Teaching Coming of Age in a Complex World
About this event:
Multi-Session
Our multi-session professional learning series are designed for in-depth exploration of themes and topics that help educators strengthen their skills and competencies. Session information is included in the event details.
Instructor-Led & Self-Paced
This professional learning event will be led by Facing History staff and also contains portions that are self-paced and delivered virtually. When you register, you will receive instructions for how to access and participate in the event.
This event qualifies for Certificate of Completion.
See Details
Key Points
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Registration will close on June 30th, 2025.
Adolescence is a time when young people are crafting stories about who they are, how they understand the world, and how they fit into society. Literature has the power to inform and transform the way adolescents see themselves and others. Facing History’s approach to teaching Coming-of-Age literature integrates social-emotional learning, civics education, and equity with new research in adolescent development. It is designed to help your students value the complexity of identity, process texts through a critical and ethical lens, and develop their sense of agency.
During this three-day seminar, participants will:
- Practice strategies to foster and sustain student-centered classroom communities.
- Consider the implications of adolescent development research on pedagogy and practice, your sense of purpose as an educator, and your relationships with students.
- Experience a Facing History approach to ELA through hands-on reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities using our collection of Coming-of-Age curriculum resources.
- Develop the mindset and tools to build a Coming-of-Age unit that centers student identity, invites perspective taking and ethical reflection, develops literacy and critical thinking skills, and expands students’ civic capacities and global perspectives.
Taking place over three days, this seminar offers a real-time, interactive online classroom where participants will connect in facilitated whole- and small-group sessions.
Seminar-at-a-Glance Details
Who should take this seminar: 6th- to 12th-grade English language arts and humanities teachers, department chairs, supervisors, and special education teachers.
Schedule: Tuesday, July 8 – Thursday, July 10, 2025
- Tuesday, July 8: 11:30 AM–4 PM ET (convert to your time zone)
- Wednesday, July 9: 11:30 AM–4 PM ET (convert to your time zone)
- Thursday, July 10: 11:30 AM–4 PM ET (convert to your time zone)
Cost: We charge a nonrefundable processing fee of $25 when your application has been accepted. The full event cost of the seminar has been covered by generous funding from Facing History & Ourselves donors and partner organizations.
Time Commitment: Approximately 4.5 hours per day (plus breaks). There is a pre-work module to complete before the seminar that is approximately 2 hours long.
Format: Facilitated Zoom meetings with session materials in Canvas. This interactive meeting will include conversation and breakout sessions.
Accessibility: Facing History is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive educational environment for educators of all abilities. If you have an accessibility need, please contact us at support [at] facinghistory.org. If possible, requests should be made at least two weeks in advance. Please note: we will make every effort to secure services, but all are subject to availability.
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About Coming of Age in a Complex World
Developed for grades 6–12, Coming of Age in a Complex World is a modular collection of curriculum resources supporting the most common instructional formats (Text Sets, Whole-Class Reads, Book Clubs) that can be adapted to meet the needs of your students and goals of your curriculum.
Our program centers students' identities and lived experiences, helping you create space for students to explore complex ideas about self, society, and human behavior.
Our flexible learner-centered approach:
- Diversifies the range of stories that students read;
- Is rooted in the ethical, social, and emotional concerns of adolescence;
- Balances critical analysis with opportunities for students to connect emotionally to characters and themes;
- Helps students to read, write, and think in active ways around authentic and meaningful questions, learning experiences, and assessments;
- Supports a deep exploration of moral dilemmas in literature and students’ lives; and
- Invites students to make real-world connections that explore historical and contemporary contexts in literature.
Students who experience the Coming of Age program will gain critical thinking skills, empathy, civic responsibility, and the belief that they can make a difference in the world.
Certificate of Completion
This event qualifies for a Certificate of Completion. At the conclusion of the event, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion for 15 hour(s) of attendance. Certificates may be submitted for a school’s or district’s approval towards professional development credits. Requirements for professional development credits vary by state. It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of their school, organization, and/or state.
In some states you may also be eligible for professional development credit. If you are from IL, MA, NY, or TX contact [email protected] for more information.
