ASHP/CML EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Launched in 1989 and supported over the years by the National Endowment for the Humanties, CUNY's Office of Academic Affairs, the New York City Department of Education, the Aaron Diamond Foundation, the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, and many other organizations, ASHP/CML education programs have served more than 1,700 teachers at 255 high schools, community colleges, colleges, and universities in New York City and nationwide.

Approaches

With ASHP/CML Teacher Resources as a core focus, ASHP/CML faculty development programs strive to improve the content knowledge of U.S. History and English teachers, foster inquiry- and technology-based instruction, and increase student motivation, literacy, and academic achievement. Our programs achieve these goals through a series of mutually reinforcing elements, including:

• interdisciplinary content
• inquiry learning
• high school-college partnerships
• sustained and reflective faculty engagement
• emphasis on teaching with technology and analysis of primary documents
• leadership training

The Local Programs:

Making Connections

The Making Connections program serves grade 7-12 history, English, and other humanities teachers in New York City and the tri-state area. Integrating content, pedagogy, and technology in all activities, the program consists of three main elements: school-site workshops; a series of day-long professional development seminars at the Graduate Center, CUNY; and in-school mentoring by CUNY faculty and retired master teachers. In all of these settings, teachers collaborate with mentors, ASHP/CML staff, and each other to improve planning, teaching, and learning.

Teaching American History

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Teaching American History programs serve middle and high school social studies teachers in Region 4, 6, and 7 of New York City public schools. Part master class in history, part pedagogical workshop, and part collaborative planning opportunity, the program brings teachers, scholars, and museum educators together during full-day retreats throughout the school years and a Summer Institute. Participants consider broad historical questions, learn how to analyze print and visual primary materials, and develop lessons that bring new knowledge and resources into the classroom.

The National Program: New Media Classroom

The New Media Classroom (NMC) serves high school and college/university faculty nationwide. The program consists of week-long summer institutes, follow-up workshops, and online communication during the school year. Carried out by ten regional centers, NMC helps humanities faculty to use digital archives of primary documents, develop Web- and CD-ROM-based inquiry learning activities, use online software to enhance the teaching of writing, and construct Web sites for classroom use. Building on the seven-year success of NMC, in 2002 ASHP/CML launched Learning to Look: Visual Evidence and the U.S. Past in the New Media Classroom. Funded by NEH, Learning to Look helps humanities faculty search and analyze the wealth of visual material available on the Web and incorporate it into their teaching.

Evaluation

Independent evaluators have found that ASHP/CML education programs have had a positive impact on teacher content knowledge, practice, and professionalism, as well as on student motivation and achievement. Teacher evaluations and feedback, too, have consistently praised ASHP/CML workshops, resources, program staff, and mentors.

For More Information:

Donna Thompson Ray
Co-Director of Education
(212) 817-1963
dthompson@gc.cuny.edu