This post is by Stacie Moats of the Library of Congress.
Do you know any current undergraduate/graduate students—or recent college graduates (within six months)—preparing for employment or further studies in education, library science, history or museum studies? Would they like to gain valuable, collaborative work experience by exploring educational resources, applying learning strategies, and connecting through partnerships? If so, please encourage them to apply for a Fall 2023 Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Internship with the Library of Congress! Applications will be accepted through June 2. Visit the Library’s website for details.
TPS internships are stipended opportunities designed for qualified individuals interested in working with and developing educational materials using the Library’s digitized primary sources for learners ages 9+, their families, and K-12 teachers. Successful candidates are likely to have academic, volunteer, or professional experience in related fields, and demonstrate a collaborative approach.
Whether remote or onsite, TPS interns will engage with Library staff, TPS Consortium members and the nearly 14,000 educators belonging to the TPS Teachers Network. A key component of the TPS Internship Program is researching and sharing content about new discoveries and reflections, culminating in a special project. Additionally, the onsite TPS intern will support the Library’s in-person programming for young visitors ages 9+ and their families by developing an onsite component based on their research.
Spring 2023 interns Mara Gregory and Elizabeth Dobrzynski each pursued different research and career interests, while supporting each other’s learning centered on the value of primary sources in education.
As the remote TPS intern, Mara focused her research on the Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America Project, developing a teaching resource that explores connections among language, identity, and cultural heritage. After working closely with Library staff and partnering with a TPS Consortium member, she notes, “I’ve discovered new ways to apply my prior knowledge and skills in the library and cultural heritage field.” Mara explains, “I stayed connected to Library staff and the TPS community through virtual meetings and conversations, but I also had plenty of time to pursue in-depth research in the Library’s digital collections.”
Meanwhile, Elizabeth began her onsite TPS internship with an elementary education background and a desire to gain primary source-based teaching strategies for a classroom teaching career. She created and piloted a Primary Source Puzzle Box that invites young Library visitors and their families to take a trip through research. Her related teacher resource similarly challenges students do their own research about traveling and features maps, photos, and more from the Library’s digital collections. Like Mara, Elizabeth credits valuable feedback from Library and TPS Consortium mentors with informing her research project and professional growth.
Both Mara and Elizabeth strongly encourage others to apply to the TPS Internship Program. As Elizabeth explains, “Being a TPS intern at the Library of Congress felt like a dream come true and I never wanted to leave. I learned so much about myself, the workings of a library, and from the amazing people that work there! I cannot recommend this internship enough!”
Celia Roskin, whose past blog posts outlining ELA, math, and science activities resulted from her TPS internship research on the 1918 – 1919 Spanish Influenza Pandemic in relation to COVID-19, says, “This internship not only showed me the importance of effectively using primary sources in the classroom, but it helped solidify my future professional goals.” Echoing Elizabeth, she adds, “I can’t recommend this internship enough!”
Do you enjoy these posts? Subscribe! You’ll receive free teaching ideas and primary sources from the Library of Congress.