National Archives Offers Summer Institutes For Educators
Press Release · Thursday, March 8, 2012

Washington, DC…The National Archives and Records Administration announces its annual institutes for educators in the summer of 2012.  Primarily Teaching: Original Documents and Classroom Strategies will be held at seven of the agency’s locations:

• The National Archives at Chicago, Chicago, IL, June 18–22, 2012
• The National Archives at Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, June 25–29, 2012
• The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, KS, July 16–20, 2012
• The National Archives Building, Washington, DC, July 23–27, 2012
• The Lyndon B. Johnson Library, Austin, TX, July 23–27, 2012
• The National Archives at Boston, Waltham, MA, July 23–27, 2012
• The National Archives at Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas, July 23–27, 2012

Primarily Teaching is designed to provide access to the rich resources of the National Archives for educators at the upper elementary, secondary, and college levels. Participants will learn how to research historical records, create classroom materials based on the records, and present documents in ways that sharpen students’ skills and enthusiasm for history, government, and the other humanities.

Each participant will search the holdings of the National Archives for documents suitable for classroom use and develop strategies for using these documents in the classroom or design professional development activities to help classroom teachers use primary source documents effectively.

The National Archives preserves and makes available to the public the permanently valuable records of the United States government.  Although the best known of these are the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, there are billions of textual documents, maps, drawings, photographs, films, sound recordings, and computer tapes in the National Archives holdings that record the American experience of government from 1774 to the present.

• The cost of the institute is $100, including all materials.
• Graduate credit for most sessions is available for a fee.
• Participation in each session is limited to 10 members; 15 at the Washington, DC, location.
• Classes will be filled on a first come first served basis.
• Participants will receive a stipend upon successful completion of the course and submission of a project.

Primarily Teaching is generously supported by the Foundation for the National Archives and Texas Instruments.

An application for the institute is available online [http://www.archives.gov/education/primarily-teaching].

For more information about the institute, contact:

Primarily Teaching
Education Team (NWE)
National Archives and Records Administration
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
Room G-9
Washington, DC 20408 education@nara.gov

Primarily Teaching Staff
National Archives at Kansas City
400 West Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108 mickey.ebert@nara.gov

Primarily Teaching Staff
National Archives at Chicago
7358 S. Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60629 kristina.maldre@nara.gov

Primarily Teaching Staff
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum
200 Southeast Fourth Street
Abilene, KS 67410 kim.barbieri@nara.gov

Primarily Teaching Staff
Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
2313 Red River Street
Austin, TX 78705 marsha.sharp@nara.gov

Primarily Teaching Staff
National Archives at Boston
380 Trapelo Road
Waltham, MA 02452 annie.davis@nara.gov

Primarily Teaching Staff
The National Archives at Fort Worth
Montgomery Plaza
2600 West 7th Street, Suite 162
Fort Worth, TX, 76107 jenny.sweeney@nara.gov 

About the Foundation for the National Archives

The Foundation for the National Archives is an independent nonprofit that serves as the National Archives’ private-sector partner in the creation of and ongoing support of the National Archives Experience, which includes permanent exhibits, educational programs, traveling exhibits, special events and film screenings, and historical/records-related products, publications, and media. The Foundation helps the public understand the importance of the holdings of the National Archives by presenting the depth and diversity of the records through award-winning, interactive educational exhibits and programs. It generates financial and creative support for the National Archives Experience from individuals, foundations, and corporations who share a belief in the importance of innovative civics education.

About the National Archives Experience

The National Archives Experience, created by the National Archives in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives, has transformed the visitor experience at the National Archives’ Washington, DC building, and includes a renovated Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the award-winning Public Vaults permanent interactive exhibition, the William G. McGowan Theater, the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery for special exhibits, and the Boeing Learning Center. In addition, the Foundation has taken the Archives nationwide through online initiatives such as the Digital Vaults online exhibit and DocsTeach, a web-based educational resource. These components make the rich resources of the National Archives accessible to Americans nationwide.

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For press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs Staff at 202-357-5300.

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