The Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program at Rockford College supports teachers in their efforts to incorporate primary-source, inquiry-based learning to enhance the achievement of students in kindergarten through grade 12. The program is conducted through undergraduate and graduate classes leading to teacher certification at Rockford College, including student teaching. The program also provides in-service workshops for K-12 educators in partner school districts to expand the community of educators using primary-source, inquiry-based learning experiences.
In addition, the program provides professional development seminars to identify, encourage, and support college faculty as they prepare primary source inquiry-based learning experiences for targeted pre-service teacher preparation classes. The program also identifies, encourages and supports participating college faculty who provide TPS professional development to area K-12 educators.
Still planned despite the uncertainty of a pending teacher strike and district contract negotiations, is a workshop with District 205 teachers on Wednesday, March 28. Teaching with Primary Sources at Rockford College will present to Rockford public school teachers on March 28, 2012 during their SIP (School Improvement Planning) day. The topic will be “Pairing Document-Based Questions (DBQs) with Primary Sources” Document Based Questions (DBQs).
What is a DBQ? It is an essay test where students are asked to read a collection of documents and respond to a central guiding question. DBQs are designed to help the student build a foundation to respond to the document-based essay question that follows. The New York United Teachers website (NYSUT.org) states, “Once found only on high school Advanced Placement tests, ‘DBQs’ are working their way down to the elementary grades as the state moves to raise standards of teaching and learning in all schools. As early as fifth grade, your children will be tested on their ability to analyze a collection of documents, tap their own knowledge and come up with reasoned answers to complex questions on multi-faceted topics. It’s a real-world skill they’ll use all their lives.”
The March 28 presentation will be held at Guilford High School, Rockford, Ill. For more information contact Dr. Debra Dew, TPS program director at Rockford College, at ddew@rockford.edu.
