Reason for being:
Started in 2000 as a way to present in-depth social studies in one classroom in one school, The Historian in Residence Program has grown to reach over thirty classrooms in eleven different schools in Seattle. Today the objective is still to bring in-depth social studies to students but also to elicit empathy about people from different times and places, to set a moral compass using lessons from the past, to emphasize critical thinking, to foster civil discussion and to encourage multiple modes of expression.

History of The Historian in Residence Program:
Mary Anne Christy, the teacher and originator of the program, discovered a love of history in fourth grade.  That early love of history eventually led her to major in History at Yale.  After college, and an 8-year career in magazine publishing, she moved into the world of education.

Starting as a classroom volunteer in her children's school in 1997, she then created an after-school Math Club which ran for three years.  In 2000 she initiated a brand new program to bring enriched social studies units to the public schools, funded by PTAs or by parent donations.   

In the last two years, other Historians have joined the team and travel to new schools, bringing the same curriculum and teaching techniques. The program has expanded to include other kinds of classrooms, as well. Historian-in-Residence techniques are taught to teachers in professional development and pre-service workshops. And, Historian-in-Residence strategies enhance summer programs like Story Garden.