Experience

Maggie Crawford: I think when you're in DC it's always best to maintain lots of communication with the sites that you plan to visit.

Heather Paisley-Jones: I think the thing that we really like to see is a group that comes and they have a theme in mind.

Lara Marks Finder: I would begin to think about the lesson plans that you're going to take back to your schools while you're here.

Stephen Wesson: Instead of just saying, "Go and listen and we'll generate ideas later," come in with the expectation that you're going to do something practical.

Workshop Attendee: But I think giving them the document first and having them struggle with just the way that it was written, I think that's powerful for kids to see that.

Callie Hawkins: Come with an open mind and ready to participate and ready to learn new things. I think that participation is key.

[Group of teachers examining a document]

David Rosenbaum: Having the opportunity to talk to the staff, ask questions, those kinds of things are also really, really important.

Christina Chavarria: You're thinking of the Kindertransport and again those are good examples when your students say, "Well, why didn't they just leave?" They did leave. But look what happens.

David Rosenbaum: Whether it's an archivist, a docent leading a tour, or it's one of the educators, I think again that's something that a lot of teachers like to tap into. Allowing time and opportunity for that is great.

Briana Zavadil White: This is considered to be the earliest known likeness of John Brown that was created.

Heather Paisley-Jones: I think it also helps when the teachers meet together at the end of the day every day and recap and talk about what they've done. That also will give the event coordinator an idea of whether or not what they scheduled is working.