Educator Institutes

The National Constitution Center hosts Educator Institutes at the Center in Philadelphia and at locations nationwide, providing teachers opportunities to learn from leading constitutional scholars and pedagogical experts while also connecting with fellow educators.

During each institute, educators work with content experts to deepen their knowledge of the history and contemporary relevance of the Constitution, the structural Constitution, and the amendment process. The Center’s Education team works closely with teacher facilitators, providing participants with the tools to discover and develop innovative, nonpartisan ways to make the content relevant to their students.

Our approach has three main components: build a historical foundation through storytelling; learn how to interpret the Constitution like a constitutional lawyer; and develop the skills of civil dialogue and reflection.

During the institutes, we:

  • Build a strong foundation by exploring the Constitution’s text and history with a focus on telling stories from the founding to present day
  • Explore how to help your students separate their political views from their constitutional views—asking not what the government should do, but what it constitutionally may do
  • Review civil dialogue protocols and resources focused on embedding non-partisan civil dialogue practices in the classroom

Institutes are open to educators working with grades 5–12 at public, charter, independent, parochial, and other schools. Institutes are free to attend, but a successful application is required.

Upcoming Institutes

Residential Summer Institutes

Engage with constitutional scholars and educators from around the country during a weeklong institute at the National Constitution Center in summer 2025. This year, there are four opportunities to join us in Philadelphia for one of our weeklong institutes.

  • Sunday, June 15 - Friday, June 20 | Principles of the American Revolution
  • Sunday, July 6 – Friday, July 11 | Reconstruction and the Second Founding
  • Sunday, July 13 – Friday, July 18 | Federalism and Separation of Powers
  • Sunday, July 20 – Friday, July 25 | Principles of the American Revolution, in partnership with PBS LearningMedia

Applications are closed. Notification regarding application status will be sent no later than Friday, March 28, 2025.

Request Customized Professional Learning

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The NCC’s Education team offers customizable professional learning sessions for schools and districts, allowing teachers or administrators to request sessions that fit their school schedule. Contact [email protected] to get more information.