Our professional development program is built in modules that can be taught as 3 1-day sessions, or delivered over 6 smaller workshops in the afternoons or evenings for teacher convenience.

Barat Education Foundation proudly offers fun, effective, and impactful professional development for educators interested in enriching learning through primary sources that promote critical thinking. The Focus with Photos Summer Learning Series includes in-person workshops and online modules to reinforce learning. Join us to discover the wonders that await you at the Library of Congress!
Digital cameras awarded to all who complete the program. Register online today or call us at 847.574.2465.

Workshop Times: 9 am - 3 pm

Workshop Location: Woodlands Academy | 760 E. Westleigh Rd. | Lake Forest, IL 60045

Credit: CPDUs as well as Masters credit from Regis University in Colorado are available. Continuing educational opportunities are also available to help educators become Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Ambassadors.

Part 1:  Primary Sources, the Library of Congress & Successful Online Searches

In completing this learning experience, participants will:

• Review the value of using primary sources in learning activities (workshop)
• Familiarize themselves with the digitized resources available from the LOC (workshop/lab)
• Learn and practice how to efficiently and effectively search the LOC (lab)
• Prepare to integrate an LOC primary-source project into the curriculum (web)

Part 2:  Critical Thinking Through Digital Photographs

In completing this learning experience, participants will:

• Learn the value of incorporating primary sources into learning activities (web)
• Review the use of photographs to develop observational, analytic, and hypothetical skills (workshop)
• Familiarize themselves with the digital photograph collections from the LOC (workshop/lab)
• Learn and practice digital photo creation, editing and presentation (lab)
• Prepare to integrate an LOC photo-analysis lesson into the curriculum (web)
• Learn and practice online search techniques to support a curriculum that promotes critical thinking (web)

Part 3:  Project-Based Learning with Primary Sources

In completing this learning experience, participants will:

• Learn the criteria, benefits, and assessment of project-based learning (web)
• Review how interviewing and story gathering build student learning (workshop)
• Familiarize themselves with samples from the BEF Digital Stories of Our Heroes (workshop/lab)
• Learn and practice digital story creation and presentation (lab)
• Prepare to integrate a digital storytelling project into the curriculum (web)

Part 4:  Development Lab: Primary Source Based Lessons (to be developed in 2007)

In completing this learning experience (lab with expert support), participants will:

• Learn/demonstrate  the value of incorporating primary sources into learning activities (lab)
• Familiarize themselves with the Teaching with Primary Sources and digital photograph collections from the LOC
• Prepare the teacher and student materials for an LOC primary source based lesson

Teacher Incentive Program

Digital Cameras: As in previous years, we provide a digital camera to each teacher who successfully completes all three parts of the Focus with Photo’s program, as well as the supporting online modules.   The camera incentive allows them to conduct the student projects that are reviewed in the workshops with their students. (150 teachers x $100 per camera set = $15,000 annually)

Lesson Plan Awards: In 2007-2009 we hope to increase the incentive program and award funding to teachers who develop, implement, evaluate and share new lessons that use primary sources and demonstrate best practices. We believe that the incentive program will motivate and reward teachers to become ambassadors for LOC. (25 teachers x $450 per lesson = $ 11,250 annually)

Ambassador Stipends: We hope to create an ambassador program in which a select group of teachers in each district agree to provide training or coaching to support the use of the LOC in their district. (10 teachers x $1,000  = $ 10,000 annually)