History in the Classrooms

[Shantyman]

Re: History in the Classrooms

I think I may have come across too agressive in my previous statment. I am not accusing every highschool teacher of being derilicous. Prime example, We did a F&D show at Kellam High School and it went great, the student population was thrilled. I'm sure there are plenty of others that would be just as welcoming. The aggressive attitude in my previous statment was for a select few people in my owne school district , I did not mean for it to be channeled out to you. I know there are a vast majority of teachers and school systems that work hard and I do respect them. My Apolagies.



Steven Flibotte
Liberty Hall Fifes and Drums

[flattop32355]

Re: History in the Classrooms

For example, I cannot spend an entire week teaching primarily about Civil War battles, no matter how much time I believe is necessary to spend on the subject.

As we are all quite aware, the battles are only a component among many that make up our national history during this time period. We never touch on the mindsets of the time, the way people thought at the time, life as they knew it.

The great complaint, as I see it, is that only certain select items of our history are seen as worthy of being taught to modern students. For example, Reconstruction and it's flaws, the Great Depression, the women's movement, the social and racial upheavals of the 60's and 70's, including the Vietnam era. Anyone see a pattern here?

Our local high school history teacher doesn't "like" to teach about "war". Since when does what she "likes" have anything to do with presenting our country's history to her students?

History isn't boring unless you make it so. Even a "bad" teacher has to work hard to ruin it for students. Likewise, the students have to make more effort not to learn it than if they paid attention.

History has all the elements of a good play or movie: drama, comedy, pathos, horror, to name just a few. It can be made more "alive" than most other subjects in the curriculum. It's bum rap says more about the way it's taught, and required to be taught, than about the subject itself.

[rick atwood]

Re: History in the Classrooms

The best thing my history teachers or any teacher did for me was to cultivate an interest in the subject being taught. I believe the optimal formula has already been proposed in this discussion, that being parent-teachers involvement in the child/students education. That being said, the interest instilled in me by my teachers and parents led to one thing, reading everything I could find on the subject. In that line of thought then, my teachers did their job. The education continues to this day.

My hopes for my children are that I can help instill in them an interest in history and then point them in the right direction. Nothing makes me feel better than to find one of my books off the shelf with a ten year old thumbing the pages.

As a living historian, I believe we play a pivitol role in all of this by introducing and renewing an interest in the greatest struggle this country ever faced.

[lambrew]

Re: History in the Classrooms

I have to take my hat off for the teachers! All the teachers I know do the best they can, with the time, funds, material, and student/parent cooperati0n they have. I have been doing more living history presentati0ns as of late, and to me it seems the adults are as in the dark as their kids are. My teacher friends here in Detroit tell me they get next to no support from the parents either. I was lucky in the fact I had two parents who took a very active role in my education, and who were huge history buffs. But they made sure I busted my butt in all my subjects, and not just history.

As some one once said; "Those who do not rember history are doomed to repeat it."
Sorry for the rant!

Your obt' servant....
Sean Collicott

[JacobReichwein]

Re: History in the Classrooms

My [B]AP U.S HISTORY[/B teacher SKIPPED the ENTIRE Civil War. And then said "Nothing happened anyway"

I only wish I was lying.

It's a shame we can't get things straight, and that our future generations are growing up being taught a crock of bs.

[Adjutant]

Re: History in the Classrooms

We have a very complicated issue here with many different factors in it. Before giving my point of view here is my situation: BA in History from Gettysburg College; Masters in Teaching from Goucher College; currently teaching 8th Grade US History from Revolution to Reconstruction in Maryland.

I know far more good teachers than bad ones. Right now in my school we have no bad social studies teachers simply because there are far more qualified people than there are jobs. That being said educators today face several handicaps that make life difficult.

First, standardized testing is it right now. It is the end all be all of all assessment in most schools. This has the laudable goal of making sure instruction is event across the system. The problem is that the only issues given importance are those that are tested. Nationally history is not currently tested, draw your own conclusions!

Second, as much as we would like to deny it, we are living in a country that does not acknowledge its own history good or bad. We as a nation do not value our history and this is reflected in the school system. I have half a year to teach classes of 30+ students everything from Mercantilism and the British Colonial system to Grant's presidency. You can bet that I cut things out. I focus on things that are on the tests (because to ignore this might cost me my job) and that I feel is important. I skimp on Jackson's presidency, but that allows me to bring in my Rev War and Civil War kits and discuss the lives of common soldiers, these are choices I make.

Third, and I know I will catch flack for this, when did it become the job of the teacher to teach EVERYTHING. How many of us here learned all we wanted to know about a particular topic in school? At some point the responsibility falls on the parent and eventually the child as they grow. It is impossible to cover in detail every important event that happened in 200 years in 90 days of class. It is very common to blame education on teachers. But the actions of teachers are dictated by the school system, school board, and state governments (okay, national government too, even though it violates the Constitution).

Finally, and this is the historian, not the teacher talking, what is correct history? Fifty years ago it was not commonly believed Thomas Jefferson had a relationship and children with Sally Hemings; today we know he did. Everyone KNOWS George Washington had wooden teeth, yet no extent examples survive, while his other false teeth (one pair constructed of ivory and the other real teeth I believe) do exist. History is interpretation. What caused the Civil War? Slavery, States' Rights, Sectionalism, Northern Aggression, Southern Agitation? All of them? I could make a documented and strong case for any of these. When you complain a teacher is not teaching correct history is it acceptable to admit that their interpretation of history just happens to differ from yours? If you disagree approach the teacher (or have your child do it) in a respectful and intelligent way to try and build a dialogue. Frankly, if a student stood up in my class and told me the textbook and I were wrong and that is not what happened I would not take it well either (even though I don't like our text). I did not mean to rant; I am just tired of people complaining about the teachers and not the system of education, lack of parental involvement, and widespread ignorance of history in this nation. If you really wish to make a difference speak before your school board, lobby your state government, send a letter to your congressperson, but please do not blame the teacher.

Andrew Dangel
"Earning so little I cannot afford to live in the county I teach in despite a Masters Degree mess."

[coastaltrash]

Re: History in the Classrooms

The first thing out of my professors mouth in US History 101 was "Everything you learned in high school was bu%*(it, now lets get started"

[Ian McWherter]

Re: History in the Classrooms

As some one once said; "Those who do not rember history are doomed to repeat it."

An old history professor once told me, "Those who truly understand history know that its doomed to repeat itself."

[arthurlee]

Re: History in the Classrooms

History is history, like truth is truth, no matter ones interpretation. I teach my kids the history as taught by my family through the years. Augmenting and adding to their "schooling".

We in the South, for more than a few generations, have the unique position of having actually lost the war. I understood why it was fought, why it was lost and why we will never forget it, all by the time I was 12.

I do not care what anyone tells my kids or has to say to me one way or the other. I tell my children the stories I was told and let them make their choices about the truth of it. My son has gone to events with me, camped with men and listened to stories over camp fires since he was 5. He is taught to respect his teachers, right or wrong, and to be proud of what his folks stood for. His history teacher calls him the Little General, as he has grown to love history for the sake of history.

It is the schools job to teach what the state dictates, it is my place to teach my kids to think and not buy in to everything they hear.

Artie Maxwell
Shepherd Texas

[MBBursig]

Re: History in the Classrooms

According to an old quote, "The only people who can change history are God and Professors!" I am beginning to think, as a I student-teach, that your simple 7-12 Social Studies teacher should be added to that adage. This is either for the better, but in reponse to many of the comments in this thread, the worse as well.

I am currently teaching 7th graders, and I taught more about the American Revolution and the battles then what the NYS Standards tell us to do. Surprisingly, the students responded very well, and they were interested.

We just need to teach!

[unclefrank]

Re: History in the Classrooms

When I was in High School (early 70's) I had two Social Studies teachers who were admitted pro Soviet sympathizers. One was named Morris (I called him chairman Moe) and was decent guy who enjoyed a good argument with a redneck kid like me, and treated me fair. The other was a self loving little ****** who tried, and failed, to flunk me. :baring_te In those days, being a conservative was way uncool for a kid. Kinda like it's getting now. Best advise I can give a young conservative now is to hang in there. In a few years you won't even know those people.

[CHall]

Re: History in the Classrooms

The first thing out of my professors mouth in US History 101 was "Everything you learned in high school was bu%*(it, now lets get started"

WOW, I heard the same thing. I found that in college the information was not censored like high school.

[pineyboy]

Re: History in the Classrooms

Being a public high school student my self I have to battle this problem lots of times.It just seems like the vast majority of teachers teach what is requiered and no more. They don't go into what they dont have to. I think this is partly because so of the kids dont want to hear it. They would much rather text their friends and pass notes, not that I have never done that we are all human. But I can almost understand why the teachers dont take the time to go over these important parts of history. In fact I have never been in a class that tought me anything on the F&I War, War of 1812, the Mexican Wars dont even get a word, I had 1 day of the Civil War in US History all the times Ive taken it, never the Indian Wars or Spanish American War. As Forrest Gump would say " Thats all I have to say about that."

[Beaner]

Re: History in the Classrooms

First I would like to state that my inqiury was not intended to go after any teachers. Some of the best Living Historians are educators. I also believe they are the most passionate. I believe the system is at fault. Chris the military class you are talking about is an elective and most students won't even look at it. Chris if I remember correctly you were told that you couldn't wear your Confederate uniform to the same High School because it wasn't politically correct. I applaud you and the teacher for taking the intiative to attend and teach it. The question pertains to required education. I'm not talking about battles and/or dates, but, hows and whys, and reasons individuals did things. Someone mentioned slavery, but, what about states rights? I don't think Robert E. Lee fought for slavery.

We've tried to go into public schools in our area and were rebuffed because we are consider too controversial politically.

We reenactors have a phrase " Vote with your feet!!" maybe we should also use the statement "Vote with your Passion", when electing goverment officials in today's United States

Lastly, This is a great thread keep it up!!!!!!!

Dave Prince
4th Texas Co. E
P.S. It's great to see several of my pards in this conversation (Coy, Chris, and Frank [4th Texas Co. E])

[Campjacksonboy]

Re: History in the Classrooms

Yeah a lot of the same here in Missouri. Only here they are called Grade Level Expectations (GLE's). Some mysterious group of people in my state wrote them by grade level. My Problem isn't what they chose as expectations, rather the wording of the GLE's. For example:
"Interpret the Revolutionary War"
or among other reform movements
"summarize reform movements such as abolitionism..."

They were written so that the teachers would have a lot of freedom in their instruction but for such generally worded expectations the test items on the so called MAP test tend to be very specific. So while we "interpret" the Revolutionary War the question remains, What part of the war do you want me to interpret and should I focus more on Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass or John Brown??? I might teach about the battles of Lexington or Yorktown but you can bet there will probably be an intense question about Cowpens or that one name from the Abolition movement I never taught and there is a good chance the test will be different next year.

My co-hort and I just finished writing the Social Studies Curriculum for my district. The language was encryptic and gave me headaches. What really gets me are those "Bozos" who try to push one method as the end all of all academic dogma. Here it's been "Marzano's Strategies." There are some good things in it like analogies, charts, graphs, and etc. However I wrote my Master Thesis on student centered learning and democratic teaching strategies.
Under the present mentality its hard to be student centered or democratic when kids are being used as a means to an end. It used to be that we were preparing them for the next level or even life but now it seems to be all about the test.

I have never been told my CW stuff is politically incorrect. I guess it's all how it's presented and whether your colleagues and principal are open minded. For you teachers out there play your professional card and make a big deal about any articles you may have written for the "CW Historian" or "Camp Chase Gazette."
it has worked wonders here.
My principal calls me "Professor" let him think that. Academic freedom is a good thing.
Frank Aufmuth