Chapter 7 History Beck and Parker
Chapter 7 History Learning Outcomes
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
7.1 Select content for historical study designed to meet the goals of history education.
7.2 Understand how to engage students in both absorbing and doing history.
Chapter Outline
Teaching History: What to Teach and Why
Teaching Suggestions
Key Concepts:
Historical reasoning
Absorbing and doing history
Artifacts
Chronological reasoning
Secondary sources
Perspectives
Primary sources
Teaching History: Purpose and Content
Learning Outcome 7.1: Selecting Historical Content
History helps students learn:
Stories about the past.
How these narratives are created and interpreted by different people.
To create their own historical narratives, emulating historians.
Importance of absorbing and doing history:
Both are crucial for developing a deep understanding of historical narratives.
Engaging with various narratives promotes better retention and critical thinking.
Why Teach History?
Teaching history fosters wisdom through five key reasons:
Judgment: Enhances political intelligence and informed citizenship.
Example: Martin Luther King Jr. learned from Mahatma Gandhi's methods for social activism.
Empathy and Self-Knowledge: Cultivates knowledge of diverse societies and self-awareness.
Students learn to appreciate both differences and similarities with others.
Imagination: Inspires curiosity and expands worldviews.
History exposes students to diverse experiences and perspectives.
Agency: Encourages students to take action through historical examples.
Learning about historical figures motivates students to strive for change in their own lives.
The Long View: Promotes understanding of historical continuity and the bigger picture of humanity.
Encourages long-term thinking about societal problems and responsibilities.
Key Components of Historical Study
Criteria for Teaching Historical Content
Goals include promoting wisdom, agency, and self-knowledge.
History should not just be about memorizing dates and events but understanding the complexities involved.
Historical Reasoning
Key skills in historical reasoning include:
Engaging in chronological reasoning.
Recognizing multiple perspectives.
Using evidence from primary and secondary sources.
Comparing past and present situations.
Perspectives in Historical Narratives
Importance of multiple narratives to avoid simplistic understandings:
Example: Freedom and progress narratives can obscure the complexity of historical events (e.g., the Boston Massacre).
Students should analyze different interpretations of events to develop a comprehensive understanding.
Engaging Students in Historical Learning
Learning Outcome 7.2: Engaging Students in History
Techniques for teaching:
Absorbing History:
Listening to historical narratives (both primary and secondary sources).
Understanding context and subtext of narratives.
Doing History:
Composing historical narratives using primary and secondary sources.
Engaging in inquiry and research.
Examples include role-playing, dramatic reenactments, and constructing timelines.
Suggested Teaching Methods
Analyzing Primary Sources: Students learn to interpret and contextualize historical documents.
Role-Playing: Helps develop empathy and understanding of historical contexts.
Creating Artifacts: Students create models or exhibits related to historical topics to synthesize their knowledge.
Using Literature: Selecting diverse children's literature to connect the past with meaningful stories.
Field Trips and Simulations: Engaging with real-world experiences related to history.
Conclusion
Effective history teaching combines absorbing factual content with active engagement and reasoning.
By fostering historical thinking, students become informed, empathetic, and action-oriented citizens.