GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT BRIDGERLAND PATHS Logan, Utah

ABOUT THE GRANT PATHS PERSONNEL WHAT'S NEW & DIFFERENT KEY THEMES EXPLORED IN BRIDGERLAND PATHS PARTICIPATING K-12 TEACHERS PARTICIPATING USU FACULTY APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

In September 2005, the U.S, Department of Education granted a $1 million, three-year, “Teaching American History” grant to public schools in the Cache Valley. The award, one of only 129 distributed to districts around the nation, supports programs that raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of American history.

In Cache Valley, the grant will fund “Bridgerland PATHS” (the Professional Academy for the Teaching of History in Schools). Partners in the PATHS project include: the Logan City School District; the Cache County School District; the Early College High School; Utah State University Department of History; and the American West Heritage Center.All public school educators in Cache Valley who teach history units in primary and secondary school classrooms are invited to apply for admission to PATHS and join us in our studies of the American national experience. Application information–and a simple, online form--appear below.

THE GRANT:

The U.S. Department of Education’s “Teaching American History” program brings together school districts and institutions with expertise in American history. Their collaborative efforts extend the knowledge and skills that educators may draw on to teach traditional American history in exciting and engaging ways. The website for the grant program is:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teachinghistory/index.html

PATHS PERSONNEL + E-MAIL ADDRESSES:

- Stu Howell (Logan City School District): SHowell@lcsd.logan.k12.ut.us
- Blake Pickett (Cache County School District) blake.pickett@cache.k12.ut.us
- Steve Zsiray (Early College High School): steve.zsiray@usu.edu
- Elizabeth Johnson (Educational Outreach, American West Heritage Center): ejohnson@awhc.org
- Dorothy Dobson (Teacher Leader): dordob@hughes.net
- Tom Shuster (Spectrum Consulting): shuster@spectrumconsulting.com
- Seth Johnson (Spectrum Consulting): sjohnson@spectrumconsulting.com
- Prof. Daniel J. McInerney (History, Utah State University): danielj@cc.usu.edu

WHAT’S NEW AND DIFFERENT:

This is the second “Teaching American History” grant received by our public schools. The first PATHS project ran from 2002 through 2004. Under the new grant, many PATHS features have changed. In the 2006-2008 program:

1. Admission will be more selective.

2. History programs will take place over the course of the entire year, not simply in the summer.

3. Programs will involve both classroom presentations as well as online activities.

4. Teacher leaders / mentors will be work with elementary and secondary teachers.

5. Teachers will have an opportunity to enroll in a university-level American history survey course.

6. Over half a dozen Utah State University history professors will be new to the program.

7. The topical seminars they present will cover subjects that were not explored in the first PATHS project.

8. PATHS will sponsor special historical field trips.

9. The PATHS website will provided updated information about our programs.

10. Special evaluation and assessment tools will guide our work as we try to determine the practical difference PATHS programs make in your classrooms.

WHAT REMAINS THE SAME:

Despite the changes above, four basic features of PATHS remain the same:

1. There are no fees for PATHS programs.

2. Our goal is to foster engaging (and useful) professional development. PATHS examines new areas of historical study, surveys recent research on a range of subjects, explores pedagogical techniques, brings in visiting scholars, and travels to interesting sites—all with an eye on the state-mandated curriculum in history.

3. Teachers who participate in PATHS programs will receive monetary compensation for their time and work—and receive credit for their activity. (Board members from the school districts will soon have more information for you.)

4. Funding from the grant covers the costs of a wide range of expenses: class materials, video materials; online access for web-based programs; meals & refreshments during the summer sessions; travel / food / lodging during the field trips.

PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES:

1. An experimental, web-based seminar on the Vietnam War from Columbia University (participants will include: high school teachers, their students, and University faculty)

2. Guest speaker Philip Deloria, author of Playing Indian and Indians in Unexpected Places, will discuss “Reading Mount Rushmore,” Logan Tabernacle, Feb. 9

3. Guest speaker Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel (late March)

4. Tanner Symposium on “The 1950's, The Beat Movement, and the Power of Expression” (March 1-3, USU campus) (see website: www.usu.edu/tanner/ )

5. PATHS Summer Program at American West Heritage Center, starting 6/5/06:

-a two-week survey course on American history up to 1877
-seminars by Utah State University History faculty on a range of subjects
-pedagogical presentations
-field trip to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls

6. Fall and Spring seminars by Utah State University History faculty

7. Columbia University’s “E-Seminar” programs on topics in American History
(for general information, see: www.caho.columbia.edu/ )

More information about PATHS programs is available on the application form below.

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION:

If you would like to take part in future PATHS programs, please go to the link below for further information AND an application:
http://www.spectrumedu.com/Public/Survey/Survey.aspx?sid=42