As a history teacher since 1973, I have long been interested in how Americans view this subject and how our nation’s story continues to unfold. Recently, however, things have gotten a little strange.
In the last year alone, I’ve heard people say that slavery was “not that bad” or even that it was some kind of job training. I’ve heard that the Ku Klux Klan began as a kind of economic club primarily to protect Southern interests.main author of new york times “1619 Project” nicole hannah jonesnow admits that he was wrong to initially claim that “one of the principal reasons” the colonists rebelled against England was to preserve slavery.
This puzzled me. How can history suddenly become so muddled and misunderstood? Maybe it’s the way it’s taught, or better yet, the way it’s not taught.
We all need to be knowledgeable about American history and even world history. After all, U.S. History is required in all accredited American schools. Yet we argue about what to teach. Opinions may differ as to what is factual.
Pedagogy, the way we teach, matters, so we encourage you to think intentionally and carefully about how you teach history, especially your own history. Isn’t our purpose to prepare future voters to participate responsibly and provide leadership in the life of the world’s largest democracy?
First, we must be strong enough to teach the truth, even when it is difficult. The main criticism of modern parenting is that we don’t allow our children to deal with the challenges of “snowflake” parenting. This may apply to the entire country. Sometimes the truth hurts, but that shouldn’t stop us from telling it. Slavery was a terrible and unjust stain on our country. Please tell it like it is.
Second, we need to teach our students the facts we know, to gather and analyze information, to think for themselves, and to develop sound and supportable arguments, rather than just wishing they were. We need to encourage them to expand. Then, instruct students to do something that few of our political leaders seem capable of: disagreeing with others and showing unconditional positive respect to those who disagree. is needed. Consensus is not the principle in question. Respect. It may be worth making a compromise.
Yes, there are scary parts of our history. But there is also a proud and noble part. The past is complicated. Representing that complexity rather than through the lens of a single politicized worldview is all the better if we are to avoid the mistake that Hannah-Jones made.
Thirdly, the materials used are important. Although textbooks are economical and perhaps necessary to provide a chronological and conceptual framework for historical research, they are limited commercial products and are often shallow or general. , and even worse, the bias of the textbook itself is evident. Carefully selected age-appropriate primary sources enhance history education at all levels. It is important to read, analyze, and discuss the actual words of Founders such as Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and Harry Truman. It is impossible to cover every topic in depth, but if specialized skills are taught, students can learn on their own. Students should not be at the mercy of Fox, CNN, MSNBC, or the Internet. Rather, they should be enriched by the original words of those who shaped our history.
During the 1970s, during the uproar over school desegregation in Boston, I introduced articles about specific incidents in both countries. boston globe and boston herald traveler I sent it to my 10th grade class for analysis. Each newspaper had a different editorial philosophy and probably served different constituencies. Of course, discussion and debate ensued, but important perspectives were gained.
By employing the classic Socratic approach of asking knowledge-based questions, teachers can help students become not only better participants in the classroom, but also more productive members of their communities, workplaces, synagogues, mosques, and churches. We can guide you to become. By presenting the facts as we know them and asking well-constructed questions, we develop critical thinking skills and intelligence.
We know it’s not good to play the “I win” game. “You lose” is counterproductive and a corollary of the strategy many of us use in conversation: “Yes, but…” This is a great conversation stopper. On the other hand, allowing students to respectfully yet vehemently disagree appears to be the perfect American educational principle and the antidote to indoctrination, whether on the right or the left. Teaching students to formulate and pose intelligent questions is an art and a skill, not an esoteric academic artifice, but a necessity.
We pray that our teachers will be encouraged to engage their students in principled, lively and challenging conversations. Despite the very foundations of America being rooted in controversy and dissent, too many classrooms today lack “controversial.” We hope that we are on track to help America’s youth find ways to lead us toward a “more perfect union” that is an essential part of the American Dream. .
Arnold Holtberg, former principal of St. Mark’s School in Texas, has taught in public, independent, and international schools.
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