For the Hub City Times

MARSHFIELD – Jerry Prusinski, a Columbus Catholic High School history teacher, is one of 58 teachers selected to participate in the fall “2020 Inspiring Student Research Webinar Series.”  This program is a collaboration between National History Day (NHD) and the Library of Congress.

Prusinski

This new course focuses on using online Library of Congress primary and secondary sources to develop and support student research skills and is a feature of NHD’s membership in the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Consortium.

“Since August, Prusinski has worked with his peers around the country and NHD staff to build knowledge for teaching with primary sources.  He has completed readings, engaged in discussion boards with peers from around the world, and joined live programs with historians and curriculum specialists to improve his practice. The course focuses on research skills, primary source analysis, historical thinking skills, and classroom application.  Upon completing the series, Mr. Prusinski will have demonstrated the ability to pair Library of Congress resources with active learning strategies to inspire, engage, and support his students,” a Columbus release stated.

“This course has particular value now as teachers and students continue to address challenges of non-traditional learning settings required by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said NHD Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn.  “The crucial skills Mr. Prusinski is learning and honing over the course of this series will benefit his students for many years to come. As a Library of Congress TPS Consortium member, we are incredibly fortunate to be able to offer this opportunity for teachers.”

“For me, it’s a great program and excellent professional development,” Prusinski said.  “We are learning new strategies on how to help students dive into historical research.  Students can have the option to create a historical research project and compete at various levels with their projects.  Our students are learning basic research but not competing this year, though we might a few years down the road.  I am learning a lot and thoroughly enjoy being in this program!”

The 58 teachers selected represent 40 of NHD’s affiliates across the country and around the world. The NHD network of 58 affiliates includes all 50 states and the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and international school programs in China, South Asia, and South Korea.