January 29, 2004

Northwestern pitches in to teach history

Northwestern will play a key role in an Evanston Township High School (ETHS) project to enhance students’ understanding of American history and its government, two cornerstones in the development of future civic and political leaders.

Lane Fenrich (right), senior lecturer in history, will serve as academic director, assisted by Nancy MacLean, associate professor of history.

photo by Mary Hanlon

ETHS received nearly $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education for the project that seeks to have a far-reaching national impact on improving the achievement of American history students, particularly those of color.

The Teaching American History grant ($962,038) will fund a three-year professional development program for middle and high-school American history teachers.

The ETHS project will involve teachers from many of the 21 school districts in the Minority Student Achievement Network (MSAN), including the high school and elementary districts in Evanston and Oak Park as well as experts from Northwestern University, The Newberry Library and the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago.

The grant will be used to enrich teachers’ knowledge of American history and their classroom skills and to improve student achievement in traditional American history, particularly among underachieving students who are predominantly, but not exclusively, students of color. In addition, through the MSAN connections, the grant will be used to develop, evaluate, and disseminate nationally a professional development model for teaching American history.

The project will consist of three summer institutes hosted at Northwestern, beginning in 2004, where teachers will focus on the essential questions, themes and issues of American history, and a year-long Historians-in-Residence program, where teachers collaborate with University professors through classroom observations and workshops led by period specialists.

Northwestern will provide the historical content and leadership for the summer institutes and Historians-in-Residence programs. Lane Fenrich, senior lecturer in history, will serve as academic director, assisted by Nancy MacLean, associate professor of history, who will serve as Senior Academic Advisor.

Fenrich said, “This is an exciting opportunity for Northwestern faculty to help by doing what we do best: talking about history. Northwestern is an ideal player in that regard, especially when it comes to American history. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the best and brightest scholars in the country, all of them first-rate classroom teachers in addition to being outstanding researchers and writers.”

MacLean said, “At a time when more than four in five high school students in this country lack basic proficiency in American history, according to the 2001 National Assessment of Educational Progress, it is great news that ETHS has taken a lead in finding a solution. Northwestern history faculty are honored and excited to be part of this important initiative.”

All teacher participants will be connected with a School of Education and Social Policy partner to help link classroom instruction to state standards and align curriculum within individual school districts.

A Web site will be created with an electronic library of valuable online historical resources, curriculum units, and proven teaching strategies. An online chat room and forum for project participants will help teachers and professors continue their discussions around historical issues and teaching techniques, review units created during the summer institutes, and examine exemplary student work during the school year. In addition, Northwestern’s extensive technological capacity will make possible the Webcasting of the Historian-in-Residence workshops to participants outside of the Chicago area.

Allan Alson, superintendent of ETHS, said, “Content and pedological experts from Northwestern University will lend their expertise to build an on-going dialogue with classroom teachers about their work with students. I believe the products of this endeavor will be twofold. First, students will see improved instruction and ultimately richer learning experiences. Second, a bridge will continue to be built between our teachers and institutions like Northwestern University, the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago and the Newberry Library.”