Summer Professional Development Opportunities

Hard to believe it’s time to start thinking about summer—but deadlines for national summer workshops are fast approaching. Here are a few options to dream about.


Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institutes – Teaching with Primary Sources
The Library of Congress is now accepting applications for its 2013 Summer Teacher Institutes in Washington, D.C. The five-day institutes provide educators with tools and resources to effectively integrate primary sources into K-12 classroom teaching, focusing on student engagement, critical thinking, and construction of knowledge.

Tuition and materials are provided at no cost. Breakfast and lunch are also provided. Participants will be responsible for transportation to and from the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and any required overnight accommodations. Educators and school librarians of all grade levels and subject areas are encouraged to apply. More information here.

Application deadline: February 4, 2013

The Gilder Lerhman Institute of American History 2013 Teacher Seminars.
These weeklong seminars offer graduate credit; the seminars, room and board are free. The Institute also offers a $400 travel scholarship. Their options are varied—from broad overviews (“A Visual Approach to Teaching American History” and “American Women from the Colonial to the Modern Era) to more focused seminars (“The American Civil War through Material Culture—K-8 Teachers Only” and “The Era of George Washington.”) See a full list of their offerings (and find information on applying) here.
Application deadline: February 15, 2013

NEH Summer Programs for Teachers
Through various NEH summer programs for teachers, you can spend a week in Jackson, Mississippi, studying the Civil Rights movement, four weeks in Berlin, Germany, and Prague, Czech Republic, studying the 1989 peaceful revolutions, five weeks in Siena, Italy, studying Dante, three weeks in Monterey, California, studying John Steinbeck, or two weeks in Hamilton, New York, studying abolitionism and the underground railroad, among many other options. See a full list of their offerings (and find information on applying) here. Tuition is free and the NEH offers a substantial travel stipend to help cover your expenses.
Application deadline: March 4, 2013

Closer to home, the Northwest Council for Computer Education will be offering two-day workshops on Teaching with Primary Sources this summer. Dates and locations TBA. I’m sure there will be lots of other good workshops in Montana too—I’ll let you know about them as I find out.