Teaching American History Seminar

Study in the 20^th Century:

United States as a World Power

HIS 6710 CO 1
Graduate Credit—3

Instructor of Record--Dr. Mike Austin

Summer Seminar 2006 - July 10th to the 14th 
Timeframe of the Seminar from July 2006 to April 2007

“Military power and economic power are both examples of hard command power that can be used to induce others to change their position. Hard power can rest on inducements (carrots) or threats (sticks). But there is also an indirect way to exercise power. A country may obtain the outcomes it wants in world politics because other countries want to follow it, admiring its values, emulating its example, aspiring to its level of prosperity and openness. In this sense, it is just as important to set the agenda in world politics and attract others as it is to force them to change through the threat or use of military or economic weapons ...” -- Joseph Nye Dean, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Course Description
The course examines the major political, social, cultural, diplomatic and economic developments in the second half of the twentieth century, with special emphasis on the concept of American Exceptionalism, America as a moral agent, the consequences of its assumed role in the spread of democracy, the shift from isolation to internationalism, and its consequent defensiveness through the interstate highway system, and the fall of Communism. Teacher-participants examine primary and secondary documents in concert with scholars, mentor teachers, and fellow high school, middle school, and elementary school teachers.

Responsibilities include

• Attendance at two meetings on caps I the fall and three in the spring semester.
• Observation of an approved Mentor Teacher in both fall and spring semesters for new participants only.  All returning participants have the choice of attending the Social Studies Conference in early December of ’06; critiquing the conference and then reporting back to their support group or observing mentor teachers in each semester. 
• In this the third year of the grant, you are encouraged to observe a fellow teacher in the seminar to foster an on-going learning community.
• Submit a Reflection Paper in the spring
• Presentation of final project at last meeting in April

• Submit project to be posted on TAH web
• Facilitate with grant evaluators necessary documentation
   

The teacher-participant will participate in the summer seminar; two meetings in the fall and three in the spring; submit an in-depth  plan on an aspect of this time period suitable for other teachers to use as a model and provide useful resources such as annotated book lists. Any curriculum plans and book lists become part of the Teaching American History Seminar and will be posted on its Website to help other teachers in southwestern Vermont.

Two weeks after the Summer Seminar submit a 2 page proposal which includes theme, topics, subtopics, methodology. In the spring following the Summer Seminar, upon completion of all work: 3 graduate credits will be issued.

For historical government documents please check the following web sites. The last site lists important historical documents and relates them to various grade levels. It also has the Vermont Constitution--a very convenient site.

Cost for graduate credit
Graduate credit will be given to the teacher-participant for the course if they wish; the special reduced rate is $99 per credit, or $297 for a 3 credit course.  For more information on special rates for teachers, contact the Castleton Center for Schools: Peter Mello or John Paul.

Contact Hours - Summer Seminar

Goals for the Seminar

• Enlarge and enhance teachers' background and understanding of the United States as a world power in the second half of the twentieth century.
• Improve teacher practice and student success in the design using primary documents and the implementation of American history in participating schools.
• Update and revise American history curriculum in the participating schools.
• Develop a recommended collection of American history primary and secondary
   resources.
• Utilize  document based questions (DBQ). critical thinking skills as well as writing and reading skills

Texts and Readings for the Project
The following books will be supplied to participants in the seminar and will be used for background and the project: 

National Standards for History, Revised Edition, 1996 (NH160)

Bring History Alive!, A Sourcebook for Teaching U.S. History (NH 148) Building a U.S. History

All the People (1945-1998) by Joy Hakim (New York: Oxford Press)

Building a World History Curriculum: A Guide to Using Themes and Selecting Content, Guides for Implementing the History Curriculum, Recommended by the Bradley Commission on History in Schools (Prepared by the National Council for History Education)
 

Books for Spring Discussion Seminar

Great Issues in American History: From Reconstruction to the Present Day, 1864-1981 by Richard Hofstadter and Beatrice Hofstadter (New York: Vintage Books)

This book contains primary documents. You and your teacher support leader may want to select particular documents to follow up on the summer seminar, your particular project, or to enrich your further understanding of the era.

The Story of American Freedom by Eric Foner (New York: W. W. Norton)
This book takes a panoramic view of American freedom and is a good book to elicit an engaged discussion at the spring seminar.

Additional material recommended by speakers and Advisory Board. Check the Website for this information in Summer ‘06, under the speaker's name.

Course Projects, Objectives, and Grading
This seminar is designed to help you integrate the knowledge and skills that you have so that they may be used to enhance your overall teaching. While each person will complete the same basic assignments, you have freedom and flexibility in adapting the assignments to fit your individual and classroom needs.

• Be sure to familiarize yourself when you receive the materials for the class. Complete assigned readings that the teacher-facilitator indicates and be present and participate in all meetings of the summer seminar. As soon as you receive the materials begin work on the project and reading list. You will be responsible for participating in small group discussions on the focused topic. Submit within two weeks of the end of the summer seminar your preliminary proposal for your web project (by August 1, 2006). Your project proposal can focus on document based questions (DBQ). It must include specific references to Vermont Standards, GEs and National Standards and an annotated bibliography in writing. Your proposal must have a minimum of 5 annotated texts, not including the core texts listed above.

      Fall 2006

• In the first of the fall meetings bring a detailed reading list of content books  related to project proposal  useful for teacher or pupil and a progress report which you will share in discussion with fellow teachers and submit to the Evaluation Team for comment
• Prior to the second of the fall meetings observe a mentor teacher at your respective grade level or attend a professional conference such as the Vermont Alliance for Social Studies (VASS).
  Vermont Alliance for Social Studies will be holding its conference on Friday, December 1 at the Holiday Inn in Rutland.  The tentative theme for the VASS conference will focus on historical sites and collections within Vermont. For further information click here
• In the second of the fall meetings bring and discuss a book list on professional development and teaching strategies that you have discovered by your observation of a Mentor Teacher and discussion with fellow teachers  which you will share in discussion with fellow teacher-participants and submit to the Teacher Evaluation Team. 

      Spring 2007

• In the first of the spring meetings bring the Richard Hofstadter and Beatrice Hofstadter, Great Issues in American History: From Reconstruction to the Present Day, 1864-1981  and Eric Foner, The Story of American Freedom (listed above) for a  discussion with fellow  teacher-participants about the role of America as a World Power, the concept of freedom in American history, and the threat to it.
• Prior to the  second spring meeting observe a mentor  teacher not at your respective grade level. This will help you to understand, foster, and appreciate continuity in the curriculum and your colleague's approaches. 
• At the final spring meeting hand in a Reflection Paper no less than two pages to the Evaluation Team reflecting on how this Project has helped you in your teaching.
• In the last spring meeting make a Final Presentation to your group. The Presentation could include a video, a PowerPoint, lesson plan, but not limited to these. It demonstrates the project you have worked on throughout the year.

Academic Honesty Policy
As a community of scholars, the administration, faculty, students and your colleagues expect all to maintain the highest integrity in scholarly work. All projects must be the work of the individual or group assigned. Any work that is not original must be properly credited or it is plagiarized. Any violation of academic honesty will be considered cheating and will be dealt with accordingly by the grader. The Castleton policy can be found on page 12 of the Castleton College Handbook, which is also accessible on line at: http://www.castleton.edu/campus/StudentHandbook/pages6to43.pdf
 

Grading Policy
Grades are indicated by letters with a designated "quality point" value assigned to each as follows:

Additional grading information can be found beginning on page 22 of the "Castleton College Handbook & Calendar, 2003-2004", also accessible online at: http://www.castleton.edu/campus/StudentHandbook/pages6to43.pdf

Grading

Mandatory Yearly Responsibilities for Project Evaluation of Grant to Insure Federal         Compliance.  (Note: No credit will be given for course unless the following completed)

• Completion of pre/post evaluations of Summer Seminar by evaluators
• Classroom visit by evaluator or assistant in the fall OR spring semester for the purpose of data collection and furtherance of grant.
• Completion of mid-year evaluation by evaluator(s) as well as collection of  student evaluations

July  Seminar               Responsibilities                                                        Grade Percentage

 Fall Semester               Responsibilities                                                        Grade Percentage

Spring  Semester               Responsibilities                                                Grade Percentage

Total: 100%

• The final grade is determined by the Support Team which is comprised of internal and external evaluators: Jonathan Spiro (Castleton State College History Department), Mike Austin (Project Director, Teaching American History Project, Castleton State College History Department), Lincoln Fenn, Mary Fregosi (former teachers in the Rutland Public Schools) and Alis Headlam (supervisor of student teachers at Castleton). 
• More about the evaluation team

  For other information about the Teaching American History Project, please check our web site (www.castleton.edu/tah).

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Copyright 2004, Teaching American History

www.castleton.edu/TAH