Facing History and Ourselves Professional Development

Facing History and Ourselves is a globally recognised nonprofit that provides educators with professional development focused on using the lessons of history to challenge teachers and students to stand up to bigotry, hatred, and injustice. This listing represents Facing History's broader professional development catalogue, which spans social studies, civics, history, and humanities education with a particular focus on equity, identity, and democratic participation. Founded in 1976, Facing History has trained tens of thousands of teachers across the United States, Canada, and internationally, developing a comprehensive professional learning model that integrates social-emotional learning with rigorous historical content. Their approach helps educators teach about difficult historical periods — including the Holocaust, the American civil rights movement, and contemporary issues of racism and discrimination — in ways that develop students' capacity for critical thinking, empathy, and civic responsibility. Educators who engage with Facing History's professional learning receive ongoing coaching from Programme Associates, access to an extensive library of curriculum resources including unit plans, primary source materials, and multimedia content, and membership in a global network of educators committed to teaching for equity and justice. Their programmes are particularly valued by social studies and history teachers seeking to move beyond factual recall toward instruction that helps students make connections between historical events and contemporary civic challenges.