Teaching American History Grant - Leadership in America: Dilemmas and Opportunities

Last spring, Tyngsborough joined with 6 other districts and U Mass Lowell to apply for a Teaching American History Federal Grant. With Andover Public Schools as the lead agent, Methuen, Lawrence, Hamilton-Wenham, Innovation Academy Charter School, Greater Lowell Technical High School and Tyngsborough formed a collaboration to apply for the grant. In July, we received word that the grant was approved for funding!

During the next 3 years, over 100 history teachers (grades 5, 8 and 10) from the 7 districts will study the significant people and events that have shaped the course of American History from 1865 to the present. Six Tyngsborough teachers are participating in Cohort 1 (January, 2008-December, 2009) and seven will participate in Cohort 2 (January, 2009-December, 2010). The primary objective of this grant is to increase student achievement by improving teachers’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of American history. Professional development will include: “Content modules” at U Mass Lowell, book discussion groups, technology seminars, summer institutes and historic field trips to a variety of our area’s cultural partners. Teachers will be able to earn PDPs towards recertification for each of the professional development offerings and 3 graduate credits (or 67.5 PDPs) for each five-day summer institute they attend (each teacher must attend 2 summer institutes).

The first book discussion group will meet on January 22nd in Andover and will rotate between the participating districts. The group will be discussing Founding Myths: Stories that Hide Our Patriotic Past by Ray Raphael. Teachers received discussion questions to guide their study.

Teachers participating in the grant are:

Cohort 1

• Doug Clare – THS
• John Salmon –THS
• Debbie Teal – THS – Coordinator
• Mike Woodlock – THS
• Doug Wright – TMS
• Taylor Wyre – TMS

Cohort 2

• Bridgett Byrne - TES
• Phillip Chevalier - TES
• Jenn Trischitta - TES
• Jeff Duffany - TMS
• Caroline Kzenovitz - THS
• Betsy Perry - THS
• Mike Mastrullo – THS

Debbie Teal and Mike Woodlock are serving on the project Advisory Board.

Additional partners are the National Park Service (including the Adams National Historic Site, the John F. Kennedy Historic Site, the Lowell National Historic Park, the Tsongas Industrial History Center, the Minute Man National Historic Park), the Lawrence History Center, Facing History and Ourselves, Merrimack College and the Andover Historical Society. A schedule of the “content modules” is available in the Superintendent’s office or by contacting Debbie Teal or Mike Woodlock.

Additional information/progress will be shared throughout the project.