Gilder Lehrman Teacher Symposium

Teacher Symposium

Thank you for your interest in the 2025 Teacher Symposium. Registration is now closed.

Historic Cannon at Gettysburg Battlefield

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The Fourth Annual Gilder Lehrman Teacher Symposium at Gettysburg College

TeachersGettysburgSymposium2022

We are excited for the return of the Gilder Lehrman Teacher Symposium, with two of our most popular scholars coming back and five new courses. Join us in July for the chance to work with subject experts, deepen your historical knowledge, and discover new ways to engage with your students in the classroom. Based on your feedback, we have extended the Symposium by an additional half-day. 

Eligibility: You must be an Affiliate School teacher, National Park Service employee, district supervisor, or librarian to register for the Teacher Symposium.

How to Register: Registration for the Gilder Lehrman Teacher Symposium is now closed.

Teacher Symposium Courses

Additional Information

Please email us at seminars@gilderlehrman.org if you have questions that are not addressed here.

Registration

How do I register for the Gilder Lehrman Teacher Symposium?

Find the course you are interested in and register on the course page. The registration process includes filling out a form to collect your contact info and any health/dietary considerations. You will not be officially registered until you complete the form and submit your registration fee.

Can I register for multiple courses?

Symposium courses meet at the same time, which means attendees can only sign up for one.

Is there a deadline to register for the Teacher Symposium?

Registration closed on May 19, 2025.

Eligibility

Who is eligible to attend the Gilder Lehrman Teacher Symposium?

  1. Full-time K–12 teachers of all subjects who work in Gilder Lehrman Affiliate Schools. You can see if you are already an Affiliate School teacher by visiting your profile dashboard. You can learn more about the Affiliate School Program and how to register on this page.
  2. District supervisors who work in Gilder Lehrman Affiliate Schools. You can see if you are already an Affiliate School teacher by visiting your profile dashboard. You can learn more about the Affiliate School Program and how to register on this page.
  3. National Park Service employees who have a Gilder Lehrman Institute account on our website. If you do not already have an account, you can create one here.
  4. Librarians who have a Gilder Lehrman Institute account on our website. If you do not already have an account, you can create one here.

 

Cost

What expenses am I responsible for?

There is a $200 registration fee to attend the Teacher Symposium that is non-refundable after May 1, 2025.

There is an additional optional $345 fee for room and board on campus at Gettysburg College in single, air-conditioned rooms. All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, a total of eleven meals) are included in this fee.

Participants are responsible for their own travel and transportation costs.

For more information about how to get to Gettysburg College, please visit their website here.

What is included in the room-and-board fee?

This is an optional add-on to any registration. It will allow participants to stay on the Gettysburg College campus in single, air-conditioned rooms. All meals (dinner on Sunday, three meals on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and breakfast on Thursday) will be included for each day and provided by the Gettysburg College food service department. For more information on Gettysburg College housing, visit the On-Campus Accommodations tab. 

Please note: If you opt out of the room-and-board fee, you will be expected to find your own food and lodging for the duration of the Symposium.  

Can my school pay for my registration?

Yes. We can accept payment from your school for your registration, including purchase orders. Please email us at seminars@gilderlehrman.org with any questions about this process.

What if I register and cannot attend the Teacher Symposium?

If you give us notice by May 1, 2025, that you cannot attend the Symposium, we can refund your registration fees minus a $50 administrative fee. After May 1, we will not issue any refunds for Teacher Symposium registrations.

PD Credits

Can I earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or Professional Development Points (PDPs)?

Gilder Lehrman professional development programs are generally eligible for CEU and PDP credits, but it is your responsibility to verify eligibility with your school administration or state PD office. (The Institute is an approved provider of professional development in Massachusetts, Montana, New York, Texas, and Washington State, and in Michigan through a partnership with the Michigan Council for History Education.) If you need more information to determine eligibility than is available on the Teacher Symposium page, please email us at seminars@gilderlehrman.org.

Can I receive graduate credit?

At this time, we are not able to offer graduate credit for our Teacher Symposium. You may wish to consider taking courses in the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History program.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Please email us at seminars@gilderlehrman.org.

Accommodations

Dormitories

Participants who include room and board ($345 fee) in their registration will be housed on campus in Gettysburg College dorms. Dorm types vary according to availability on campus. Rooms will be assigned at random based on dorm availability and registration numbers.  

All participants will have a single bedroom but may share common space and bathroom facilities with other participants in either an apartment-style or traditional dorm as outlined below.

Dorms are equipped with basic bedding and furniture. Participants will be provided with twin extra-long sheets, a pillow, blanket, and towels, but some participants may prefer to bring their own linens. Participants should plan to bring toiletries, including hand soap, body wash, and shampoo/conditioner. 

Apartment-Style Housing

  • A private bedroom with shared bathrooms and common areas within the suite or apartment primarily located on the northwest side of campus, near the Jaeger Fitness Center and College Union Building
  • Recommended parking: Stadium Lot
  • ADA-compliant rooms available in each building, and most apartment buildings have elevators
  • All suites or apartments equipped with standard dorm furniture in bedrooms and shared living areas, a full-size refrigerator, and a microwave

Traditional Housing

  • Motel-style residence halls with exterior corridors and attached parking lots
  • A private room and bathroom
  • Primarily located on the northeast side of campus, near Carlisle Street and the Admissions building
  • ADA-compliant rooms available in each building, but no elevator access as most motel-style buildings are one level
  • All rooms equipped with standard dorm furniture, mini-fridge, and microwave

Off-Campus Accommodations

A room block is reserved at Hotel Gettysburg from July 13 to 17 for participants who wish to stay off-campus at their own expense. If you register for the Symposium at the $200 level and seek housing, please find more information about booking a hotel room in the area. Reservations must be made by June 13, 2025, to secure the group rate.

Symposium Events

Book Talks

Throughout the Symposium, each scholar will lead a discussion on one of their books. This is a great opportunity to learn from as many of our incredible scholars as possible. All book talks are open to all participants, regardless of which course you are taking. Books will be available for purchase and there will be opportunities for book signings.

Opening Remarks and Book Discussion

To kick off the Gilder Lehrman Teacher Symposium, Professor David Blight will join us for a book talk and Q&A on Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory. Immediately following the book talk, participants will enjoy an opening dinner and meet and greet with the scholars.

American History Trivia Night

Put your knowledge of American history to the test during Trivia Night! Team up and compete for prizes as you use the knowledge gained from your first day of the Symposium. Trivia Night will be curated and run by former Jeopardy! contestant and Gilder Lehrman staff member Daniel Pecoraro.

Gettysburg National Military Park Tour

Symposium participants will take a short ride down to the Gettysburg Battlefield, where we will have a private walking tour of different areas and histories of the battlefield. Participants will be asked to select their preferred tour before the Symposium.

Networking and Happy Hour, sponsored by the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History

Join us for drinks and light refreshments and learn about our MA course offerings. Program administrators, students, and graduates will be on hand to answer your questions about the MA program, application process, scholarships, and more!

 

Symposium Schedule

Sunday, July 13

  • Check-in for the Symposium runs from 3:00-5:00 pm ET. If you cannot arrive in that window, please let Gilder Lehrman staff know and we will help make arrangements for your check-in. 
  • Opening remarks start at 5:30 pm, followed by a BBQ and course introductions for all participants. 

Monday, July 14

  • Each course starts at 9:00 am and runs until 5:30 pm with breaks built in for lunch and optional book talks during the afternoon.
  • Trivia Night starts at 7:30 pm. 

Tuesday, July 15

  • From 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, participants will attend their choice of battlefield tour or stay on campus for pedagogy sessions.
  • Courses resume at 1:30 pm and run until 5:00 pm. 
  • At 6:45 pm we will hold another optional book talk, followed by a networking happy hour sponsored by the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History

Wednesday, July 16

  • The final optional book talks start at 9:00 am.
  • Courses resume at 10:00 am and conclude at 3:00 pm, with a break for lunch.

Check Out Procedures

  • Participants will be given the option to check-out on Wednesday afternoon after 3:00pm, or on Thursday, July 17, by 9:00 am. 
  • For those participants staying on campus who choose to check-out on Thursday, July 17, dinner will be served on Wednesday night, and breakfast on Thursday morning.