POSITION SUMMARY:
National History Academy, a program of Journey Through Hallowed Ground, is a 4-week residential summer experience for 90 highly motivated high school students from around the world from July 6 to August 2, 2025. The Academy is recruiting five teachers who are passionate about American history and democracy to guide students along this once in a lifetime opportunity. By partnering with the National Park Service, College Board, the Case Method Institute, and Braver Angels, teachers will be well equipped to implement a unique curriculum that helps students explore the development of our nation’s democracy and provide them with the tools to prepare for a better future.
Throughout the summer, teachers will work in and out of the classroom with students and travel to over 30 historic sites around Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia including the U.S. Capitol, Smithsonian museums, Harpers Ferry, Gettysburg, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestowne, and many more.
This fellowship will provide teachers with room & board, a $5,000 stipend, transportation to and admission at all historic sites visited, and a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience American history in the places it actually happened.
The Academy offers an inspiring and engaging learning environment. Each week, the students will take 3-4 trips to historic sites. On classroom days, Teaching Fellows, with the assistance of Counselors/Teaching Assistants, will guide students as they read primary source documents and engage in rich debate and discussion about significant periods in American history. The Academy will employ a hybrid of formal and informal learning methods through discussion, reading texts, watching films and documentaries, and lectures by over 30 noted leaders and historians. All of this will be further explored through collaborative learning experiences during the immersive on-site visits.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Teach students about our nation's identity, including the founding and development of American democracy and their rights and responsibilities as citizens
- Empower students to become critical thinkers and to develop a line of inquiry when approaching history
- Help students gain a deep conceptual understanding of the important events, inventions, and time periods that have helped shape America
- Create lesson plans and organize student-lead classroom discussions pertinent to the historical sites and topics focused on each week
- Identify supplemental teaching resources and primary sources to help students understand the concepts being presented
- Be a reflective listener and unbiased assessor of class discussions and final student projects
- Continually assess students' understanding of concepts and modify lessons as required
- Model initiative, resiliency, and patience for students, while maximizing student experience
- Conduct all teaching practice and related activities in a professional manner
- Serve as the primary caregiver for each student. Maintain high levels of health and safety for all students and staff
- Be a role model for students and staff in attitude and behavior. Follow and uphold all safely and security rules, and all policies and procedures
- Support the values and mission of the National History Academy
- Perform other duties as assigned.
REQUIREMENTS.
- Must have experience teaching , preferably including some experience with place-based education and American history
- Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication, interpersonal and leadership skills. You must be able to speak clearly to students, other teachers, parents, and administration officials.
- Excellent organization and time management skills
- Problem solving skills and the ability to lead and instruct
- Instruction skills and the ability to explain new ideas and unfamiliar concepts with authority
- Engage students in each lesson, and serve as an unbiased listener for classroom discussion
- Create healthy relationships with students and faculty to create a high-quality learning environment
- Observe and assess student behavior and enforce safety regulations, emergency procedures, and apply appropriate behavior-management techniques
- Physical ability to respond appropriately to situations requiring first aid. Must be able to assist students in an emergency (fire, evacuation, illness, or injury) and possess strength and endurance required to maintain constant supervision of campers.
- Must be first-aid/CPR certified
- Must pass a background check