Teaching History!

[MaryDee]

This article has a controversial title, but IMHO it sounds like a great way to teach history anywhere, any period!
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/12/how-teach-civil-war-deep-south/577588/

 

[dlofting]

Sounds like a great way to teach. I wish my history education in school had included primary research. It's also a good idea to look into the lives of "everyday" people who haven't been idolized or demonized.

 

[unionblue]

Primary, local, sources!

What a great idea!

Thanks for posting the article.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

" All this has motivated Yarborough to help his students explore the historical record; focus on primary sources, not textbooks; internalize, through performance, the stories of the people who lived through these times; and share their research with the community. He likes to paraphrase his favorite quote, by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in his classes: "When women and men start to think, the first step in progress is taken. "

From the article. It's a little brilliant. We're an awful lot better at this whole thinking thing than politicians would always like, you know? It's always a little surprising to me when anyone can herd we cats into any ideology whatsoever- it's almost genetic, some chromosome endowed on us whether there's 400 years of history in one's family as American or 4 days. When we're distracted into following cheap, agenda ridden baubles dangled in front our eyes, though, we get in trouble. Single way to get back on track would be rubbing elbows with History. Lot of cats back there willing to tell their story.

Teachers are awesome.

 

[Seduzal]

Somebody once said a long time ago, " If you don't make a mistake you won't grow". Although I can not remember the person name. What this person was saying teaching was learn from your mistakes and try not to make the same one twice.

 

[Pima]

Why in Italy they don't teach History like this, it would be amazing !

 

[DaveBrt]

This is certainly the way to teach historical research and I commend the teacher for being so innovative and willing to take the risks of what might be the result of the students' research.

But this is very time consuming to cover a short period of history. It is also looking at the local history more than national. How does he get through the 160 years from 1860 to the present? There are a lot of significant periods that I doubt he has time to treat in this fashion -- the rise of the factory and the labor union, the start of an American empire, the treatment of the Indians post-CW, the rise of evolution as the explanation of all things living, socialism in all its forms (German, Russian, European, American), the rise of the strong central government, and on and on.

I think the problem has become one of too much material to cover in one year -- discovery to present. The time allowed is the same that was given me -- and we have had 60 more years of history to jam in the same time. We are also trying to look more closely at history, not just run past names and dates.

I don't know where schools will find the additional time -- the arts, vocational skills (home ec, shop, etc) and PE are already pretty much gone. Maybe we need a 5th year of high school (that idea will certainly make me friends!).

 

[gary]

Great way to teach history! Thank you MaryDee.