The Great Black Swamp Scholars Project

The Western Buckeye ESC in partnership with Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University, the Northwest Ohio ESC, and the Ohio Historical Society has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Education Department (ED), The Great Black Swamp Scholars Teaching American History Grant.  The timeline calls for planning for October, 2007-May 2008, with implementation for the 08-10 school years. The TAH is a three year grant. An Advisory Council has been formed to help govern program aspects of the grant and determine eligibility for opportunities throughout the grant period. Project Director Chris Feichter will be coordinating the Advisory Council throughout the year.  Click here for a brochure about the Great Black Swamp Scholars Program.

The grant is for professional development for social studies teachers. The grant will involve grades 3-12 teachers as well as special education teachers needing coursework to fulfill the Highly Qualified Teacher Definition. The professional development opportunities will consist of one day seminars held locally, week long seminars held at Ashland University in the summer, and PEERS Study Tables.

The one-day seminars will be planned by the Advisory Board who will take the information from the Planning Summits to be held this fall..  Presenters at the local one-day seminars will include local historians, experts in state and local history, and speakers from the Ashbrook Center.  Topics will be chosen from the suggestions made at the Planning Summits. Plans are for one seminar per county.

FREE One-Week Summer Institutes will be held at Ashland University, June-August, 2008.  Please use the link below for the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University to see at the information regarding these FREE Summer Workshops.  Registration is limited and includes housing, meals, books, and a $500 stipend.  Graduate credit is also available.  Space is limited and registration is on a first come, first serve basis.  For more information on these Summer Workshops at Ashbrook Center go to:  www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org/institute

PEERS Groups will be created to provide the implementation and follow-up for the summer Institutes and Seminars. The PEERS groups will give teachers an opportunity to explore the pedagogy and better apply the knowledge gained at the seminars and institutes.  Through PEERS, teachers will study, explore, and practice new techniques and strategies in their classrooms while being supported by their local cohorts.  This framework consists of forming building-level Action Research Teams which conduct ongoing, job-embedded follow-up to the whole-group Summer Institutes and one-day Seminars. Stipends and Graduate Credit is available.  Click here for a brochure with more information about the PEERS program.

Teaching American History Grant (TAH)

The Western Buckeye ESC in partnership with Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University has been awarded a new grant from the U.S. Education Department (ED), the Teaching American History Grant. The timeline calls for planning for October, 2006-May 2007, with implementation for the 07-09 school years. The TAH is a three year grant. For the latest newsletter please click here.

The grant is for professional development for social studies teachers. Most of the grant will involve grades 7-12 teachers. There will also be opportunities for K-6 teachers to participate as well as special education teachers needing coursework to fulfill the Highly Qualified Teacher Definition.

Two opportunities are now available for teachers to register:

            Spring one-day seminar will be held at Vantage on Sat. Feb. 10, 2007, 8-4:00.  Please direct inquiries to: Christine Feichter, wb_feichter@noacsc.org

    FREE One-Week Summer Institutes to be held at Ashland University, June-August, 2007.  Please use the link below for the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University to see at the information regarding these FREE Summer Workshops.  Registration is limited and includes housing, meals, books, and a $500 stipend.  Graduate credit is also available.  Space is limited and registration is on a first come, first serve basis.  For more information on these Summer Workshops at Ashbrook Center go to:  www.TeachingAmericanHistory.org/institute

Opportunities for grades 7-12 teachers may include:

Opportunities for K-6 teachers may include:

Participation in PEERS Study Tables, via video distance learning (includes a stipend and classroom materials)

***All opportunities are dependent upon space available and active involvement with the grant project.

An Advisory Council has been formed to help govern program aspects of the grant and determine eligibility for opportunities throughout the grant period. Project Director Chris Feichter will be coordinating the Advisory Council throughout the year.