Back from Boca

When my students heard that I was heading to Palm Beach County for the weekend a few them were jealous. 

I wish I could say that my visit to Florida was all about vacation and relaxation.  Instead I caught a Friday afternoon flight that got me into Ft. Lauderdale at about midnight.  Then I had a car take me to my hotel in Boca Raton.  On Saturday morning I led a Gilder-Lehrman Institute seminar on early colonization.  I was back at the airport by about 1:30 and arrived home late Saturday night.   Needless to say, there was little time to enjoy the Florida sunshine!

My session was with a great group of elementary (5th grade) and middle school (8th grade) American history teachers.  I introduced them to the so-called “New Indian History” and, as I usually do, tried to challenge them to get their students to think historically about the past. I was filmed for a future podcast.  Stay tuned!  Gilder-Lehrman master teacher Steve Schwartz followed-up with some suggestions for pedagogy.  It was a pleasure to finally meet him.

Thanks to Ana Dowling, the Teaching American History Grant Project Coordinator for West Palm Beach County Schools, for the invitation.  This is my second time working with this school district and I hope I get to do it again soon!

RECOMMENDED READING

Misha Matsumoto Yee is the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History National History Teacher of the Year! The Gilder-Lehrman Institute teams-up with Gettysburg College to offer a new master’s degree in American history Josh Hawley’s “Love America Act.” Let’s break it down Good Teachers Don’t Preach Critical Race Theory