Teacher Programs
The NJCH Teacher Institute provides professional development programs for New Jersey K-12 educators and recognizes outstanding work by teachers of humanities disciplines. Questions relating to Teacher Institute programming should be directed to Mary Grace Whealan at mwhealan@njch.org.
Teacher Institute programs include:
Teacher Seminars
Participants have the opportunity to earn
- 45 professional development credits
- with curriculum project, $250 stipend
- with research paper, 3 graduate credits in education*
(total cost of credits is $500 with deduction of $250 stipend)
Seminar space is limited; please apply early. A $100 registration fee is required of all accepted applicants. Do not send a check until you have been notified of acceptance.
Call with questions: 609-695-4838 or e-mail: mwhealan@njch.org.
Teacher Institute seminars are six-day tuition-free residential courses; meals and housing are provided. Activities at the seminars include lectures, discussions, field trips, films, writing workshops, curriculum planning, and opportunities to network with scholars and teaching colleagues.
BOTH 2013 courses will be offered at Kean University in Union.
Upstream, Downstream: Managing Water, Sustaining Communities
University of Pennsylvania
Everyone lives downstream…but because nature rarely recognizes political boundaries, governments, policymakers, writers and philosophers have struggled to resolve conflicting demands on this shared resource. This course will use the framework of the natural watershed, examined through the lenses of literature, science, policy, and history, to examine how human communities weigh and balance conflicts over economic growth, environmental health and social justice, introducing teachers to interdisciplinary ways of thinking and new resources for their classrooms.
From the Textbook to the Polling Booth: Politics in Theory and Practice
Rutgers University, Eagleton Institute
Using the upcoming New Jersey gubernatorial election as a backdrop, this seminar explores key tenets of democratic thought as expressed in works past and contemporary. Participants will think about ways to use these tenets as launching points to prepare their students for active citizenship.
Application may be downloaded HERE.
SUBMIT:
1. Complete application form
2. A brief résumé
3. In two pages or less, describe why you are applying to the seminar. Briefly note NJCH seminars attended
4. A letter of recommendation from your principal or department chair
Please send a complete copy of your application packet (application, résumé, statement & letter of recommendation) to:
Mary Grace Whealan, Program Officer
28 West State Street, 6th Floor
Trenton, NJ 08608
*Credits for the 2013 courses are offered through Kean University at a cost of $500 (fee will be reduced to $250 with the inclusion of the $250 stipend).
For the past eighteen years, the New Jersey Council for the Humanities has recognized the best of our state’s K-12 public school teachers and their outstanding achievements in teaching the humanities to our young people.
What kind of teacher do we look for?
An elementary, middle school or high school teacher who understands the complexity, value and richness of the humanities, including such subjects as history, literature and language arts, the theory and history of the arts, comparative religion, world cultures and ethics. Teachers who explore these subjects with their students often use an interdisciplinary approach. Such teachers are creative and help others to see new perspectives. They frequently serve as role models for other teachers. They are, simply, the best of teachers.
The Teacher of the Year receives a $500 prize; his or her school receives $500 for the purchase of humanities resources that are chosen by the Teacher of the Year.
We encourage your participation in the Teacher of the Year awards program in 2014!
Continuing Education for New Jersey Teachers
The New Jersey Council for the Humanities professional development seminars for New Jersey K-12 teachers bring educators together for an intellectually stimulating exploration of new scholarship in history and literature that enriches their lives and their curriculum.
Our Spring 2013 program:
Dystopian Fiction: Futuristic Ideas that Capture Contemporary Imaginations
A 2-day course exploring young adult dystopian fiction led by Dr. Laura Nicosia of the English Department at Montclair State University.
Dystopian fiction franchises such as The Hunger Games and Divergent resonate with young people (and adults!). This two-day workshop led by Dr. Laura Nicosia of Montclair State University will explore the roots of dystopian fiction and its continuing popularity, showing ways to create meaningful connections to classroom instruction.
ELIGIBLE: K-12 New Jersey Educators *
DATE: April 20-21, 2013
Emergency backup weekend: April 27-28, 2013
LOCATION: Montclair State University
Download the application HERE.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 22, 2013. (Applications may be e-mailed.)
Accepted applicants will be notified via email by March 26.
Registration fee of $20 to be paid upon acceptance.
Participants in this 2-day course will earn 16 hours of professional development credit.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Questions? Please contact MaryGrace Whealan at mwhealan@njch.org or by phone at 609-695-4838.
* Please note: Priority is given to teachers who have not attended any Teacher Institute seminars previously. Teachers who have attended a Teacher Grant Fund workshop but not a Teacher Institute seminar are eligible to apply.
Humanities in the Hallways
Professional Development Programs
How to plan a program for your school:
Choose from these topics for the 2012 – 2013 school year:
The Civil War in American History and Culture
The Civil War was a critical moment in the construction of the American nation. When examined through the multiple lens of politics, military strategies, economic and technological transformation, and what Lincoln called a new birth of freedom, the Civil War at once illuminates and complicates what Americans believe about their nation and themselves. Options for this workshop give participants the chance to examine the Civil War’s standing in American History and historical sensibilities from the 1830s through the traumatic years of the War itself, focusing on the causes of the War, its impact on New Jersey, and new scholarship on women and African Americans during this period.
Narratives of Immigration: Latino/a Lives
Seminars examine the United States–a nation of immigrants–as defined by the narratives of its Latino/a population. Through novels, short stories, films and music, stories of arrival and belonging are explored as conceptualizations of national, racial and ethnic communities.
Narratives of Immigration: Asian American Communities and Conflicts
The United States is increasingly defined by the narratives of its immigrant populations. Options for this workshop give participants the chance to take up the novels, short stories, films and music that tell the stories of Asian immigrants’ arrival, sense of belonging, and the difficulties they have faced upon settling. Teachers examine how Asian conceptualizations of national, racial and ethnic communities are formed, and how the idea of “community” relates to issues of immigration, colonialism, exile, integration and assimilation, political presence, religion, criminality, and “back home” nationalism.
…or a topic of your choice
A workshop can be tailored to your school’s needs and/or interests.
How to prepare an application to Humanities in the Hallways:
- Contact NJCH Teacher Institute Program Officer Mary Grace Whealan at 609-695-4838 to discuss planning a Humanities inthe Hallways educational program and identify leaders on the topic.
- Choose dates and times. NJCH will contact potential leaders to determine availability.
- Fill out the attached application form and send it to the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. Authorizing Officialfrom the school or district must approve the application and payment.
- Upon receipt of contract, consult with the leader to select readings or other educational materials for participants toreview in advance of the program. Also, provide leader with directions and confirm date and time as the program dateapproaches.
- Fee is due seven days in advance of the program. Checks made payable to the New Jersey Council for the Humanities may bemailed to the NJCH office at the address below.
NJCH Humanities in the Hallways Fees:
$800 for a 2 hour program $900 for a 3 hour program
$1100 for 4 hour program $1500 for a 6 hour program
Final steps to completing the application for a Humanities in the Hallways program:
Please fill out the attached application form. Be sure the authorizing official signs the first page and project director signs the application on page 2.
Keep a copy of the completed application for your own records, and send the original to:
New Jersey Council for the Humanities
Humanities in the Hallways
28 West State Street, Sixth Floor
Trenton, NJ 08608
Download the Application and Guidelines.
