Free Workshops on PA History for Educators

Posted by on February 25, 2005

Dear Educators and Teachers:

I hope you’ve all seen the announcement about our FREE spring workshops on PA history for educators. If not or you haven’t had time to consider them yet, see the descriptions below. You can sign up for only one or all. Each of the workshops will talk about a certain teaching approach, how to work with a primary sources, as well as convey specific content information about that workshop’s theme. The materials we’ve developed are most appropriate for middle school and high school although all are invited to attend. The workshop format is interactive. We want to hear what teachers need, what works, what doesn’t work. We will also have a packet of resource materials for each of you.

Workshops for Educators – Exploring Diversity through PA Ethnic History
This spring series of workshops introduces teachers to themes, approaches, and resources in Pennsylvania ethnic history. Workshops will explore topics in four specific themes: Settlement, Work, Community, and Interethnic Relations. Lessons and workshop activities are built around primary source materials from HSP’s wonderful collection and are designed to help your students learn to begin thinking like historians.
Attend these workshops and discover exciting ways to teach about Pennsylvania and American history. This is purposeful learning at its best–a project approach that brings history alive! Attendance at workshops qualifies for Act 48 credit. All workshops take place at the Historical Society.

Wednesday, February 16, 4-6 PM Thinking History, Teaching History This first workshop is an introduction to major themes in Pennsylvania ethnic history and how they can be taught through primary sources. Working with 18th century images and texts, teachers will explore the ideas of culture and ethnicity as they are illustrated in the interaction between two groups with different worldviews — Native Americans and Europeans at the time of colonial contact.

Wednesday, March 2, 4-6 PM Immigrants Out! Then and Now
This workshop introduces the concept of Nativism, or anti-immigrant sentiment, in Pennsylvania and American history. Drawing on 19th century popular images and pamphlet texts against Irish immigrants and immigration, we will discuss ethnic stereotypes and point of view in historical documents. We will also explore connections between historic and contemporary nativism.

Wednesday, April 20, 4-6 PM Rural Roads, City Streets: Italians in Pennsylvania
The theme of “settlement” is explored in this workshop through the experience of Italian immigration in the late 19th and early 20th century. This workshop introduces teachers to the concept of ethnic identity and demonstrates how to use oral interview material to teach about immigration history. Participants learn the value and use of oral history as a methodological tool.

Saturday, May 7, 10 AM -12 PM Latino Philadelphia
The theme of “settlement” continues with this workshop introducing Latinos as an example of both earlier (19th and early 20th) and recent immigration. The workshop explores the nature of Latino identity and experience over time by looking at the concept of pan-ethnic identity and ethnic diversity within the Latino population. We will also learn how to read diverse document types in relation to one another to answer critical questions.

Wednesday, May 18, 4-6 PM Immigrants in Coal Country: Anthracite Mining in Pennsylvania The theme of “work” is introduced in this workshop through the example of anthracite coal mining. We will explore how in the hard coal region of northeastern Pennsylvania, labor and ethnicity are directly linked. This historic linkage offers a unique opportunity to analyze how the histories of immigrants to Pennsylvania are intertwined with the history and culture of a particular industry. We will demonstrate how to teach with photographs and music to prompt students to ask critical questions about the interrelationship of labor and ethnicity in the region and how the successive waves of immigrant
workers with their own distinct cultural histories and ethnic identifications contributed to and changed the economy, politics, and culture of the region.

Note: All workshops are held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania at 1300 Locust Street (between Broad and 13th Street). Travel directions and information on public parking can be found at:
http://www.hsp.org/default.aspx?id=137

email: jsaverino@hsp.org
fax: attention Joan Saverino, 215-732-2680
post: Joan Saverino
Education and Interpretation
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107-5699