Using Historical Methods to Structure a Professional Development Program

This paper will examine the ways that historical methodology can be employed to structure a professional development institute for k-12 history teachers in the summer of 2008 and 2009.  The Sites of Encounter institute was organized by framing the institute with an essential question, much like the research process begins with a historical question. By structuring the institute in this way, the program staff modeled the methods of historical research for the participating teachers.  This essential question brought coherence to the institute, which allowed the program staff to organize the various components of the program—from presenters to pedagogy topics. The paper will examine how the presentations that made up the two summer institutes aligned to the essential question while also addressing the larger goal of the institute: to provide teachers with increased content knowledge to improve teachers’ understanding of world history and historical methods.  After discussing the structure of the program planning, the paper will examine the curriculum developed by the teachers.  The paper will analyze how these aligned to the instructional goals for their classrooms and to the overall theme of the institute.  By studying the teachers’ products the paper will then present the myriad ways that teachers developed historical thinking in their classrooms.  The paper will focus on how these teachers implemented and adapted ideas, content, and strategies that were presented in the institute for the teachers’ curriculum.  The discussion will conclude with an examination of the ways the teachers’ curriculum will shape future institutes.