NEH Summer Institute for School Teachers: Winston Churchill and the Anglo-American Relationship

NEH Summer Institute for School Teachers: Winston Churchill and the Anglo-American Relationship

Funder: National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), administered by The Churchill Centre

Award Amount: $2,700 stipend per participant

Program Duration: 3 weeks (July 11-31, 2010 for the 2010 program)

Geographic Scope: United States and its territorial possessions; Americans teaching in foreign schools where at least 50% of students are American nationals

Overview

This is a substantive humanities study opportunity designed for school teachers to study Winston Churchill's life, leadership, and Anglo-American relationships. Participants spend two weeks at The Churchill Archives Centre at Churchill College, Cambridge, and one week in London. The program includes extensive reading, research using primary documents, seminars with Churchill scholars, and visits to important Churchill sites.

Focus Areas

• Winston Churchill and the Anglo-American Relationship
• Churchill's autobiography My Early Life
• Churchill's understanding of history, views on empire, and thoughts on rhetoric in democratic statesmanship
• Churchill's writings on America and The Great Republic
• Battle against appeasement in the 1930s
• "Iron Curtain" speech
• Churchill's determination and personal achievement

Eligibility

• Full-time K-12 teachers (including home-schooling parents) are primary eligible applicants
• Other K-12 school personnel (librarians, administrators) eligible but must demonstrate value in application essay
• Not eligible: Substitute teachers, part-time personnel
• Up to two seminar spaces and three institute spaces available for current full-time graduate students intending to pursue K-12 teaching careers
• Must be United States citizen or resident of U.S. jurisdictions
• Foreign nationals must have resided in U.S. or territories for at least 3 years immediately preceding deadline
• Applicants from public, private, and religiously affiliated schools receive equal consideration
• First priority given to teachers who have not attended an NEH institute in the last 3 years (2007, 2008, 2009)
• Cannot apply to study with current colleagues or family members
• Cannot apply to seminars of scholars with whom applicant has previously studied
• May apply to up to 3 NEH projects in one year but may participate in only one

Program Requirements & Expectations

• Attendance at all scheduled sessions and site visits (mandatory)
• Completion of reading requirements and participation in discussions
• Three-minute oral valediction to My Early Life
• Completion of a research project using primary documents from Churchill Archives Centre
• 10-minute oral report at end of Cambridge section summarizing research
• Written lesson plan for bringing Churchill into classroom OR research paper
• Full-time residential participation; no other professional activities allowed during tenure
• Online evaluations at end of project

Site Visits

Include transportation by bus, underground or train; extensive walking tours at: Bletchley Park, Blenheim Palace, Churchill gravesite at Bladon, Harrow School, Chartwell, Churchill Museum at Cabinet War Rooms, Parliament

Stipend Conditions

• Stipends are taxable
• Intended to help cover travel, books, research expenses, and living expenses
• No supplements given if stipend insufficient for all expenses
• Participants not completing full tenure must refund pro-rata portion

Selection Criteria

Committee evaluates applications based on: 1. Effectiveness and commitment as teacher/educator 2. Intellectual interests generally and as related to project 3. Special perspectives, skills, or experiences contributing to seminar 4. Commitment to participate fully in formal and informal collegial life 5. Likelihood that experience will enhance teaching

When choices equal among candidates, preference given to those who have not previously participated in NEH seminars/institutes/workshops or who significantly contribute to diversity.

Contact Information

Director: Professor James W. Muller, Chairman of The Churchill Centre's Board of Academic Advisers

Project Administrator: Daniel N. Myers
The Churchill Centre
P.O. Box 945
Downers Grove, IL 60515-0945
Phone: (630) 512-9341
Email: dmyers@winstonchurchill.org

Program Website: http://www.winstonchurchill.org/support/for-educators/neh-teachers-institute

Equal Opportunity

NEH programs do not discriminate on basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.