|
Freedom Trail Scholars In-School and Out-Of-School American History Education Program for Third and Fifth Grade Students in Under-Performing Schools The Freedom Trail Foundation proposes to supplement the history and social studies curricula for third and fifth grade students at select, under-performing urban schools in Massachusetts with a four-year program that includes the following important elements:
The Freedom Trail Scholars program creates an intimate partnership
with under-performing schools to meet their curriculum goals
and complement teacher lessons.
The sites have a long track record of providing high-quality
intensive educational experiences for both students and teachers,
and will be collaborating with the Foundation on the Scholars
project. In its first year, the Foundation presented
the program to over 500 school children and has over 20 schools
booked for the 2007/2008 school year.
Case
for the Program: According to a study by the Center on Education
Policy, since the 2001 implementation of No Child Left Behind’s
curriculum realignment and testing requirements, approximately
71 % of the nation’s 15,000 school districts had reduced the
hours of instructional time spent on history. The schools have
done this to open up more time for reading and math, the two
subject areas in which schools’ performance is measured. This trend is called narrowing the curriculum, where
schools that once offered a richer curriculum now systematically
trim courses such as social studies and history. In 2007, Massachusetts will begin standardized tests for history
for all fifth grade students.
Based on the prior curriculum changes noted above, students
and teachers will need tools to reintroduce history back into
the school schedule or students will risk failing the standardized
tests. To bring a robust history-based curriculum
back to schools, the Freedom Trail Foundation offers the
Freedom
Trail Scholars program with a goal to teach and supplement
the required American history curriculum in third and fifth
grades primarily in Boston but also in other under-performing
districts in the Metro-Boston area. The program incorporates in-school and out-of-school
programs for children and training for teachers. Participant
Organizations – Official Freedom Trail Sites and other Sites Boston National Historical Park, The Freedom
Trail Foundation, John Adams Courthouse, Old North Foundation,
Old South Meeting House, Old State House/ The Bostonian Society,
Paul Revere Memorial Association, USS Constitution Museum How
To Get Involved Contact the Freedom Trail Foundation, 617.357.8300 for more details about Corporate and Foundation Underwriting or to register your school to participate in the Freedom Trail Scholars Program. 99 Chauncy Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111 www.TheFreedomTrail.org. |