The Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Civil War Washington Teacher Institute is offered in two formats this year. Applications open in January 2022: 

June 19-24, 2022: Online Institute

July 10-15, 2022: In-Person Institute

The partners within the Civil War Washington Consortium are committed to investigating the Civil War in all its complexity, and seek applicants with diverse experiences* who bring a variety of perspectives to the week of learning.

*Including but not limited to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, family status, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, professional experience, geographic region.

Discover historical sites in Washington, D.C., to share with students.

• With Frederick Douglass’s home, Cedar Hill, investigate the power of photography and track how Douglass and others used it to battle for progress. Examine what historical images and representations tell us about Douglass, Cedar Hill, and the area.
• With Tudor Place, unearth Civil War stories told by women in Georgetown to examine truth in memory.
• With Ford’s Theatre, engage storytelling and perspective-taking through historical drama to examine President Lincoln’s leadership and his relationship with Frederick Douglass.
• With President Lincoln’s Cottage, Bridge past and present conversations about race and emancipation to reflect on the ongoing legacies of Lincoln's unfinished work.

Learn new strategies and resources you can apply in the classroom.

• Access a wealth of resources and primary sources to use in your classroom.
• Improve historical thinking skills and gain confidence tackling historical complexities.
• Forge lasting connections with peer educators.
• Network with museum educators to help support your students with site-specific learning.
• Reflect on your personal understanding of the Civil War and its impact on your teaching.
• Gain a new perspective on the capital city.

June 19-24, 2022: Online Institute

Program Details and Credit

• Cost: Free. 
• The Virtual Institute will accommodate up to 24 teachers of grades K through 12.
• Successful completion of the program certifies 18 hours of professional development.
• Graduate credit is available through Trinity University Washington: three (3) credits for $375.

What to Expect

• We are committed to building a professional learning community online. Forge lasting connections with peer educators and network with museum educators.
• Learn new strategies, resources and digital platforms to apply inside your classroom and to support remote learning.
• Each day will include one 60-minute live, synchronous video meeting. Approximately two hours of additional material will be assigned for participants to complete before each video meeting, totaling a daily commitment of approximately three hours.
• Program staff will be available in Zoom for extra questions and conversation immediately following each video meeting.

July 10-15, 2022: In-Person Institute

Program Details and Credit

• Cost: Free. Participants must pay a $100 refundable deposit to secure their place in the institute. Deposits are refunded upon successful completion of the program.
• The In-Person Institute will accommodate up to 18 teachers of grades K through 12.
• Successful completion of the program certifies 36 hours of professional development.
• Graduate credit is available through Trinity University Washington: three (3) credits for $375.

What to Expect

• Travel: Round-trip air travel is provided through United Airlines for national participants traveling from outside the commutable D.C.-area.
• Housing: Single-occupancy hotel accommodations will be arranged for all participants. Participants receiving hotel accommodations will be housed at Kimpton The George Hotel.
• Daily Transportation: Bus transportation will be provided between the hotel and program locations each day.
• Meals: Grab-and-go breakfast is included in the hotel accommodations. Lunch is provided each day for all participants. Dinner is provided for the Sunday evening opening session. Participants are responsible for all other meals.
• Accessibility: The program is an active exploration of Washington, D.C., that includes several miles of walking daily and requires the use of historic steps. If you have questions or concerns about mobility and accessibility please email us.

COVID-19 Health and Safety for the In-Person Institute

• Participants in the In-Person institute will be required to show proof of full vaccination.
• All institute staff are in compliance with the Society’s Mandatory Employee Vaccination policy.
• Masking and socia-distancing will be enforced in accordance with the policies of the host sites, Ford’s Theatre, Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, President Lincoln’s Cottage, National Mall and Memorial Parks and Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, and are subject to current CDC, state and local guidelines.