Instruction is most effective when teachers build on deep knowledge to develop curriculum and strategies responsive to their students' needs. History is most engaging when students and teachers see themselves as historians. Engaging the American Past builds on these premises in order to: 1) Increase the number of teachers with in-depth knowledge and specific training to teach American history; 2) increase student achievement in American history; 3) increase the number of teachers who use a variety of effective strategies to engage their students in American history; and 4) develop and disseminate an effective program of professional development. Engaging the American Past will build classroom teachers' knowledge of American history through a series of linked activities, including evening seminars and summer institutes that will introduce historical content, methods of interpretation, and teaching strategies. It will develop teams of teacher leaders who will design, implement and evaluate strategies and curriculum materials through collaboration, mentoring and other follow-up activities.

Engaging the American Past creates and builds on partnerships between institutions with strong track records of collaboration, excellence in history instruction and research, professional development for in-service teachers and education for pre-service teachers. These partners include Educational Service District 112, Washington State University Vancouver (Departments of History and Education), three lead school districts (Evergreen, Klickitat, and Vancouver), and the Center for Columbia River History. Within the 30 school districts in the 6 Washington counties that stretch along the lower Columbia River, 268 in-service and pre-service teachers will be engaged and developed as members of the American Past Teacher Corps and will receive sustained staff development activities. The project will engage an estimated 480 additional teachers through participation in colloquia, district-developed inservice, use of curricula, and peer mentoring. The project will target and link persistently low-performing schools in the region with schools in high poverty communities that have been successful in helping their students meet Washington's Essential Academic Learning Requirements.

Washington State University, Vancouver | Center for Columbia River History
Evergreen School District | Klickitat School District | Vancouver School District