Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence
Written by Lauren Smith
Hillsdale College’s Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence is on a mission to inspire some of the nation’s best teachers through a series of educational seminars. Focusing on 6th-12th grade history, civics, and economics, the Hoogland seminars are designed to promote interest both in teaching and learning among private and public school teachers.
“The idea is to educate American teachers about American history and civics so they can share those ideas with their students,” says Jordan Adams, the interim director of curriculum for the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office. “Most of the teachers who attend are here because they really do care. We give them some ideas about how to approach teaching history and civics that they haven’t been taught before. And we’ve seen that it’s very rewarding for them to take that into their classrooms and make it their own.”
That’s what makes the Hoogland seminars unique: They have a dual focus on pedagogy and course content. Dr. Paul Rahe, a history professor at Hillsdale College and past speaker at the Hoogland seminars, notes that middle and high school teachers don’t often get the chance to immerse themselves in the subjects they teach. That’s a shame, according to Rahe, because it’s usually their passion for these subjects that becomes their reason for teaching. The Hoogland seminars are a perfect blend of how and what to teach, allowing teachers to develop both their technical abilities and their personal interests.
The next seminar will be hosted toward the end of October in Denver, Colorado, where three of Hillsdale’s K-12 member schools are located. This event, however, isn’t just for teachers at member schools. According to Adams, many attendees will have never heard of Hillsdale until they receive an invitation to the Hoogland event by mail. They’re attracted not only by the opportunity to earn professional development credits, but also by the promise they’ll learn new and valuable topics and techniques that will ignite student interest and enrich their classroom experience.
The two-day event opens with a reception and formal dinner, during which teachers are invited to socialize and connect with their peers. The following day includes a series of lectures featuring speakers from Hillsdale College faculty and, most recently, a professor from Claremont McKenna College and the headmaster of Hillsdale Member School Golden View Classical Academy. Each lecture series focuses on a specific economics, history, or civics theme. This year, speakers will discuss the legacy and statesmanship of Abraham Lincoln. Adams is looking forward to this topic, which has been a seminar subject once before, because he believes Lincoln is an overlooked yet critical figure in American history.
“Helping students and teachers understand his exercise of prudence during one of the most perilous times in American history is immensely fruitful,” Adams explains. “Lincoln’s legacy has much to teach us about what our country is going through even today.”
Past seminar topics include prominent historical figures, including George Washington and Winston Churchill; major events, such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War; and political issues ranging from environmental economics to the role of government in free markets. These are all subjects near and dear to the hearts of history, economics, and civics teachers, but Adams expects that the range of topics will soon broaden to include other disciplines, including science, literature, and mathematics, and to other grade levels. “Our eventual goal is to bring every part of what our schools teach on the road to any teacher in the country,” says Adams. “The education our schools bring to children is unmatched in the country, and we want teachers of every subject and grade level to benefit from it.”
Adams says he’s noticed a commonality among the teachers who attend the Hoogland events. “They work hard,” he smiles—perhaps recalling his own teaching years— “but they’re joyful people. They take the right things seriously. They’re having a good time at these events. It’s delightful to them, to collaborate on something and share it and enjoy it.”
These seminars aren’t just beneficial to teachers. Students who take classes from attendees will be more engaged with the materials they’re learning and more likely to enjoy their classes. History is a story—and the Hoogland seminars are training a generation of teachers who double as storytellers.
When asked what he hopes teachers take away from the Hoogland seminars, Adams points to teachers’ and students’ love for learning. “We want teachers to be refreshed and inspired. We want them to be reimagining what they can do with the class, what their students are capable of, and what they’re capable of.” Most importantly: “We want them to enjoy teaching and to share that joy with their students.”
To learn more about upcoming seminars, click here.
Lauren Smith, ’25, is a prospective political economy major and French minor. Outside of starting arguments in philosophy class, she enjoys curling up on a bench outdoors (sun, rain, or snow) to write novels or articles for her blog, www.laurensmythbooks.com.
Published in October 2022