Tag Archives: Best Practices

The “normal school”: A place to train Chalkboard Champions

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As I conduct my research about the numerous talented and dedicated Chalkboard Champions in American history, I sometimes come across terms that describe institutions of learning that were unfamiliar to me before I did my research. This was the case when I first came across the term “normal school.”

From my study, I learned that a normal school is an educational institution which provided training for high school graduates who had decided to become teachers. Today, these institutions are typically called “teachers’ colleges.” Much like teacher training colleges today, the original normal schools offered advanced courses in subjects that teachers would be expected to teach to their students. The school also provided instruction on how to organize and present lessons, what today we would call pedagogy and curriculum design. The term “normal school” derived from the intention of establishing teaching standards or norms.

The first public normal school in the United States was founded in 1823 by Samuel Read Hall in Concord, Vermont. Samuel Read Hall was an educator who, while serving as a headmaster of an academy, quickly discerned that the teachers in his employ needed to normalize or standardize their base of knowledge and their instructional practices. And so the first normal school in the United States was formed, based on models already founded in France and Germany.

The first state-sponsored normal school was established in 1839 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1839. That educational institution later became Framingham State University, and is depicted in the sketch above.

Originally, both public and private normal schools offered a two-year course beyond the high school level, but in the 20th century, teacher training requirements were extended to a minimum of four years.

To read more about normal schools, see this link to the New World Encyclopedia

Educators participate in cultural exchange through Fulbright scholarships

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One of the most important missions of an educator today is to develop global citizens. What better way to do this than through a teacher-exchange program such as the prestigious Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board?

The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board is a US cultural-exchange program sponsored by the US Government’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program was founded by US Senior William Fulbright in 1946 and is considered one of the most widely recognized and prestigious scholarships in the world. Since its founding, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries with opportunities to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to the complex challenges facing our communities and our world. These participants were chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential. More than 400 US educators teach overseas through the Fulbright Program annually.

Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, Fulbright teachers share stories about their experiences and often become active supporters of continued international exchange, inviting foreign students to their campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.

Fulbright alumni careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of highly-regarded scholars, many of whom have become leaders in their fields. Notable Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Fellows, and 41 who have served as a head of state or government.

To learn more about the program, click on this link to the organization’s webpage: Fulbright Scholars.

 

White House History Association offers unique professional development opportunities

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Social Studies teachers, have you heard about the White House History Teacher Institute sponsored by the White House History Association (WHHA)? This is a professional development opportunity you might want to explore for yourself.

The White House Historical Association is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1961 by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy with a mission to protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of America’s Executive Mansion. The organization funds the acquisition—and protection of—historically significant artwork, furniture, china, and other household items for the White House’s permanent collection. To learn more about the organization, click on this link: WHHA.

Through their summer Institute, which just concluded its tenth year, the WHHA sponsors two consecutive weeks of the White House History Teacher Institute and three days of the Three Branches institute. These programs are held with the cooperation of the United States Capitol Historical Society and the Supreme Court Historical Society. Through these programs, participating teachers deepen their knowledge of United States history and civics and perspectives, hone their existing teaching strategies, and learn new instructional methods. The educators visit multiple historical sites, including a private, curator-led tour of the White House. In the summer of 2025, a total of 79 K-12 educators from all over the country participated.

The WHHA plans to hold the White House History Teacher Institute again in the summer of 2026. This summer, plans are in the works to expand the Three Branches Institute. Both of the programs, which are application-based, are open to educators from across the country. Applications for both programs will open in early 2026.

To learn more, visit this website: whitehousehistory.org/rubenstein-center/k-12-education-resources-and-programs/professional-development-programs