SCCPSS Teacher Specialist for K-5 Social Studies Tomika Courtney-McClinton, has been selected as one of only 30 educators nationwide to participate in the 2023 White House History Teacher Institute.  She will spend a week in Washington D.C. this July to take part in the program.

The White House is an enduring symbol of the United States which serves multiple roles as a home, office, museum, and stage. For over 200 years, many people have influenced the space including first families, enslaved individuals, foreign visitors, curators, and the American public. At the White House History Teacher Institute teachers discover the wider history of the iconic building and explore how they can use these stories to enhance the classroom.

The in-person Institute is a five-day immersive teacher professional development program hosted by the White House Historical Association in Washington, D.C. The program features discussions with historians, local site visits, inquiry-based learning activities, guest speakers, and the opportunity to network with fellow educators from across the country. 

The 2023 White House History Teacher Institute is open to all K-12 educators and works to address these essential questions:

•           Why does the White House matter? How has the structure and symbolism of the building changed over time?

•           How did the White House and the surrounding neighborhood reflect larger movements and changes in United States history?

•           Who has contributed to the White House over the centuries? What lesser-known stories of individuals are significant to our understanding of White House history?

•           How did the White House evolve to simultaneously act as a home, office, museum, and stage?

To participate in the in-person Institute, educators must be selected through an application review process.

Master Teachers will lead sessions throughout the program and help facilitate small group discussions, organized by grade level, to promote meaningful discussions about applying the Institute's content into the classroom.