With encouragement from the parents' association, the school applies for an NEH Humanities Scholar in Residence grant, requesting a scholar to help them identify key primary and secondary sources on Shakespeare, in both digital and print form, that can be translated into classroom teaching. In consultation with NEH staff, the project team locates a scholar whose knowledge and teaching experience matches their project goals. Over the next several months, the scholar gains an overview of the school's English curriculum, the students' responses to Shakespeare, and the backgrounds of the project team members. The team explores materials with the scholars guidance and drafts a plan to implement changes and evaluate results. School selects a humanities scholar from consultation with NEH staff on the basis of the scholar's knowledge of the subject and interest in working with schools.
Preliminary consultation assures a good match of school and scholar.
The Humanities Scholar and the project team members agree on dates for three two-day seminars at intervals during the project year. Between seminars, the scholar and the school project team agree to confer by telephone and e-mail. Initial two-day school visit, in which the Humanities Scholar meets with school staff, students, and parents and in seminar sessions with the project team. From these conversations, they draft an action plan that incorporates goals of the professional and curricular development activities and serves as the basis for ongoing assessment. They consider materials from a list developed by the Humanities Scholar and choose those selections they will read and discuss.