Teacher Professional Development
Ford’s Education provides dynamic learning experiences for educators. We craft our professional development programs to meet the needs of the evolving classroom. We value the wealth of knowledge teachers bring to the table and foster an atmosphere of sharing and collaboration. Our programs are robust, thought-provoking and hands on, so that teachers can translate what is learned at Ford’s, into tools for the classroom.
Professional Development Opportunities
Tapas for Teachers!
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Start the school year with inspiration, connection — and tasty eats! Tapas for Teachers is your chance to meet fellow educators and explore classroom-ready programs from Ford’s Theatre and D.C.’s leading cultural institutions.
From Lincoln to MLK: A Walking Tour on the National Mall
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Join Ford’s Theatre and National Mall and Memorial Parks as we explore the legacies of the nation’s founding, the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement through an interpreted tour of the Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorials.
Reading American Life Narratives: First Ladies
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Join us for a three-hour community workshop to explore unique insights into American history through life narratives of First Ladies.
Civil War Washington Forts: An Interpretive Hike of Civil War Defenses of Washington
Saturday, November 2, 2024
When the Civil War broke out, Washington, D.C. was surrounded by slave-holding states and confederate sympathizers. In the summer of 1861, 68 forts were hastily built to defend this city.
National Oratory Fellows
Inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s oratory, National Oratory Fellows are a network of teachers who cultivate student voices in Grades 5-8 by making public speaking a part of the everyday classroom experience. For more program information, click the button below.
Civil War Washington
The city of Washington was a complex, gritty, unfinished and precarious place during the Civil War. In this institute, connect with peers to illuminate new perspectives and under-told stories, explore historic sites and collect a wealth of resources.
Set In Stone
Learn about monuments and memorials in the nation’s capital and examine how we remember the Civil War in this week-long summer teacher program for 3rd- through 12th-grade teachers.