Bringing Teachers to the History Museum

Bringing Teachers to the History Museum: A Guide to Facilitating Teacher Professional Development surveys best practices and the latest research on how to plan, implement and evaluate teacher professional development at historic sites and museums. Written to help museum professionals provide impactful experiences, the volume offers: 1.Understandings of teachers as a unique audience for historic sites and museums. 2.Practical tips for starting or strengthening teacher programs, including approaches for creating inclusive and equitable professional development. 3.Insights from multiple disciplines, including classroom, museum, and teacher education This guide, developed by and for museum educators, will provide inspiration and guidance for inquiry-driven approaches, connecting to power of place, and facilitating dialogue to help teachers connect museum content to their students' needs. You will find real-world examples of goal setting, program design, and evaluation tools to guide every step of planning and implementing of teacher professional development. Through research, experience, and shared perspectives, this volume directly addresses incorporating anti-racism and virtual learning into teacher programming at history institutions. Bringing Teachers to the History Museum arrives in a crucial moment for historic sites and museums to support teachers as learners, professionals, and advocates for their students.
About the Author: Lora Cooper, Continuing Education Coordinator at Monticello, facilitates the interdisciplinary work of providing professional development to historical interpreters and classroom teachers. She earned a Master of Education in Curriculum and Development from the University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development and a B.A. in history from Christopher Newport University. She has been involved in the evaluation of teacher professional development at historic sites and museums since 2015, and her work has been featured in the Journal of Museum Education (2018). Linnea Grim, Vice President of Guest Experiences at Monticello, is passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences for all guests and is especially interested in building relationships with educators. She earned a M.A. in history museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program and a B.A. in history from the College of William and Mary. Her publications include a chapter in Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites (2014), co-author of "Taking the Next Step: Confronting the Legacies of Slavery at Historic Sites" in the Journal of Museum Education (2017), and co-author of "Museum Management Tune-Up" in History News (2015). Gary Sandling, Vice President and Chief Content Officer at Monticello, has worked in public history for more than two decades and at Monticello since 2005. As Vice President of Education and Visitor Programs for eleven years, he led the talented teams that produce Monticello's onsite programs, including the reshaped Monticello Teacher Institute.