Investigating History Implementation Support

What is Investigating History?

For the first time ever, Massachusetts educators have access to a comprehensive, authentic, inquiry- and skills-based curriculum fully aligned to the 2018 Massachusetts History/Social Science Framework. Developed by DESE in collaboration with teachers and history scholars, this curriculum is now available at no cost to schools and districts for students in grades 5-7.

What does a cor creative partnership look like?

We team with district and school leaders to design customized, sustainable plans for adopting and implementing Investigating History in grades 5, 6, and 7. Through joyful and practical professional development programs, we increase educators’ buy-in and capacity to lead the student-centered, equity-driven classroom that Investigating History fosters.

Our team of IH-certified trainers provide a variety of services:

  • Comprehensive Unit-Based Support

    • Our comprehensive unit partnerships include up to three days of in-person support for workshops and coaching, virtual office hours for each cluster, and ongoing asynchronous support.

    • Appropriate for schools or districts who would like continuous support through at least one unit of implementation or improvement. 

    • Customizable to the needs of the client.  We will build a plan that supports teachers and coaches with the day-to-day teaching of a particular unit. 

  • Adoption + Implementation Consulting

    • Assess school or district partner needs using a SOAR Analysis.

    • Co-construct a plan for adoption and implementation with school or district partner leadership or leadership team.

    • Set goals, action steps, and measures of success for partnership.

    • Reflect on progress at regular intervals and adjust plan, as agreed.

    • Complete a report of results on established goals. 

  • Summer Institute - Registration Now Open

    • Curriculum launch workshops are appropriate for new and returning Investigating History teachers and coaches.  Customizable to the school/district’s needs. The two-day workshop prioritizes the content and instructional practices called for in Unit 1.  We also offer extensions to a 3rd or 4th day to provide further support on the instructional practices called for in the curriculum. registration is now open for the 2024 Summer Institute, learn more and register here.

  • Job-embedded coaching:

    • Available for individuals or small groups.  Coaches offer content, curriculum, and instructional support.  Each coaching cycle is composed of pre-communication, a 30-45 min observation, a 45 min debrief, and the sharing of notes and resources.

  • Facilitation of PLCs for Curriculum Implementation or Improvement:

    • Customized to the needs and size of the PLC, facilitation can cover a wide range of topics, including those on our specialized list.  In all circumstances, facilitators prepare agendas and supplemental materials, they will also take, summarize and share notes with the community. 

  • Specialized Sessions:

    • Available as standalone or add-on sessions to other packages.  Can be customized and leveled according to needs. 

      • Building Social and Emotional Skills through IH

      • Letting Go: Embracing Student-Led Inquiry 

      • Teaching and Assessing Effective Collaboration Skills

      • Nonfiction Literacy Strategies: Making IH Materials Accessible 

      • Making the Curriculum Yours: Pacing and Revision Guidance 

      • IH on the Ground: Individual Lesson Planning and Practice

our certified IH trainers

  • Maureen Chapman

    Maureen Chapman loves school. Maureen is a lifelong educator who taught for 15 years  in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms and spent eight years in school leadership. As a Curriculum Director and the head of an Instructional Leadership team, Maureen oversaw curriculum, resources, student data, instructional coaching, professional development, new teacher induction, and career education. Since co-founding cor creative partners, Maureen has leveraged her experience, expertise, and love of education to her work coaching, consulting, and facilitating professional development programs. Maureen speaks publicly across the country, and she is currently collaborating with James on a book for Solution Tree that provides a practical roadmap for integrating student leadership skills into one’s academic curriculum. 

  • Gia Hagedorn

    Gia Hagedorn loves school. Gia has been a high school social studies educator for seven years, teaching subjects including Civics, Economics, Global History, US History I, Psychology, and a variety of elective courses. Her educational philosophy is grounded in building relationships with students and in inquiry-based, student-centered learning. She has served as a department leader, overseeing the integration of literacy skills in the classroom. Gia is excited to work with other educators who are engaging students in the important work of history and social studies.

  • Zane Ranney

    Zane Ranney loves school. Specializing in the Harkness method, Zane has taught middle and high school mathematics for over a decade using a problems-based and student-centered approach. Zane has also served as a grade dean, mentor, professional learning facilitator, and DEIJ leader. In his role as an instructional coach, Zane thrives on being in community with teachers and nurturing a culture of collaboration and reflection. At cor, Zane actively works towards creating an inclusive environment that fosters joy and a sense of belonging, where everyone is appreciated, valued, and supported.

  • Sarah Riemens

    Sarah Riemens loves school. A passionate life-long learner and advocate for educational equity, Sarah seeks to make classrooms spaces of support, challenge, and growth for all students. At cor, Sarah takes the lead on instructional coaching, curriculum implementation, and all things social studies. Before joining the team, Sarah spent 15 years in the classrooms of East Los Angeles and Roxbury, Massachusetts. She has taught a variety of English, history, and social studies courses; yet is most passionate about Advanced Placement Capstone, which exposes high schoolers to academic research through project-based learning experiences. An empathetic listener and creative problem solver, Sarah is always looking forward to meeting new educators!

  • Andrew Rocca

    Andrew Rocca loves school. A passionate educator who has spent his career in education striving to instill a sense of global citizenship in his students, Andrew believes in creating a solutions-oriented social studies classroom through an emphasis on skills such as high-level research, writing, and collaborative problem solving. In his current role, Andrew serves as the AP Capstone teacher and coordinator for a Rhode Island high school, where he spent the last four years building the largest AP Capstone program in the state, serving as an elected member on a regional advisory board for the College Board, in addition to working with new teachers in an instructional coaching and curriculum building capacity. Spending his time in education in predominantly urban centers, Andrew has also spent time at schools in Chicago, Illinois and Hanoi, Vietnam. Andrew excels in building rapport with his colleagues and students, and is excited to continue to work closely with other passionate educators.

  • James Simons

    James Simons loves school. Prior to co-founding cor creative partners, James Simons served as a high school principal and dean of students, an instructional coach, a middle and high school English teacher, a visual storyteller, and a writer. In his current role, James coaches school leaders and classroom teachers, facilitates team- and school-level professional development, offers consulting services, and contributes to a community of thought leaders by speaking, producing videos, and writing. James has presented at local and national conferences, and along with Maureen, he is writing a book for Solution Tree about sequentially building academic, emotional and social skills in the classroom throughout the school year.

  • Ian Campbell

    Ian Campbell loves school. Ian has been in education for 16 years, starting out in a small museum teaching visiting school groups about a historic home and slave quarters. He has taught at Brandeis and Brown Universities, and wrote material for a high school history textbook. In 2017, he earned a PhD in history from Brandeis University, and has spent seven years as a high school educator. Ian has spent several years in staff leadership, mentoring students, and nerding out about history, philosophy, diplomacy, and writing. Ian is looking forward to working with other educators to effectively pair joy and rigor in the classroom.