Civic Learners, Civic Upstanders: A Residential Seminar for School District Teams

Civic Learners, Civic Upstanders: Residential Seminar

Arrival by 4pm on Sunday, July 7 | Departure by 2pm on Wednesday, July 10
Babson Executive Conference Center - Babson College, Boston, Massachusetts

Facing History & Ourselves invites you to send a team from your school district to this innovative four-day residential learning experience, Civic Learners, Civic Upstanders. Grounded in our foundational case study, Holocaust and Human Behavior, and our principles of civic learning and education, this is a unique opportunity designed to expand school districts’ readiness to adopt and integrate Facing History & Ourselves’ programming. 

All costs of the seminar including food and accommodations will be covered by Facing History & Ourselves. A limited number of travel stipends will be available upon request and granted on a first come, first served basis to cover airfare, trains, mileage, ground transportation, etc. 

About the Residential Seminar 

This multi-day seminar featuring Holocaust and Human Behavior has been specifically designed for district teams to engage deeply with Facing History’s pedagogical approach. It will offer the opportunity to experience Facing History’s methodology and classroom resources; explore the integration of civic learning, literacy, and writing skills within the teaching of history; and develop a relationship with Facing History Program staff who can assist you with applying for a grant to bring Facing History to your district.

During this seminar, participants will:

• Consider the implications of adolescent development research on pedagogy and practice, our sense of purpose as educators, and our relationships with students
• Learn Facing History’s approach to structuring curriculum to help students connect history and literature to their own lives and the choices they make
• Experience current scholarship on the history of the Holocaust and new research focused on human behavior, group dynamics, and bias
• Practice teaching strategies that help students interrogate text, think critically, discuss critical  issues respectfully, and foster and sustain student-centered classroom and school communities
• Engage with classroom-ready multimedia resources and learn how to build a customized unit that meets your curriculum objectives

Who Should Attend the Seminar: 

School districts are invited to send a team of three people to this seminar. District teams should include:

• A district instructional leader such as the Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Chief Instructional Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Academics, or their designee in other similar roles 
• A district-level social science curriculum coordinator or instructional coach
• A social studies classroom educator

Application Process: 

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications will close on June 1, 2024, or as soon as all spots are filled. 

Steps to apply:

• A liaison for your district team should submit a single application using the link above. 
• Facing History will schedule a 15-minute phone call with you to discuss your team’s goals. 
• Upon mutual agreement, the district liaison will then complete the registration process for the entire team. 

Costs to Attend: 

We are pleased to be able to cover the event fee for this seminar due to generous funding from Facing History & Ourselves donors.

The organization will pay for:

• All costs of the seminar
• All meals from dinner on Sunday night through lunch on Wednesday 
• Materials (resource book and all digital resources)
• Lodging in single-occupant rooms at Babson Executive Conference Center

Please note that a non-refundable $75 registration fee ($25 per team member) will be due once your application has been accepted.

School districts will be asked to cover the costs of travel for team members to and from the conference center at Babson College. If needed, district teams may apply for a limited number of stipends to help offset travel costs. If you are interested in receiving a travel stipend, please indicate this on your application. These will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Please note that all requests cannot be guaranteed. 

About Facing History District Curriculum Partnerships: 

Following the seminar, if interested, our team will support you in applying for a grant to bring Facing History’s resources and pedagogy to your district through our District Curriculum Partnership program. This program:

• Supports school districts to meet local Holocaust and genocide education mandates and implement standards-aligned social studies, ELA, and humanities curriculum
• Supports schools to foster inclusive cultures and create learning spaces where students thrive
• Supports teachers to raise students’ academic engagement using a rich slate of  primary sources materials, student-centered teaching strategies, and standards-aligned lessons and units 

Learn more about how Facing History can support your school district.