In 1776, the Declaration of Independence announced the separation of the thirteen North American colonies from Great Britain and stoked the fires of revolution. How did thirteen distinct colonies come together to form one nation? What are the values and tensions at the heart of the founding of the United States? And after 250 years, how are we still impacted by local stories of revolution, like those in Williamsburg? Participants will dive into these questions through the power of place at Colonial Williamsburg – examining the ideas central to the American Revolution and how these ideas continue to shape our nation today. Offering immersive site-based learning, hands-on activities, primary source analysis, and classroom strategies, this program will help teachers make history relevant and engaging for their students.
For the summer of 2026 only, the Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute of Colonial Williamsburg is offering a brand-new professional development program tailored to give participating educators the best of what Colonial Williamsburg has to offer. The program will have a special focus on civic engagement and responsibilities to celebrate the 250th year of the American Experiment, entitled Revolutionary Roots: Teaching Civic Engagement at 250. Elementary and secondary educators will follow tailored tracks designed to meet their specific classroom needs.
WHAT IS THE TEACHER INSTITUTE?
During week-long onsite residential programs Teacher Institute participants are immersed in an interdisciplinary approach to teaching social studies with American history as the focus. The Institute experience provides teachers:
- Primary source-centered, standards-based historical content
- Inclusive approach to analyzing people and events of the past from multiple perspectives
- Innovative, engaging teaching strategies to bring history to life in the classroom
- Immersive experiences throughout the Historic Area and with character interpreters, with suggested classroom applications
- Collaborative idea sharing with Colonial Williamsburg staff and fellow teachers
- Classroom-ready instructional resources through the Bob and Marion Wilson Educator Resource Library and early access to Colonial Williamsburg's cutting-edge digital teaching resources
SCHOLARSHIPS
Each Teacher Institute scholarship includes:
- Admission to all program activities
- Double-occupancy room at the Williamsburg Lodge Hotel
- Meals, including a sit-down tavern dinner experience
- Most scholarships also include airfare and ground transportation to Williamsburg. Travel arrangements will be confirmed at the time of scholarship acceptance.
If you have any questions about the application process, please email teacherdevelopment@cwf.org. Please include “2026 CWTI Scholarship Application” in the subject line of the email.
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