White House Historical Institute master teacher
Diplomat Middle School’s Aimee Bailey returns to program in instructor role
Aimee Bailey a Diplomat Middle School seventh grade civics teacher, will travel to Washington, D.C. this summer to be a master teacher during the White House History Teacher Institute.
The institute was established in 2016, as the flagship teacher professional development program for the White House Historical Association. Educators, kindergarten through 12th grade, can participate in the weeklong session that features discussions with historians, local site visits, inquiry-based learning activities, sessions facilitated by master teachers, guest teachers, as well as networking opportunities with other educators.
The institute has reached landmark achievements this year — its 10th anniversary, welcoming its 1,000th teacher, and celebrating the nation’s 250th.
Aimee Bailey, A U.S. Navy veteran, attended the White House History Teacher Institute conference in 2024.
“I was an elementary school teacher for three and a half years,” she said. “I started at a school as a paraprofessional for a short time. I was comfortable and happy where I was working.”
Bailey said becoming a teacher is overwhelming and there is a lot to learn.
In 2023, she began asking herself what kind of professional development was available that she could do on her own. Through research, that led to the White House Historical Association’s annual White House History Teacher Institute website. Bailey said they were accepting applications for the next summer, so she took a leap of faith and applied.
The application asked questions about the applicant, required a letter of recommendation and essay questions.
Bailey said they chose 30 educators from across the United States for each week.
“It’s a room full of educators who want to grow and develop. It’s positive and it rejuvenates you, really it does,” she said.
Bailey made a lot of friends and learned a lot of great information.
“The staff at the Historical Association are amazing – you feel welcome and you feel you are not being judged and (they are) so happy to help teachers,” she said.
She attended the institute for the first time as a first-year history teacher and learned a lot of content, which ignited her confidence and she grew as a teacher.
“I made connections throughout the United States,” Bailey said. “We meet up over vacation, have book clubs, share lessons, ideas and celebrations.”
She said the White House Teacher Institute was different from others, which is what hooked her.
Now every summer she attends multiple professional developments — three alone this summer– as she loves to learn and seek out the experiences available.
“It is unique,” she said about the White House Teacher Institute. “We end each day by 3:30 p.m. We have time to go out and explore with one another and get to know one another better while walking around Washington, D.C. We talk about how I can take this to my classroom, share ideas and resources. It becomes not just a place to take notes, we go on site visits, we learn and have guest speakers.”
At the end of the conference, attendees were told they could apply to help lead at the institute. Bailey applied last year and was selected as a backup, so she reapplied and was selected to participate this summer as a master teacher from July 20-24.
Bailey is among six master teachers this year. The other teachers include Brileigh Noles of Albertville, Alabama, Janna Radarian of Grand Canyon, Arizona, Nathan Salamone of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Melaney Sanchez of Owings, Maryland and Ryan Brandon of Clinton, Wisconsin.
“We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional educators back to be part of the White House History Teacher Institute,” Dr. Matthew Costello, Chief Education Officer and Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History, said in a prepared statement. “Their perspectives and classroom experience help facilitate teacher engagement during these weeks and beyond, and we deeply appreciate their service as representatives of the Institute to their communities, colleagues, and students.”
Bailey said the process was similar, but this time included a zoom interview.
“I am super excited because that experience was amazing for me,” she said of the conference she attended two years ago.
Now going back this summer, as a master teacher she will provide quick lessons for teachers to take back to their classrooms to implement. Bailey will do a few activities, one of which is Diamond 9 — a collaborative piece to get teachers to work together to have deeper conversations on a topic.
She said although she will be a master teacher, she will still learn from others who attend, as everyone shares strategies and suggestions.
“The collaboration that we get there is so phenomenal — there is no way I am not going to come back and be able to apply it in my classroom and share with my fellow teachers at my school,” Bailey said. “It gets you ready to go back after summer. Being around those likeminded positive people, hear about all the amazing things they do across the country, hearing all that passion coming from other teachers is a great – you can’t help but feel that energy, positive energy, and that alone is so valuable.”
She said she will start a history club at her school this coming year, as it will provide a lot more freedom for the students to get excited about history and what they want to learn.
“We don’t have a set plan as we do with our standards. It’s more explorative, and (they can) ask questions they want to ask,” Bailey said, adding she is hoping to bring a lot more history into the school, so students understand the importance.
She said history does not have to be dry and boring.
“History is anything you want it to be,” Bailey said.