New York City Department of Education Community School District 8 and its Social Studies, Literacy and Professional Development Departments have collaborated with the New York Historical Society and The Lower East Side Tenement Museum to design the American History Project to provide teachers of American history with effective instructional practice to improve teaching methodology and achievement of low performing students in American history and literacy. We understand that low achievement in literacy is a major cause of depressed achievement levels in American history.

During each of the three program years, approximately 35 educators comprised of 32 teachers from 8 middles schools, as well as 2 staff developers and 1 project director will receive professional development from experts in the field of American History education. The professional development will consist of a series of on site and off site workshops.

The staff developers and the project director will assist teachers in implementing the strategies through modeling/mentoring. The project director will be responsible for implementing and evaluating the entire program. The Professional Development will be reviewed four times a year and modified three times a year to respond to the needs of the teachers and students.

The partnering organizations that bring a wealth of expertise and resources to this program are the New York Historical Society and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Each organization will provide professional development in the area of American history content knowledge and pedagogical practices. The professional development will focus on pedagogical practice that will be engaging, experimental and will motivate low performing students to higher levels of achievement in American history and literacy.

This grant was made possible with funding from the Federal Department of Education, Elementary & Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), Program Title: Fund for the Improvement of Education (FIE), Sub Program 84.215X.