What is Congress in the Classroom®?

What Do Participants Say About the Program?

Session Titles, Presenters, and Presentations, 2008

Selected Presentations, 2007

Online Application

Contact



Endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies

What is Congress in the Classroom®?

Congress in the Classroom® is a national, award-winning education program now in its 16th year.  Developed and sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center, the workshop is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information on teaching about Congress. The Center will join with the new Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service in conducting the workshop.

Who Should Attend?

Congress in the Classroom® is designed for high school or middle school teachers who teach U.S. history, government, civics, political science, or social studies.  Forty teachers will be selected to take part in the program.

What Will I Learn?

In addition to sessions dealing with Congress, the 2008 program will pay special attention to the upcoming congressional and presidential elections.

You will gain experience with The Center's educational Web site, CongressLink (www.congresslink.org), which features online access to lesson plans, student activities, historical materials, related Web sites, and subject matter experts. 

Throughout the program you will work with national experts as well as colleagues from across the nation.  This combination of firsthand knowledge and peer-to-peer interaction will give you new ideas, materials, and a professionally enriching experience.

In sum, the workshop consists of two types of sessions: those that focus on recent research and scholarship about Congress or elections (and don't always have an immediate application in the classroom) and those geared to specific ways to teach students about Congress or elections.

When is Congress in the Classroom®?

The 2008 workshop will be held Monday, July 21 - Thursday, July 24, at the Hotel Pere Marquette, Peoria, Illinois.  

What Do Participants Say About the Program?

Comments from teachers who participated in recent workshops:

"I am delighted that I have had the opportunity to be a part of this workshop and I appreciate the work of the Dirksen Center in making it possible.  I’m sure that these four days will have a significant impact on my work as a teacher."                        Joe R. Colley, Martin Luther King, Jr., High School, Lithonia GA

"Congress in the Classroom® was a tremendously productive program for me.  The presenters brought a wealth of personal experience to the topic of Congress, and how to most effectively tech complex ideas and concepts to my students.  The materials are exceptional and will most definitely be used in my classroom.  The opportunity to collaborate with teachers from around the country on “best practices” was the icing on the cake."
Susan Cole Mullis, Frederica Academy, St. Simons Island GA

"This was a wonderful experience for me.  I grew as a person and as a teacher.  I thank you for including me even though I’ve taught for so long. . . .  I cannot wait to share what I’ve learned with the other teachers in my building."                      Anonymous

"This has been a great experience and I’m leaving full of new contacts and armloads of resources for my classroom."
Jenny McIntosh, St. Catherine’s School, Richmond VA

"This conference was amazing! I met a ton of interesting people and got a TON of resources for the classroom."                     Sara Piotrowski, Plainfield Central High School, Plainfield IL

Comments from participants in past workshops:

"Congress in the Classroom® is a must do for all government teachers.  It was the most valuable experience I have encountered thus far in my continuing teacher development." 
David Geisel, Trinity High School, Camp Hill PA

"Congress in the Classroom® provides an excellent, well rounded study on Congress.  Thanks for a wonderful learning experience." 
Lana Burns, Cy-Fair High School, Cypress TX

"There were so many bits of helpful information that will help me convince students to be more active citizens.  I came away with a renewed sense of the importance of my efforts to train active, informed citizens."  
Rick Williams, Judah Christian School, Champaign IL

"Congress in the Classroom® is the best program I have done in years.  Everything was extremely pertinent to the teaching of AP government and I am excited about talking back what I have learned." 
Meybe Carr, St. Joseph's Catholic School, Greenville SC

"In the eleven years of teaching, this was the BEST workshop I’ve ever attended. The most beneficial part was listening to former fellows, professors, and people ‘in the know’ on the Hill. I will recommend this workshop to everyone in my department. It was just great."
Ellen Fox, Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield, CT

"The resources and information that I acquired at this conference will certainly be used and has left me very inspired for the upcoming school year."
Loreen Prinz, High School for Public Service, Brooklyn, NY

[Addressed to presenter Jeffrey Weinberg] " Dear Mr. Weinberg, Thank you very much for your presentation at “Congress in the Classroom” seminar. Of all of the presentations, I found yours the most engaging and interesting. I honestly would have sat there, listening and asking you questions, for hours more! What was most helpful was putting “legs” on the textbooks I’ve read. In conveying to us the variety of procedures, tactics etc… used in the White House, by different Presidents, in relationship to the OMB was quite informative. I feel much better equipped after only one hour with you. Thanks for the resources. It will be great to have students examine and analyze these sources. They will come out richer, as I did."
Randy Smith, Naperville Central High School, Naperville, IL

"As a repeat participant, I know the value of everything I learned in the previous experience and can already see what I can use immediately. But mostly, the time spent with professionals-whether a fellow teacher or presenter or staff member-reinvigorates me and gets me excited about returning to the classroom this August." Lori Dumerer, RL Turner High School, Carrollton, TX

"Until now so much of what I did in my class on Congress was straight theory-this is what the Constitution says. Now I can use these activities and illustrations to help get my students involved in the class and at the very least their community but hopefully in the federal government. This workshop has given me a way to help them see how relevant my class is and that they can do to help make changes in society." Angela Bogenschutz, Middletown High School, Middletown, OH

"I truly will use the ideas and knowledge gained. I will incorporate the web ideas, the classroom activities, and information. This workshop energized me and I'm excited to begin the year using the ideas gained."

How Much Will It Cost?

Participants are responsible for (1) a non-refundable $135 registration fee (required to confirm acceptance after notice of selection) and (2) transportation to and from Peoria, Illinois. Many school districts will pay all or a portion of these costs.

The Center pays for three nights lodging at the headquarters hotel (providing a single room for each participant), workshop materials, local transportation, all but three meals, and presenter honoraria and expenses.

The Center spends between $25,000 and $30,000 to host the program each year.

Will I Receive Credit for the Course?

The program is certified by the Illinois State Board of Education for up to 22 Continuing Education Units. The program also is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies. For teachers interested in receiving one hour of graduate-level academic credit for the workshop, please contact The Center for details--Bradley University offers the option at a cost of approximately $550.

Deadline

We are now accepting applications for the 2008 program. Enrollment is competitive and limited to forty.  Selection will be determined by The Center.  Individuals will be notified of their acceptance status by April 30, 2008.  Click here to go to the on-line registration form. For more information, contact: 

Lynn Kasinger
The Dirksen Congressional Center 
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL  61554 
lkasinger@dirksencenter.org
Phone:  (309) 347-7113 
Fax:  (309) 347-6432

Session Titles, 2008

NOTE: Additional sessions will be listed as presenters are confirmed. More information about the content of each session will be posted as it becomes available.

Opening Remarks: A View from Capitol Hill
The Honorable Ray LaHood, (R-IL, 18th District, U.S. House of Representatives) CONFIRMED

First elected in 1994, Congressman LaHood has earned a reputation as an "institutionalist," someone respected by Republicans and Democrats. A member of the House Appropriations Committee since 2001, he announced his retirement from the House effective in January 2009. As a result, the district is in the midst of a contested primary for the first time in years.

Congressional Insight: An Interactive Simulation of a Member's First Term in the House of Representatives
Tara Smith, National Association of Manufacturers CONFIRMED

With Congressional Insight, you experience the high-pressured, uncompromising environment in which legislators must operate. With increasingly tight deadlines imposed by the simulation, you are part of a team that must decide which bills to support, which committee posts to seek, how much time to devote to fundraising, and what tradeoffs to make amidst constituent, party, special-interest, and media pressures. The quality of your choices will be tested in a reelection campaign.

Sound Bite: Introduction to The Dirksen Center's Web Suite
Cindy Koeppel, The Dirksen Center CONFIRMED

Sound Bites are 30-minute sessions devoted to a single topic. In this one, Koeppel, the designer of The Center's Web suite, will introduce the six sites within the suite and illustrate how teachers can use them in their classrooms. Almost 1.5 million "unique visitors" generated about 70 million "hits" on the suite in 2007.

Running for Congress: A Consultant's Perspective
Matt Bisbee, Illinois Executive Director, Victory Enterprises  CONFIRMED

Founded in 1993, Victory Enterprises is a comprehensive political consulting and communications firm. Victory Enterprises offers a full array of campaign services including survey research, media production and placement, direct mail design, grassroots messaging, web strategy and design as well as one-on-one campaign consulting.  The firm has been involved in over 1,500 campaigns.  Bisbee will  talk about how congressional candidates are recruited and how they develop a strategy for election.

On the Road with Presidential Candidates
Jodi Enda, Journalist

This presenter has covered the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential campaigns for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Knight Ridder Newspapers.  Since then she has done considerable freelance writing for various magazines.  Enda will talk about the challenges of reporting on this beat, suggest story lines to look out for in 2008, and evaluate the state of presidential campaign reporting this year.

Reception at Bradley University
Workshop teachers

We will travel to the campus of Bradley University for a reception and tour. Brad McMillan, Executive Director of the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service will brief us on IPL's programs.

Running for Congress: A Candidate's Perspective
Jim McConoughey, candidate in the Republican primary, 18th congressional district, and CEO of the Heartland Partnership.  CONFIRMED

One of the three Republican candidates in the 18th congressional district will discuss his experiences on the campaign trail. NOTE: the Democrats have yet to select a candidate.

Where We Stand in the Presidential Race and What to Look For
Tim Teehan, National Sales Director, Campaigns and Elections.  CONFIRMED

Campaigns & Elections is a nonpartisan publication with more than 84,000 readers involved in the political process. A representative from the magazine will discuss the state of the presidential race in July 2008 and preview the developments we should be alert to.

Sound Bite: Yes, It is Possible to Find Humor in Congress
Frank H. Mackaman, The Dirksen Congressional Center CONFIRMED

Relying on gems located in the archives of Members of Congress, Mackaman provides examples of what constituents expect of their representatives. For example, consider this request of former Congressman John Dent: "I am a future inventor. Tell me of some of the inventions of the future so I can start on them now." !

Teaching with Primary Sources
Cindy Rich, Project Director, Teaching with Primary Sources, Eastern Illinois University CONFIRMED

From the Campaign Trail: Observations from a Reporter
Tanya Koonce, political reporter, WCBU Radio CONFIRMED

How do reporters decide what to cover in a congressional election? What factors affect their relationships with the candidates? How do they know when they've been "spun"? What qualities or skills are required of political reporters? Koonce, who currently covers the 18th congressional district race to replace retiring Congressman Ray LaHood, will address these questions and more.

Predicting the Outcome of the Presidential Election
Frank H. Mackaman, The Dirksen Congressional Center CONFIRMED

Historians, political scientists, economists, and hobbyists all have devised various models, some sensible, some strange, to predict the outcome of presidential elections.  Mackaman will introduce you to several of them before focusing on the one that has proven the most prescient.

How to Get Your Point Across to Congress Members
Stephanie Vance, Advocacy Associates, Washington DC CONFIRMED

Selected Presentations, 2007

What follows are links to presentations by speakers at Congress in the Classroom, 2007:

Rules, Rules, Rules: Congress Relies on Them -- MS Word Remarks, MS Word Appendices
Don Wolfensberger, Director of the Congress Project, Woodrow Wilson Center

A nationally known expert on the rules which govern the House of Representatives, Wolfensberger will examine how the Democrats have changed the way the House operates now that they have the majority.

How to Get Your Point Across to Congress Members -- PowerPoint Presentation
Stephanie Vance, Advocacy Associates

How do you break through the "noise" to communicate with a member of Congress? Ms. Vance has the answers. She advises clients on how to reach Congress people effectively by understanding how congressional offices function and process information. She will introduce her online advocacy course - something you can use even after the workshop ends.

Electoral College Strategy 2008 -- PowerPoint Presentation
Thomas F. Schaller, Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Although the next presidential election is more than a year away, presidential candidates are already developing their strategy for winning around the Electoral College, not the popular vote.  What the candidates must do to prevail in the Electoral College vote.

What Every New Senator Should Know about the U.S. Senate -- PowerPoint Presentation
Richard A. Baker, Historian, U.S. Senate Historical Office

Senate Historian Baker has written The New Members’ Guide to Traditions of the United States Senate which serves as an orientation to the traditions and precedents of the Senate. It is a must read for newly elected Senators and covers such topics as seniority, Senate furniture, Senate decorum, and the Floor Leaders’ right of prior recognition among many others.

Questions?