Summer Residential Programs

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Apply to attend a free 5-day immersive professional development program at Mount Vernon to learn more about George Washington and the 18th-century world he lived in. Choose from six thematic programs hosted between June 11-August 3, 2024.

Institute Dates

Application Window

November 20, 2023 - January 15, 2024

Acceptance Notification Date

Late March 2024
Summer Residential Programs
Program Descriptions
Teacher Fellowship Program Educational Events Mount Vernon History Teacher of the Year Teacher Advisory Group

A 5-Day Program For K-12 Educators

The George Washington Teacher Institute Summer Residential Program is a 5-day immersive professional development experience designed to support educators who value the importance of inclusive history content. We invite K-12 teachers of all disciplines and grade levels to explore the life, life, leadership, and legacies of George Washington and the diversity of the 18th-century world in which he lived.

Our format, with a different thematic focus each program, allows you to explore an 18th-century subject that is most relevant to your classroom.

  • Learn from a variety of visiting and Estate experts in how to bring George Washington and the 18th-century world to your 21st-century students.  
  • Experience how place can provide new insight into the complexity of the 18th century and help make connections to today.
  • Tackle topics that matter the most to you, from civics, to leadership, to STEAM, and more! 
  • Engage in best practice pedagogies within each theme that explore inclusive narratives and elevate student voices. 
  • Collaborate with other dynamic educators from across the country to find new ways to find student centered ways to bring these lessons to life in your classroom.

Summer 2024 Program Dates & Themes

June 11-15: The Great Experiment: George Washington and the Founding of the U.S. Government 

June 18-22: George Washington and the Economy of a New Nation

June 25-29: George Washington at War: From Soldier to Commander in Chief

July 9-13: Lives Bound Together: Enslavement in George Washington’s World

July 16-20: Leadership and Legacy: Lessons from George Washington

July 30-August 3: The Worlds of Martha Washington and the Women of the 18th Century

Who Can Apply?

The George Washington Teacher Institute cares deeply about equity, inclusivity, and diversity. Our Institute is committed to cultivating a unique learning environment where all individuals may succeed professionally and personally. We seek and welcome applications from educators of varying backgrounds and experiences to explore the history and ideals that make us all different, and inspires diverse interpretations of George Washington and the world he lived in and...

  • Anyone who is currently educating American students in a formal K-12 school environment.
  • Educators must anticipate teaching in the school year following participation. 
  • Priority will be given to educators working directly with students from any subject area (teachers, media specialists, librarians); however, a limited number of spaces will be reserved for administrators and supervisors.
  • Applicants may only attend one residential program at Mount Vernon per calendar year.
  • Alumni from past residential or digital programs are eligible to apply; however, there are a limited number of spaces reserved.

What is the Application Process?

The online application should take approximately an hour to complete and requires the applicant to upload a resume and provide short answer responses about your teaching philosophies. Two letters of recommendation are also required for completion. Applicants can start the application, save, and return to it before the submission deadline. 

  • Resume List relevant education and teaching history. Special attention will 
    be given to leadership roles held, recent professional development, student engagement techniques, and examples of innovative and adaptive teaching strategies.
  • Short Answer Questions Explain your reasons for applying by responding to questions related to how your attendance will impact students, what teaching historical thinking looks like in your classroom, what collaborative contributions you can add as a participant, and your potential as an engaged alumni of the George Washington Teachers Institute.
  • Letters of Recommendation Two letters of recommendation addressing your skill, ability, and experience as a teacher and indicating support for your participation in the Institute are required. One letter must be from a person in a school or district leadership role where you are currently employed. The additional letter should be from an education colleague. You will be asked to submit the names of your two recommenders, who will then be asked to submit their letters through the application system.
  • Alumni Alumni of previous George Washington Teacher Institute Residential Programs will be asked to explain how they have integrated experiences and knowledge from the residential program they attended into their current practice. Alumni will be asked to participate in the residential program by leading a classroom application session, a lesson and/or activity related to the Institute theme.
  • Professional Development As part of your participant agreements, you will be asked to conduct a minimum of one teacher professional development session following the Institute, with the goal being to share what you've learned with teachers beyond your team and/or school within the next year. More details will be provided during the Institute. 

What are the Costs?

The George Washington Teacher Institute summer residential programs are provided through generous endowment and scholarship funds, with limited costs to teachers.

  • All costs associated with program resources, meals, and lodging are covered as part of your participation. 
  • Mount Vernon will reimburse an average of $350-700/ per teacher for travel depending on your geographic region.
    • Exact reimbursement amounts will be communicated following acceptance.
    • Full participation in the program is required in order to receive the reimbursement. 

Facilities

Summer residential program participants will enjoy VIP access to the Estate and Library, and be provided premier lodging in Old Town, Alexandria.

  • George Washington's Mount Vernon By learning on George Washington’s estate, participants will enjoy the opportunity to connect and collaborate with Mount Vernon’s onsite experts in informal learning, early American history, preservation, archaeology, and other relevant fields.
  • The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon Participants will learn throughout the various areas of the 45,000 square‐foot Washington Library for the majority of the Institute. The Library is designed to house and safeguard original Washington documents and other materials from the founding era, as well as contemporary research tools and resources.  
  • The Alexandrian Hotel As part of the covered costs, teachers will be housed in double occupancy rooms with fellow participants at the Alexandrian Hotel in Old Town Alexandria, Autograph Collection. Access to a free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking are included. 

Do You Offer Graduate Credit?

All residential program participants will receive a certificate of participation outlining the number of hours spent in programming; however, the George Washington Teacher Institute and university partner George Mason University have developed an optional online, asynchronous graduate course, George Washington in the Classroom. Participants in the course will learn new methods for teaching with primary sources, the history of the American Revolution and early Republic, and the life of George Washington at Mount Vernon.

2023
Tuition: $1,248
Credits: 3 graduate credits in History
Dates: August 26-December 5, 2023
Registration Date: August 15, 2023
Seats Available: 15

*Up-to-date information for the 2024 course will be provided to all accepted applicants in late spring.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

We are confident we can provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards for participants, but please reach out if you have any questions about our protocol in this area. 

  • Accessibility When considering your accessibility needs, please keep in mind that Mount Vernon is located on 500 acres and several Institute sessions include walking on hilly and unpaved terrains. Accessibility arrangements can be made with the Education Department prior to the start of the Institute to ensure your full participation. 
    • Click here for additional information about accessibility at Mount Vernon.
  • Dietary Restrictions Accepted applicants will be asked to make note of any specific food allergies and/or dietary restrictions in their paperwork. The Education Department will work with our catering staff to build menus that take these needs into account.
    • *If your diet is highly restrictive, you may want to pack supplementary food.

Contact Info

Send Us Your Questions

Participant Testimonial

"This was such a transformational experience; personally, professionally, and as a citizen."

Participant Testimonial

"I am going to love telling stories ALL the people in his life on whom he relied to help him build his farms, win a revolution and create a country. ALL those people, both enslaved and free, men and women, deserve to have their stories told. And we, as learners, deserve the opportunity to hear and learn from them."

Participant Testimonial

"The amount of information AND applicable teaching strategies are so vast there is no way I will be able to incorporate them all...I can't wait to get kids back into school so we can begin!"

Participant Testimonial

"As I start the school year, I am excited to be much more explicit with students with ideas related to those things that are non-negotiable and also in setting norms."

Participant Testimonial

"I've recently completed my MA and have attended countless PD sessions-- yours was of the BEST quality!! I was amazed how the lessons/information could apply from elementary through high school."

Participant Testimonial

"I have long struggled to include all of the stories and now I have the resources to do this well."

Participant Testimonial

"This was the BEST professional development that I have had the opportunity to participate in. I learned so much about myself, my profession, George Washington and have new colleagues throughout the nation."

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