July 16, 2015
Center for Inspired Teaching is proud to partner with the Library of Congress through the Real World History program.
The Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps, and manuscripts in its collections. The Library’s mission is to support the Congress in fulfilling its constitutional duties and to further the progress of knowledge and creativity for the benefit of the American people.
As part of their second-semester internships at the Library of Congress, two Real World History students spent time doing research and analysis using the Library’s vast online collections. Their work focused on development of their 2015 History Day documentary, and these students ultimately won the Senior Group Documentary division at the DC level.
“Young people are creative and inventive – they have so much to offer!” said Kathy McGuigan, a member of the Educational Outreach team at the Library of Congress. “One of the skills I enjoy seeing most used by young people is the skill in asking questions. It can be hard walking into a large lecture room or strange work environment where you think people know more than you. However, young people can use that to their advantage in asking questions. Remember, you don’t have to know it all; you just have to know when to ask the right questions.”
Learn more about the Library of Congress and the materials and professional development available to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library’s collections.