The National Constitution Center is hosting a free, in-person professional learning workshop in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday, September 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Join us for a day of learning, collaboration, and exploration, as you discover historical and constitutional education resources that will strengthen your teaching of religious liberty and the First Amendment.
The workshop will be led by National Constitution Center Civic Education for Rural and Remote Communities (CERCC) Fellow Rebecca Smart and joined by Dr. James Patterson, associate professor in the Institute of American Civics at the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Together, they will guide participants through the constitutional foundations of religious liberty and how the Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment’s religion clauses over time, including in recent cases.
Participants will engage with primary sources and the Center’s trusted, nonpartisan resources while practicing its educational framework of historical foundations through storytelling, constitutional thinking skills, and civil dialogue and reflection. Educators will leave with practical strategies for helping students explore complex constitutional questions, engage thoughtfully with diverse perspectives, and support their arguments with evidence.
Throughout the session, participants will:
- Deepen their constitutional knowledge by exploring the history, text, and interpretation of the First Amendment’s religion clauses.
- Engage with primary sources and constitutional questions that help students develop constitutional thinking skills and consider diverse perspectives.
- Practice strategies for civil dialogue and reflection that support thoughtful, evidence-based classroom conversations.
- Leave with trusted, nonpartisan NCC resources and instructional strategies ready to use in the classroom.
This program is part of the National Constitution Center’s Civic Education for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) Fellowship, an initiative designed to expand access to high-quality constitutional learning and civil dialogue in rural and remote communities across the United States by investing in educators and building lasting local capacity.
All participating teachers will receive a $100 stipend. Participants traveling more than 50 miles will be eligible for an additional $50 travel stipend. All participants will receive a light breakfast and boxed lunches (dietary restrictions will be accommodated).
Register by September 2, 2026, to secure your spot.
Agenda:
8:30 a.m. – Coffee and registration
9 a.m. – Welcome and introductions
9:30 a.m. – Constitutional Foundation: The First Amendment
10 a.m. – Scholar conversation
11:30 a.m. – Content debrief and resource exploration
Noon – Lunch
12:45 p.m. – NCC Protocols: Mind’s Eye and Window Notes
1:45 p.m. – NCC Protocols: Scope of Agreement and Civil Dialogue
2:45 p.m. – Planning for implementation
3 p.m. – Final debrief and reflection
3:30 p.m. - Workshop concludes
