Archive for the ‘George Washington Teachers' Institute’ Category

You are sitting comfortably on the wide Piazza at Mount Vernon, watching the sun set on the Potomac River. A soft breeze washes over you as you chat leisurely with the teacher on your right. An interesting woman who has the most creative way of teaching about Martha Washington that you have ever heard- you have already exchanged email addresses and look forward to sharing ideas in the future. As you take a sip of the cool white wine and appreciate the evening, Cokie Roberts, sitting in the chair on your left, shares a fascinating tidbit of information about Martha that she is planning to include in her next book. A waiter glides up to offer you another mini-crab cake- yum! As the conversation continues around you, you think back to the busy week you are having at the George Washington Teachers’ Institute. You are a little tired from waking up early to watch the sun rise above the Wharf, but the workshops and lectures kept you engaged throughout the day. Who knew that the author of that book about the Revolutionary War that you just read would be one of your lecturers? You even bought another copy of the book just to have him sign it. Living on the grounds of Mount Vernon makes you feel like one of the thousands of visitors that the Washingtons would hospitably welcome. While you miss your family, it will be very hard to leave this lovely experience behind.

Sound dreamy? Apply for the George Washington Teachers Institute this summer on our website.

Image by L. Toshio Kishiyama.

For the first time, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History will hold a Summer Institute for Teachers at Mount Vernon this year. Apply now for George Washington and the American Revolution, which will be held from June 27 – July 3, 2010. Andrew Robertson, Professor of History, Lehman College, The City University of New York is the director of this exploration of the American Revolution as two different historical events. One was the War for Independence, 1775-1783, that began with Lexington and Concord and concluded with the Treaty of Paris and the evacuation of the British from New York. The “other” American Revolution occurred in the hearts and minds of the American people.

This revolution began in the pamphlets and protests of the 1760s, continued in the Continental Congress, and helped inspire new institutions that emerged after the War for Independence: the abolition of slavery in the North, expanded public roles for women, and the separation of church and state. Both revolutions had global historical significance. George Washington was the pivotal figure in the War for Independence but he played an important role in the second revolution as well. Washington was a representative Virginia planter at the outset of the Revolutionary War. By the time the war concluded, Washington’s ideas about slavery, race, and republican government had been transformed. His leadership after the Revolution helped insure the conservation of both American Revolutions. Teachers accepted into the program will live on Washington’s estate and enjoy unprecedented access to Mount Vernon. More information and an application are available here.

For our Teachers’ Institute Alumni, we have recently put together a slideshow to help you with peer presentations and conferences. This gives a broad overview of the education programs that Mount Vernon provides to all teachers. Enjoy!

Portions from this year’s Teachers’ Institute, co-hosted by the White House Historical Association, will be broadcast on C-SPAN over the coming weeks. The schedule for this weekend is:

Saturday, August 15

12:55pm-2:05pm Mount Vernon: Teachers’ Institute – Richard Norton Smith
2:05pm-3:00pm Mount Vernon: Teachers’ Institute – Scott Berg

Sunday, August 16

1:00pm-3:00pm Mount Vernon: Teachers’ Institute – Panel Discussion A Woman’s Touch: The Role of the First Lady featuring Cokie Roberts, Catherine Clinton, Catherine Allgor, and Patricia Brady, moderated by Sally McDonough