Improving Teacher Quality Grant

Thanks to an Improving Teacher Quality Grant made available under the No Child Left Behind Act and the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office, Augsburg College is able to offer 20 Minnesota social studies teachers currently teaching in grades 5-12 the opportunity to participate in a project designed to incorporate 1) primary source documents in social studies, 2) methods of inquiry, and 3) reading and writing skills through the use of a Socratic questioning pedagogy called Paideia (Py-day-a) seminars.

Training will consist of a four-day summer institute, on-site consultations, and four faculty seminars during the school year. The Paideia Institute will be held at Augsburg College, July 29-Aug. 1, 2013. During the summer institute, teachers will participate in a variety of seminar formats and write curriculum combining an appropriate selection of social studies content with inquiry strategies. Reading, writing, and critical thinking skills will be developed through pre- and post-seminar activities. Faculty seminars and consultations during the 2012-13 school year will supplement and reinforce both content and pedagogy.

The tuition for the Paideia Institute and on-site training is free. Four semester graduate credits and continuing education units will be awarded upon completion of each course (2 credits in August 2013 and 2 credits in June 2014). Housing and mileage for participants out of the metro area are provided. In addition, a stipend of up to $200 will be given to each participant upon completion of the program. Information and questions may be directed to Anne Kaufman at 612-330-1188 or kaufman@augsburg.edu.

If you are interested in applying for the grant, download the application form and mail it with a processing fee of $75 to Anne Kaufman, Paideia Program, 2770 East Road, Wayzata, MN 55391. The check should be payable to Augsburg College. The $75 processing fee will be returned at the completion of the summer institute or refunded if cancellation occurs prior to June 1, 2013 in time to allow additional teachers the opportunity to attend.

The deadline for application is June 1, 2013. Applicants will be notified and receive a packet of readings by July 1, 2013. Please note that since only 20 teachers can be selected for this grant, priority will be given to teachers who are teaching students in Minnesota high-need public or private schools.