FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Annie Stone, 703-217-1169 [email protected]
Merissa Blum, 215-370-0387 [email protected]
NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER LAUNCHES NATIONAL TEACHER ADVISORY COUNCIL TO PROMOTE CONSTITUTIONAL LITERACY
First cohort of over 120 educators from 34 states selected, with a goal of expanding to 1,000 educators by 2023
Philadelphia, PA (January 21, 2021) – The National Constitution Center announced today the creation of a national Teacher Advisory Council to help increase understanding of the Constitution for students across the country. Established at the start of the 2020-2021 school year, the council supports the Center by sharing best practices for teaching constitutional and civic issues—looking at the intersection of U.S. history and current events—and assists the Center in creating programs to support classroom instruction on constitutional fundamentals. Teachers on the advisory council are active and engaged educational professionals who represent the National Constitution Center with outreach for programs like the Center’s live Scholar Exchanges and professional development opportunities.
“At a time when students nationwide are learning remotely, the National Constitution Center is expanding its resources and engaging with educators across the country to address the need for civic education and increased understanding of current constitutional issues,” said Dr. Kerry Sautner, chief learning officer at the National Constitution Center. “We are grateful to engage with a diverse range of educators who will be able to assist the National Constitution Center in providing free, balanced educational resources to students in underserved communities and across the nation.”
The first cohort of the advisory council includes over 120 teachers from 34 states in suburban, urban, and rural communities. Educators are from public, parochial, and charter schools; independent high schools and middle schools; as well as public and private colleges and universities. Educators on the council teach fifth through college level students and over half teach Advanced Placement classes. The National Constitution Center plans to continue expanding the Teacher Advisory Council with a goal of selecting 1,000 educators by 2023. Applications for the next cohort of educators are being accepted now. Additional information and application details can be found here.
The Teacher Advisory Council is in addition to the Center’s Teacher Advisory Board, which launched in 2018 and includes 22 teachers from around the country. The advisory board is responsible for supporting the Center’s education team in development and evaluation of the materials on the Interactive Constitution: Classroom Edition, as well as presenting content created to support students using the National Constitution Center’s free, online Interactive Constitution which has received 40 million unique views since its launch in 2015. As a result of increased views to the Interactive Constitution and other Center programming and resources, the National Constitution Center is now the third-most-visited museum website in the country.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
