TAH Grant, 02/19/07

186 minutes of writing

I began working on the Teaching American History (TAH) grant, "Inside American History." The works of Drs. Deanna Beachly and Michel Green make this process incredibly easy because of their clear writing and attention to detail. Though I've engaged in lots of copy editing, there's been very little content editing.

To this point, I've only reviewed the main text of the grant application (up to the individual module descriptions). Though there were substantive changes to the expectations in terms of content pedagogy, the only other major changes were in terms of the annual trip. I'm not certain the grant team will approve of my recommended changes because they require a lot more on the part of the attending teachers, but I feel there needs to be some responsibility during their excursion and upon their return. For example, I recommend an application process to attend and as part of that process I suggest they develop classroom materials ot engage in in-servicing upon their return. I also recommend journal writing during the field experience. This latter piece would definitely enhance the long-term benefits of the field experience and would certainly provide a rich data source for research. I hope the grant team agrees to these changes.

I hope, too, that Drs. Green and Beachly are not offended by my editing. They truly did a beautiful job with the initial draft. Because of my work with Lynne, my expectations for clarity are so high that I feel much more comfortable with the draft I've edited. I hope they will feel that way, too (as will the other grant team members).

My next step is to begin work on the modules. This is the section tht will require my true expertise.