By Arch Hunter, Director of Graduate Travel Programs
American history has always been my passion. From a young age, I was drawn to the stories of the Founders and of the battles and trials of so many great patriots who sacrificed for our country. During high school and college, I considered a career in teaching, but for a variety of reasons, I took another career path. But history continued to call me, and after a successful twelve-year career, I took the leap. I went back to school and got my teaching degree. I was ready to live my dream, or so I thought.
After one year of teaching, I was frustrated. The curriculum was boring and prescribed, and the techniques we learned were not working. As I looked at my 11th grade American history class, I saw boredom and disappointment – both theirs and mine. I was considering quitting teaching.
Fortunately for me, I was introduced to Founding Forward and their summer professional development programs for teachers. Founding Forward radically changed my teaching style and how I viewed and conveyed the information I shared with the students. What I learned and taught began to impact their lives in such a way that it provided a deeper and greater understanding of our history. Had I not been introduced to Founding Forward’s summer seminars, I can honestly say I would not have continued the profession I dearly loved.
My 25-year teaching career is a prime example of how Founding Forward influenced my life, teaching style, students, and the longevity of my education career. When I see my former students, they pride themselves on greeting me with the phrase, “history is the study of human behavior,” a greeting that brings about such satisfaction and confirms all my hard works was not done in vain.
Sharing the experience
While I have retired from teaching, I am proud to remain a Founding Forward Graduate Travel Program Director. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share my story and encourage fellow educators to participate in Founding Forward’s immersive, engaging, and inspiring professional development opportunities.
Every program welcomes teachers from across the country and immerses them in new topics, rich content, historic sites and locations, and a collaborative professional environment. Through our renowned public historians, local guides and docents, scholars, and experts, teachers receive an unmatched depth and breadth of information and obtain a multidimensional perspective on an important era or topic in American history that they cannot obtain anywhere else.
An ongoing resource
Watching teachers become energized through their experience in the traveling workshops reminds me of my own experiences at Founding Forward because professional development doesn’t end when the program or summer is over. Teachers leave Founding Forward as life-long learners who stay in contact with each other, sharing teaching information, books, and encouragement not only throughout the coming school year but also across their careers. The network of teachers I’ve personally developed through Founding Forward is in the hundreds! One of my favorite things is when a traveling workshop alum reaches out to tell me about a book they read or to ask for my advice on how they can further explore a topic.
Get inspired in 2025
Whether you are an educator who needs a spark of inspiration or if you are looking for new ways to introduce content to students, I hope you will join us this summer for one of our programs. We are still accepting applications for the following programs:
- Weekend Summits on the Declaration of Independence
- First Amendment Freedoms – June 15-20
- Examining Western Civilization – June 22-27
- The Constitutional Covenant – June 29-July 3
- Lafayette’s Revolutions in America & France July 13-18
- Medal of Honor Legacy: War on Terror July 27-August 1
