The Waynesburg University Department of Education will now enjoy access to valuable teaching materials, with a new searchable database through the Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Eastern Region.
The overall goal is to provide a menu of classroom resources that engage and empower students."
TPS is a national grant program offered by the Library of Congress that partners with institutions and gives access to a consortium of primary materials for professional development and academic courses.
“The database allows educators, both pre-service teachers and those who have been in the field for years, to locate materials appropriate to meet their individual classroom needs,” said Barbara Kirby, project director for the TPS program.
The database will provide education faculty and students with ready-to-use activities, lesson plans and other resources, Kirby said. Additionally, Waynesburg University has plans to expand the site to include links to content-specific curricula designed by members of the TPS Consortium from across the U.S.
“The overall goal is to provide a menu of classroom resources that engage and empower students,” she said. “Education faculty and students can draw on a wealth of ideas, considering what may work best in their own situations and then adapt to their classrooms.”
The resources available through TPS were developed by experienced teachers from all grade levels, which Kirby said can be used to identify examples of pedagogical strategies and discussion. Waynesburg University students can also develop their own lessons, activities and units, which can be considered for publication to the database.
“Not only does it serve as an easy-to-use resource for locating educational resources, but it serves as evidence of the outstanding work that Waynesburg staff, faculty, students and affiliates have produced,” Kirby said.
To learn more about the TPS database, contact Kirby at bkirby@waynesburg.edu.
