Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant Provides Vital Funding for Primary Source

For the tenth consecutive year, Primary Source received funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). Organizational Support grants from the MCC provide Primary Source with vital funding to develop professional development programs for educators, create online resources for use in K-12 classrooms, and work with school districts to incorporate global education initiatives into Massachusetts schools.

This past year, Primary Source offered more than 60 professional development programs for educators in Massachusetts, reaching more than 1,890 teachers, principals, and superintendents. Graduate-level courses provided in-depth study of the history and culture of ancient and modern China, examined conflict and resolution in the Middle East, and explored the geography and politics of Latin America. Courses were also offered about Africa, the United States, Japan, and India.

In the fall of 2008, Primary Source began the development of an online course. The course, The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China, will be piloted in the fall of 2009 and will allow teachers to explore aspects of Chinese history and culture through audio recordings, live chats with scholars, and video content, in addition to traditional texts.

Primary Source also continued to provide innovative leadership in the rapidly growing field of global education. In December 2008, staff members conducted a daylong workshop for the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association (MSSAA). The seminar, 21st Century Administrators: Leading Globally Minded Schools, offered school leaders the opportunity to develop a plan for integrating global content into their districts' curricula. In addition, Primary Source's 2008 summer institute, Teaching for Global Understanding in the 21st Century, provided 57 educators with a strong background in a range of contemporary global issues, such as health, education, human rights, and the environments. Teachers were also introduced to current scholarship on how to address these challenges and models for using new technologies to develop students' 21st century skills, such as cross-cultural communication and critical thinking.

Funding from the MCC provides critical support for Primary Source's work in ensuring that Massachusetts remains a national leader in K-12 education. Primary Source is grateful for the MCC's investment in our work over the past decade and looks forward to a continued partnership with the Council in future years.