Since its inception, The HistoryMakers has made bridging the digital divide and education its priorities. Its educational initiatives include:

Questions and Answers

What is The HistoryMakers Education Institute?
The HistoryMakers Education Institute is a yearlong educational program. During the 2003-2004 academic year, in an extremely competitive process, forty teachers from twenty Chicago public middle and high schools were selected to participate in a pilot program. Drawing upon the resources of The HistoryMakers one-of-a-kind African American video oral history archive, the Institute makes history come alive through the implementation of a more inclusive and relevant social science and language arts curriculum that increases teacher preparation, student learning and achievement, and encourages intergenerational relationships through an effective role model/mentor program.

How does The HistoryMakers Education Institute work?
Interested Social Science, English, and Language Arts teachers from public middle and high schools are encouraged to submit applications in pairs (one elementary school/middle school partnership with one high school). The Institute only has room for twenty schools and forty teachers and at present applications are only allowed from Chicago public schools where the participating teachers have the full support of the school’s principal.

Teachers are chosen based on their: a) interest in participating in this project; b) dedication to ongoing professional development; c) commitment to learning how to use The HistoryMakers African American video oral history archive and related curriculum materials; and d) implementation of the materials on a sustained basis in their classrooms. The yearlong program includes:

What happens at the Summer Teacher Institute?
Two one-week sessions are held. Each session is held Monday - Friday 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. At each one-week Summer Teacher Institute, teachers plan units of instruction that integrate The HistoryMakers resources into the core curriculum in social studies and language arts (i.e. reading and writing). They also learn about oral history, genealogy, public history and the value of African American history for a more diversified curriculum. At the Institute, history is used to teach research, writing and reading skills. The Institute materials (including the effective use of multimedia tools and video) are based on the theme of problem-solving and include teaching/learning guides that correlate with state goals in social science and emphasize the ACT/Prairie State/ISAT Prep integrated approach of reading, writing, listening and speaking. In their work, students are encouraged to apply that same analysis of problem solving to current situations in their own lives.

What is the compensation for participation?
In addition to CPDU credits and curriculum materials and support, teachers receive a $500 stipend for their participation in the five-day Summer Teacher Institute as well as a $100 stipend per quarterly session.

What are the goals of The HistoryMakers Education Institute?
The goal of The HistoryMakers Education Institute is to improve teacher preparation and student learning, achievement and access to state-of-the-art technology while making history come alive in tangible, motivational and life changing ways.
The HistoryMakers Education Institute is intended to maximize the impact of rich archival content; prepare teachers to design and implement effective lessons; diversify current social studies curriculum; facilitate true multicultural education; inspire student learning; increase academic performance; and provide role models for student achievement in school and beyond.

Please direct questions to:
Joan Flintoft
The HistoryMakers
1900 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60616
312-674-1900 / 312-674-1915 (fax)

jf@thehistorymakers.com
http://www.thehistorymakers.com