Sheffield City School Teachers in the Historical Boston Commons

Sheffield City Schools was awarded a competitive grant from the Department of Education's Teaching American History Program for the SEARCH (Sheffield Embraces American Responsibilities, Citizenship, and History) program. This program provided opportunities for our history teachers to improve knowledge and pedagogy skills in teaching American History. A partnership with Dr. Chris Maynard, Chair of The University of North Alabama's History Department, provided exciting professional development opportunities for our teachers.

Teachers had the opportunity to visit locations such as American Village, The Hermitage, and Civil Rights Museum. Summer Institutes included visits to Boston, MA; Washington, DC; and New York, NY. The three year curriculum was designed to encompass the four NAEP historical themes, which cover all major branches of historical study. On-going professional development included book studies and in-service workshops.

A professional evaluation of the program showed promising results in improving teacher knowledge and students' academic performance.