Mrs. Thompson goes to Washington

Schoharie Central Schools 6th Grade Teacher Nancy Thompson went to Washington, D.C., August  8-12, to participate in the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Summer Teacher Institute. She was selected for the weeklong program from hundreds of applicants nationwide.

 According to the Library of Congress, Thompson and other K-12 teachers, library media specialists and school adminstrators "work with Library education specialists and subject matter experts [at the institute] to learn effective practices for using primary sources in the classroom, while exploring some of the millions of digitized historical artifacts and documents available on the Library’s website. . .

"Teaching with primary sources is a powerful way to help students ask engaged, probing questions, develop critical thinking skills, and construct knowledge."

"We are all excited about the opportunity for one of our staff to participate in such a prestigious program," Schoharie Elementary Principal Maryellen Gillis said. "Mrs. Thompson is an active member of a number of our literacy committees, and she is very eager to share with her colleagues and her students her newly acquired skills and knowledge."

Also selected for the institute was Glendaal Elementary Teacher Deborah Byrne from the Scotia-Glenville School District. The Library of Congress holds seven Teacher Institutes in Washington, D.C., each year for teachers of Kindergarten through 12th grade students.

The Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is known as the world’s preeminent reservoir of knowledge, and provides vast informational resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library’s resources and treasures can be accessed through the Library’s website at www.loc.gov and via interactive exhibitions on a new, personalized site at myLOC.gov.

[8/17/11]