Communities of Practice
About the K-12 Interdisciplinary Teaching Institute
The K-12 Interdisciplinary Teaching Institute brings together elementary, middle and high school teachers from Central Ohio for an exploration of interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and teaching difficult subjects in America’s past and present.
Why interdiscipilinary? Content workshops are the heart of the institute. These are led by scholars from Ohio State’s College of Arts and Sciences who have expertise in history, literature, art, music and performance. Recognizing the value of practice, the institute also brings in teaching experts to share pedagogical techniques, as well as curriculum developers to provide instruction on complementing and supplementing State of Ohio standards.
Program design
Teaching difficult subjects accurately and effectively is a complex task. Rather than approach difficult subjects from the top down, the institute approaches these topics from the bottom-up and the inside-out. Having elementary, middle and high school teachers as a part of the institute reflects the guiding pedagogical belief that teaching difficult subjects effectively requires scaffolding, or introducing difficult subjects to students early in their educational journey and complicating their understanding of these subjects as they mature. Having teachers who specialize in a range of arts and humanities subjects also reflects a fundamental pedagogical belief that difficult subjects are best learned across the curriculum, rather than in isolated subject areas.
The institute works intentionally to foster community among the teacher participants. The goal is to enhance the learning experience of the teacher participants by cultivating group-centered relationships over the course of the program through multiple meetings: starting with online webinars, continuing with an experiential-learning field trip and culminating with a multi-day, on-campus, curriculum-development workshop.
Institute goals
- GOAL ONE Deepen K-12 teachers’ knowledge of the complexity and centrality of difficult subjects in the American experience.
- GOAL TWO Facilitate curriculum development for teaching difficult subjects in accordance with state standards.
- GOAL THREE Share best practices for teaching difficult subjects and develop new practices in collaboration with the teacher participants.
About the director
Hasan Kwame Jeffries is the director of the Difficult Subjects: K-12 Institute and an associate professor of African American history at The Ohio State University. He is the author of Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt. From 2010-2014, Jeffries served as the lead historian and scriptwriter for the $27 million renovation of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. He has conducted teacher development workshops across the country and edited Understanding and Teaching the Civil Rights Movement. He has also worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance division to produce a major national report entitled Teaching Hard History: American Slavery. Jeffries has made media appearances locally and nationally and served as a featured historian on the Emmy-nominated documentary, Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise.
Additional information
If you’re a district leader or an educator in any Central Ohio district, please complete the nomination/application webform.
There is no cost for educators to participate. The institute offers each educator a $500 stipend and provides textbooks and other resources. Stipends will be disbursed following successful completion of the institute. Educators are also eligible for Continuing Education Units.
Which educators would benefit from participating?
Any K-12 educator would benefit from participation. Institute seminars and workshops are at heart of the program curriculum and are led by scholars from The Ohio State University’s College of Arts and Sciences who have expertise in history, literature, art, music and performance. Recognizing the value of practice, the institute also brings in teaching experts (to share pedagogical techniques) and multicultural curriculum developers (to provide instruction on complementing and supplementing State of Ohio standards pertaining to difficult subjects).
How much does the institute cost?
There is no cost to participate. The institute offers each educator a modest stipend as well as textbooks, parking and field trip food and travel. Stipends are disbursed following successful completion of the institute.
How does the district nominate an educator to participate?
District leadership may nominate educators by completing the webform and answering some brief questions.
Can educators volunteer without the permission of their district leaders?
Yes, educators may nominate themselves using the webform. However, unnominated educators must include a letter of recommendation or concurrence from their district DEI coordinator or school principal.
How long and how often are the institute sessions?
Programming consists of 30 hours of engagement. It includes an orientation session (January); five three-hour Saturday seminars (monthly); and an in-person experiential-learning field trip and workshop (June).
How do educators earn credit for participation?
Upon successful completion of whole institute, educators are awarded a certificate and verification of contact hours that may be submitted for CEU consideration to the relevant district committee.
Enrollment
- What is the enrollment process?
Educators interested in participating should complete this webform.
- Can I enroll in two tracks simultaneously?
No. Each track runs concurrently; therefore, participation is limited to one track per year.
- Can I enroll in a second track if I’ve participated in a previous year?
Yes, per the discretion of institute leadership. Email Associate Director Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).
- Can I participate if I am educational staff but not a teacher?
Yes, per the discretion of institute leadership. Email Associate Director Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).
Institute Cost + Stipends
- How much does the institute cost?
There is no cost to participate. The institute offers each educator a modest stipend as well as textbooks, parking and field trip food and travel. Stipends are disbursed following successful completion of the institute.
- How long will it take for me to receive my stipend at the completion of the program?
Electronic direct deposits may take up to 60 days. Regular checks may take up to 90 days.
- What is the vendor form? How and why should I complete it?
The Ohio State University requires all institute participants to submit a completed vendor form in order to receive a payment. This form establishes participants as vendors in the university system.
- If I completed a vendor form in previous years, can I use the vendor information that I have on file?
No. Ohio State recently updated its vendor form protocols. As such, all participants must submit new vendor forms, regardless of previous enrollment.
Program Expectations
- What is the institute’s policy on attendance?
Institute participants are expected to attend all of the sessions unless there are exigent circumstances. We understand that life happens and conflicts may arise. However, we encourage participants to consider applying for the following year, if they are unable to fulfill this commitment. Please note that if participants are unable to attend the final field trip, the final stipend amount will be prorated down to $250.
- What is the format of the sessions?
Sessions may be virtual or hybrid depending on the format indicated by the instructor.
Program Materials
- When will I receive books and materials?
Participants will receive their textbooks and other relevant resources at the mandatory orientation.
Email Associate Director Puja Batra-Wells (batra-wells.1@osu.edu).