Teachers as Historians

Teacher historian benefits and expectations

Benefits to teacher historians 

Teacher historians will receive the following benefits as participants of the Teaching American History grant program:

  • $1800 in extra duty pay for his/her participation in grant activities 
  • $600 in extra duty pay for the submission, revision and re-submission of two original lessons dealing with traditional American history 
  • Two-week professional development seminar at Rice University, all expenses paid 
  • One-week in-depth field study in The South, all expenses paid 
  • Two, one-day content workshops during the academic year, all expenses paid 
  • One, three-day workshop at the LBJ Library, all expenses paid 
  • $425 worth of curriculum resources per person which will be distributed at the various seminars and workshops throughout the grant year 
  • The opportunity to apply for up to $750 in “Teaching Improvement Grants.” Funds can be requested for travel to professional conferences or historic sites, registration fees and travel for additional professional development, curriculum resources, classroom materials, and other expenses directly related to teaching American history. 
  • Ninety hours of professional development credits

Expectations of teacher historians 

Teacher historians will commit to attend and actively participate in the following mandatory grant activities: 

  • May 17, 2012 (Thurs) – Orientation Seminar @ FBISD, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
  • June 11-22, 2012 (Mon-Fri) – Summer Seminar @ Rice University, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
  • July 14-August 20, 2012 (Sat-Fri) – Field Study: The Civil Rights Trail: Selma, Birmingham, Atlanta
  • September 11, 2012 (Tues) – Inter-district planning meeting @ FBISD, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
  • October 13, 2012 (Sat) – Law Related Education Workshop @ FBISD, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  • November 3, 2012 (Sat) – Bill of Rights Workshop @ FBISD, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  • January 17-19, 2013 (Thurs-Sat) – LBJ Library Workshop in Austin, Texas
  • March/April 2013 – Distinguished Speaker (TBD)

Teacher historians, during the course of the 2012-2013 academic year, will research and develop two original lessons dealing with traditional American history. Teachers will be given guidelines as to the structure and content of their lessons.     

  • June 22, 2012 – Lesson plan #1 and #2 proposal due
  • August 1, 2012 – Lesson plan #1 draft due
  • October 13, 2012 – Lesson plan #1 final version due
  • November 3, 2012 – Lesson plan #2 draft due, TIG applications due
  • January 21, 2013 – Lesson plan #2 final version due
  • Spring 2013 – Curriculum will be uploaded to digital curriculum library on grant Web site

Teacher historians will be expected to share their knowledge gained and curriculum products at a minimum of one professional event over the project year or subsequent academic year. Presentations can be done at the local, state or national level, and may be done in collaboration with other participants. 

  • June 2013-May 2014 – Cohort 3 curriculum dissemination and professional presentations

Teacher historians will participate in all grant evaluation activities. Evaluation of grant activities is critical to the continued project funding.