This year’s two-day institute invites educators to explore the histories, peoples, and movements of West Asia, a geographic area often referred to in Western contexts as the Middle East. We will examine how educators can engage students with histories of conflict, violence, and injustice in ways that make space for complexity, foster understanding, and honor human dignity.

Together, we will consider how complicated histories take shape, how ideologies of hate gain influence, and how educators can help students make sense of difficult histories and current events while resisting dehumanization and honoring the dignity of all people. While this year’s content focuses on West Asia, the approaches and practices explored throughout the institute are designed for educators teaching any hard history.

Collaborative sessions will connect content to practice, equipping educators with approaches that strengthen historical thinking while also building students’ reading, writing, and speaking skills.

Grounded in the Spiral of Injustice and the Wassmuth Powerful Practices, participants will develop practical approaches for teaching challenging histories with greater context, care, and thoughtful inquiry. Throughout the institute, educators will explore how these approaches can strengthen the teaching of hard histories in any learning community.