including libraries, museums, nonprofit history or humanities
organizations, and higher education institutions.
“We are excited
to collaborate with Virginia Tech’s Departments of History and Teaching and
Learning along with the Virginia Historical Society to provide professional
development for K-12 teachers in Montgomery County,” said Sharon
Francis-Zuckerwar, Supervisor of Social Sciences and Character Education. “Historians will work directly with teachers
to provide interactive workshops related to themes in American history. Teachers will then develop inquiry
experiences for students to work with primary sources and documents. The ultimate goal is to increase students’
content knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of American history,” she
added.
To improve student achievement, the Teaching American History grant program will immerse all 230 of the district’s K-12 teachers of American history in American history content and research-based teaching strategies, to help them teach American history in an exciting and engaging way. The project will create an atmosphere of sustained and collegial professional development, allowing teachers’ knowledge and skills to develop as part of a collaborative network that supports change and improvement inside the classroom. Once established, these connections among teachers, mentors, and historians will foster an environment of professional collaboration that will ensure high-quality American history instruction for all MCPS students.