Introducing our free, online PD: Teaching World History!

WHP Team
Washington, USA

Everyone—from Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa to Frodo from Lord of the Rings—would likely agree: When you’re about to embark on an exciting journey into new waters, it’s good to have a map. Imagine if our fearless protagonist had a map of Middle-earth rather than having to consult the creature named Gollum for directions to Mordor. It would have been a game changer. (And to be clear, we’re talking about Frodo, not Balboa.)

Just as it helps to have a roadmap for your physical journeys, it helps to have similar guidance for your teaching practice. That’s why the OER Project team is very excited to announce that a Teaching World History (TWH) professional development course is now available for the Origins to the Present, 1200 to the Present, and 1750 to the Present courses! Whether you’re new to the WHP course or a veteran educator looking to refresh your approach, TWH is for you. Much like a map can help an explorer navigate the globe, we hope that the Teaching World History sessions will support you in using the WHP course materials this upcoming school year.

Through the TWH sessions, your hosts, Kim and Colby, will walk you through key historical thinking skills and practices from the World History Project course, along with content-specific resources for all versions of the course (Origins, 1200, and 1750). The course materials you see on the WHP website are the “what”— the Teaching World History online PD is meant to be the “how.” How do I introduce claim testing for the first time? How can I show students the importance of contextualizing history? Kim and Colby will answer all of these important questions, and more. And, because we’re more than just a course, you’ll be supported by your WHP colleagues and peers the entire time you’re working through these professional development materials. The TWH sessions feature guest appearances and words of encouragement from your fellow OER Project teachers and historians, and the WHP online teacher community is always there if you need help along the way.

So, with that, it’s time to put on your favorite metaphorical hiking boots and get out your compass. Adventure is out there and your journey to the next school year with World History Project begins by hitting play on the first Teaching World History video. Ready, set… go!