Educators from across Maine gathered at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) on October 12 and 13, 2026, to explore how genealogy and local history can support inquiry-based learning.

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning offered the professional learning opportunity in partnership with American Ancestors, the nation’s oldest genealogical research organization. The program focused on using research to strengthen students’ content literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

On October 12, Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist Geoff Wingard and Dustin Axe, School Programs and Curriculum Director for American Ancestors, demonstrated how genealogy can connect students’ lived experiences to social studies and literacy instruction.

“Genealogy gives students the opportunity to move beyond memorizing historical facts and instead make personal connections to the past while learning to think, plan, and reason like historians,” Axe said.

Twenty-one educators participated in the workshop, with support from representatives from the Maine Historical Society and the Maine Genealogical Society. Participants explored publicly available resources and American Ancestors’ proprietary research databases to learn how these tools can support student research and inquiry. These materials include a rich collection of genealogical records, as well as access to the 10 Million Names Project, which is “dedicated to recovering the names of the estimated 10 million men, women, and children of African descent who were enslaved in pre- and post-colonial America.”

To explore how genealogy can support the study of local history, teachers examined curated case studies and primary source collections developed by American Ancestors. These resources featured American historical figures and civil rights leaders, along with Maine figures such as Samantha Smith, known for her peace outreach during the Cold War, and Hannibal Hamlin, who served as U.S. vice president under Abraham Lincoln.

As part of their learning, teachers will develop units or lessons that employ genealogy. Axe shared how teachers could use American Ancestors’ resources to develop their own investigations of local history, such as the story of Revolutionary War heroine Hannah Watts Weston of Machias or the history of Maine’s Malaga Island. The Maine Historical Society and Maine Genealogical Society shared additional resources teachers could use to deepen their investigations as they develop local case studies of their own aligned with the Maine Learning Results and local curricula.

“This training was great. It confirmed so much of what I believe is true about research and about my own experience learning about the history of Maine,” said Dr. Adam Leach, a social studies teacher at Bangor High School.

Participants will continue working with American Ancestors and Maine DOE staff through February 2027 to develop implementation plans for their classrooms and learning environments.

Funding from American Ancestors, through its generous donor network, provided participants with a free one-year membership, including access to genealogical databases, training, and educational resources. Participants are also eligible for $500 in implementation funding to support materials, field trips, and other costs associated with introducing genealogy-based learning.

Learning Extends to Future Educators

On October 13, 21 undergraduate education students at UMF participated in a separate genealogy workshop led by Wingard, Axe, and Dr. Kathryn Will, an assistant professor of literacy education at UMF.

The future teachers explored inquiry-based learning, curriculum development, and strategies for connecting history and literacy instruction with other subjects through genealogy.

Will described the workshop as an “example of how we at UMF value opportunities to work with educational professionals as we consider supporting our students’ growth and development of the career-long commitment to growth as a teacher.”

Although undergraduate participants are not required to participate in the online professional learning program, which continues through February 2027, they can access the same online resources and support available to practicing educators.

The Maine DOE looks forward to continuing its partnership with American Ancestors in the coming year, providing more educators with opportunities to bring genealogy and local history into their classrooms. Together, the organizations will support inquiry-based learning that connects students with the people, places, and stories that shape their communities.

For more information about the program and upcoming learning opportunities, contact Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Specialist Geoff Wingard at geoffrey.wingard@maine.gov.

On February 27, 2026, approximately 20 educators gathered at the University of Maine at Machias for part of a new professional learning series, “Building Strong Foundations: Early Numeracy.” This initiative, presented by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning, in partnership with the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA), is designed for pre-K–grade 2 educators to transform how early mathematics is taught and experienced. It aligns with Maine’s statewide Action Plan to strengthen early and foundational numeracy learning.

This series focuses on three interconnected goals: building educators’ early numeracy content knowledge, developing a practical toolkit of instructional routines and engaging math games, and designing extended numeracy opportunities that connect classrooms with families and the broader community.

At the February 27 launch of this initiative, facilitators Cheryl Tobey and Kate Greeley led with a guiding question: What if the path to long-term academic success begins not with worksheets but with the joy of discovering math in puddles, pinecones, patterns, and play? They emphasized moving beyond research into practice, centering the initiative on strengthening educators’ instructional confidence and day-to-day approaches to early math.

“Math is already everywhere in children’s lives,” Tobey and Greeley said. “The opportunity is to make it visible, joyful, and connected to their lived experiences.”

Throughout the year, educators participating in this series will focus on deepening progressions in early mathematics, strengthening effective “math talk” strategies, and exploring culturally responsive approaches to family engagement. Rather than treating math as a scripted subject, this initiative centers on helping teachers recognize and nurture the mathematical thinking already present in children’s play and daily routines.

For many participants, the purpose behind this series is deeply personal.

“My ‘why’ of being here is wanting to discover successful ways to teach math and make it more fun,” Teeya Harmon, a second-grade teacher at Jonesport Elementary School, said, echoing the initiative’s commitment to joyful, meaningful math experiences.

“Early numeracy is such a critical area in math education,” Diana Mahar, math intervention specialist at Sipayik Elementary School, said. “I am here learning ways to make it accessible to the teachers in my school.”

By strengthening educators’ content knowledge and equipping them with practical strategies, this series aims to ensure that high-quality numeracy instruction is not isolated but sustained across classrooms. Instructional coaching will support teachers in embedding mathematical inquiry into classroom routines, outdoor exploration, and seasonal investigations. Children might notice patterns in nature, measure real-world objects, compare quantities during snack time, or explore geometry through movement and play.

Linda Dunn, math specialist in Trenton, underscored the collaborative spirit of the initiative: “I am here for the team building and new strategies for math instruction.” The professional learning series encourages educators to model, test, and refine facilitation strategies together, building both confidence and collective capacity.

As part of their training throughout this series, educators will use hands-on Early Numeracy Toolkits that include laminated activity cards with step-by-step guidance for numeracy experiences, along with simple materials such as string, duct tape, and chalk to support measuring, geometry exploration, and outdoor math games. Family engagement is central to the initiative’s vision, too. “Math in Nature” family events will invite caregivers to participate in hands-on numeracy activities alongside their children, reinforcing the understanding that math learning extends beyond the classroom. Community members will also be invited to share how math plays a role in their everyday lives, helping children see numeracy as relevant and real.

“I love math!” Christie Cook, a second-grade teacher at Woodland Elementary School, said. “I want my students to love math and see themselves as math people; no more, ‘I’m not a math person,’ from my students.”

For Marni Crowley, a pre-K teacher at Jonesport Elementary School, the series represents an investment in long-term success. By strengthening early numeracy through practical instructional routines, deeper content knowledge, and meaningful community connections, the initiative aims to support improved outcomes in later years.

“Our school has struggled with math scores, and my hope is this will help lay a good foundation for our older grades,” Crowley said.

As the February 27 launch concluded, participating educators left with a shared commitment: to reimagine early math not as isolated lessons but as something woven into children’s curiosity, creativity, and connection to the natural world. In this vision, numeracy is not simply foundational; it is joyful, visible, and alive in the everyday experiences of Maine’s youngest learners.

For more information, please contact Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Coordinator Kathy Bertini at Kathy.Bertini@maine.gov.

Title IIA funds received from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) support the implementation of this project. The project has an award totaling $119,422.62 of which 100% is federally funded and directly attributed to project implementation. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ED or the U.S. government.

On February 3, 2026, the Institute for Humane Education, in partnership with the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Teaching and Learning, launched the Maine Solutionaries Literacy Engagement Project. This initiative centers on Solutionary learning, an approach that engages students in identifying real-world problems, researching root causes, considering multiple perspectives, and designing ethical, sustainable solutions, while strengthening literacy skills across disciplines.

The in-person kick-off event opened with a reflective prompt, inviting participants to name a skill, habit, or disposition they hope their students develop before leaving their classroom. This question grounded the work ahead and set a shared goal for the next two months to better equip educators to cultivate those outcomes.

This first session featured literacy-focused activities that modeled authentic reading, thinking, and collaboration. Participants rotated through stations to read and analyze texts through a Solutionary lens. A role-based reading and perspective-taking exercise then invited educators to explore the impacts of pollution from the viewpoints of both people and animals. Finally, small-group discussions supported collaborative meaning-making, as participants shared passages and built understanding through structured conversation.

Together, these experiences highlighted core literacy practices, including reading across text sets, explicit vocabulary development, active listening, annotation, and collaborative discussion. The energy in the room was palpable: Although many participants had just met, a strong sense of community quickly formed around a shared commitment to engaging students in meaningful, real-world learning.

As a follow-up to the in-person kickoff, educators from across the state gathered virtually on February 9, 2026, with noted educator and author Cris Tovani. Tovani guided participants in exploring the critical role of background knowledge in building comprehension and deepening literacy skills. Educators reflected on their experiences creating text sets and discussed the power of pairing non-fiction and fiction texts to spark engagement and understanding. This session also focused on curating accessible resources that promote universal access and support ongoing inquiry.

The Maine DOE’s Solutionary-integrated literacy work is set to continue, with additional virtual sessions scheduled later this month and into the spring. 

For further information, please contact Kathy Bertini, Maine DOE Interdisciplinary Instruction Coordinator, at kathy.bertini@maine.gov.

Title 4A funds received from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) support the implementation of this project. The project has an award totaling $50,000, of which $50,000 is federally funded and directly attributed to project implementation. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ED or the U.S. government.