Loewen, Chapter 13

In the final chapter of Lies My Teacher Told Me,  Loewen states that students are encouraged not to think about society, but to instead simply trust that it is good. Students go through history classes memorizing facts and then data-dumping as soon as the test is over. This creates a society that knows nothing about anything. Students can't be expected to grow into educated citizens if the work presented to them in school is so easily manipulated- children can work the system so that they can get an A, and they don't even have to learn anything!
 

I think that students need to be more emotionally connected to the past because once they find something to actually CARE about, they will be more likely to remember it. I mean, if you think about it- we remember the big events in our own life and this is because we are tied to those moments as having a big impact on the course of our life. As a teacher, it is my job to find ways to get history to impact my students on that same emotional level. To get students connected to the past it is important to connect the past to the present by doing things like involving current events, or getting to know the students well enough to tie their interests in with whatever we may be talking about at the time.

The following link is a good place to start to find good sources to get students interested in the past: 'Best of History Web Sites'

Loewen closes his book by arguing that "Students will start learning history when they see the point of doing so, when it seems interesting and important to them, and when they believe history might relate to their lives and futures. Students will start finding history interesting when their teachers and textbooks stop lying to them" (354, Lies My Teacher Told Me). I love everything about this statement because it is true. Growing up in the American public school system, I went through the type of  education that Loewen so deplores. I also went through AP history courses which showed me what a history class that actually does go beyond the lies of a textbook should be like. I'm grateful for my experiences in a good school because I got a more in-depth look at the past, and it is probably due to this that I love the subject as much as I do. I wish to work in a school district less fortunate than my own, and I will be sure to hold Loewen's warnings close as I go about constructing lessons that will help connect my students to the past.

Cantu, Chapter 13

The final chapter of Cantu discusses the use of primary sources, specifically the Library of Congress. Primary sources are going to be a great way to help students gain a well-rounded understanding of history, which is important because, as argued by Loewen- textbooks just don't do the past justice. Primary sources are important because they make history real. If students can read a diary page written by a real person, if they can see emotional pictures, or analyze different art forms, it becomes more interesting for students to look into the past.

I plan on integrating primary sources along with every lesson that I teach. They embellish the overview of data by providing proof to back up my claims. This makes me more legitimate as a teacher because if I am able to support what I am saying, students have reason to believe in my teaching and trust me as a mentor. In addition, they will become better researchers themselves, as well as being great critical thinkers. Primary sources are awesome because they are unapologetic- these sources aren't necessarily free of bias. This, in my opinion, makes them even more legitimate because it adds a human quality that students can relate to.

Outside of The Library of Congress, there are several great sites for primary sources that can be utilized. For example, this PBS site is full of great sources to help students understand the Vietnam War. Of course, the BIG QUESTION regarding primary documents is- how can we ensure we give both sides of the story since it is so much easier to find pro-American/European sources? How difficult is it going to be to give a full picture of the past with such one-sided data, even outside of textbooks?

Loewen, Chapter 12

I think that no quote could better speak for the problems in American history classrooms today: according to Marc Ferro, "there is no other country in the world where there is such a large gap between sophisticated understanding of some professional historians and the basic education given by teachers". I think this quote speaks volumes of the problems in our curriculum. Teachers are presented with textbooks that lack any meaningful data and are expected to educate students with only half the picture. Of course, we can deviate and add in our our resources and agendas- but how far can we go before we've left the curriculum and teaching standards behind? Teachers have to remember that not only are they teaching history, they're molding patriotic citizens who are ready to make an impact in our democracy. According to Loewen, textbooks are written with student audiences in mind, and this means that the books are going to focus on optimism, and most importantly- in presenting an American society that students actually want to be a part of. In a way, textbooks are huge modes of propaganda for our nation.

Part of the problem with education today is that it is reflective of the stratified class system in America. Schools cater to upper class students, while working class students face limited opportunities. Upper class students are going to the theater and museums and gaining bachelor and master's degrees, working class students are barely graduating high school. The conflict between the classes creates a strain which leads to crime and all the other ugliness in society which our educational system opts to ignore, or else to teach in such a negative light so that students have no question in their mind on what makes a good citizen and what makes a criminal.

Overall, it seems that the publishers of textbooks are in charge. Even when people go up against publishes, nothing has changed in the way that these books are presented to our students. In my classroom, I will keep this in mind and always go the extra step to find primary documents that go beyond the fairy tales presented in textbooks. I have to be an open-ended teacher as suggested by Loewen, because it seems that there is no winning against textbook publishes in the near future. There are many great resources that I can use to veer away from the bland representation in American textbooks, including a look at the Japanese Internment following the attack on Pearl Harbor. By investigating controversial issues in our past, students will receive a refreshing, honest portrayal of the past- and this is definitely something that can be done without tainting any pride in the United States of America.

The Big Question- How do we ensure that we are finding reliable sources, and how do we know what topics to expand on and which ones to trust to textbooks?

Cantu, Chapter 12

This chapter talks about the behavioral sciences which includes anthropology, sociology, and psychology. What I find most interesting is the lack of representation for anthropology- the study of human behavior. I think that this sector of social studies gets the most left behind because you can talk about human behavior under the broader umbrella of sociology. The behavioral sciences get less recognition than the rest of 'social studies' but I think that this is a shame because much can be learned about the world simply by studying the types of people that inhabit it.

Psychology is definitely one of the more popular under this section, probably because it looks at human behavior more objectively than the other two in that psychology is considered a science. Psychology is also popular in the media- as seen in popular television series such as Criminal Minds. Students are exposed to psychology in and outside of school, which makes it more applicable to them than other areas of study.

I think it is important to incorporate all three of these sub-topics into every day teaching because it helps students become more well-rounded. When they are studying history, they will be able to understand the choices people made thanks to their understanding of the human psyche. In my classroom, I want to add more empathy to my  lessons so even when we are talking strictly history, students can get in the shoes of the people of the past and understand the shifts in culture, the choices made, and the occasional tormented figure- what led people like Adolf Hitler into infamy? Was it genetic? Embellishing history with the interesting topics covered in sociology, anthropology, and psychology makes learning about the past more interesting because the people of the past become more real. One great tool for teaching the behavioral sciences in the classroom is this PBS link which explores the impact that war has on people- thus tying war and psychology. Psychology of War

The BIG QUESTION- How can we get anthropology some recognition in high school?

Cantu, Chapter 11

Geography is definitely an interesting section of social studies curriculum. Geography includes topics which students find intriguing- the wonders of the world, different environments, space, and more. I really like how geography is taught starting from a personal level all the way out to a global perspective. It's important for students to learn how they relate to one another, their school, their community, their state, and further and further outwards from themselves. I think this can help generate a selfless quality in students because they come to realize that the world is not only about them- its about everybody. Geography also includes skills like reading a map and orienting the world. Even though we live in an age where your phone can get you from point A to point B, it is still crucial for students to have a general awareness of the world and their community.

Videos, such as this one on the tundra, are a great visual way to allow students to explore the world from within our classroom. We can also get out of our building and discover terrain right outside our school, and learn some about our community in that way. 

In my classroom, I definitely want to impress how today's world is globally flat- which influences how nations interact with one another. Outside of that, however, I think that it is important to see what makes every area so different as well as what brings us together. By discovering different types of weather, terrain, and more, students will be able to understand what shapes cultures which is definitely a great way to teach acceptance. The cultural aspect of geography is important because in the differences between people we also discover similarities, which is a happy surprise in many instances.

I think that geography is a great chance to do some myth busting, or just myth pondering- there are so many engineering feats scattered across the earth that students can study and question how they could come to be. In many instances, history forgets to debate the 'what if', but I think that geography is a great venue to touch on that.

The BIG QUESTION: How can we continue to incorporate geography lessons into history lessons or other sections of social studies- since in many cases, geography shapes decisions, outcomes of battles, and many other factors.

Loewen, Chapter 11

The next topic under attack by Loewen is the end of history textbooks, which all tend to end on a high note. American history textbooks are full of hope and promise, and highlight the progress made, and the projected progress to come. Ending books like this- if the class even makes it to the end of the book- gives students a sense of false hope. One of the biggest problems that Loewen points out is that textbooks fail to discuss ideas, so students lose out on a lot of back-story which leaves gaps in the story of the past. By discussing ideas, students can look critically towards the future which has the potential to help them make a difference by not repeating the past. According to Shakespeare, and highlighted by Loewen, 'past is prologue', which means that we are currently living in the prologue to the future. If we adjust how we live and come up with innovate ways to enter the future, then perhaps we can create the happy ending fantasized about in our text books.

To teach students to look at the present as the gateway to the future, and as the groundwork for tomorrow's history, I think that it would be helpful for students to compare an ideal that they are all familiar with to reality. A site like this is a good starting point to get students thinking about the American Dream and how achievable it really is. Understanding the myths rooted in this dream will help students see that the false depictions in history textbooks leave more to be analyzed. 

One of the critical issues discussed in this chapter is the finite number of resources that we have. I think it will be important to impress upon students that this world is all we have to sustain our life, and so perhaps bigger isn't always better because bigger just leads us closer to the end. However dismal that thought it, it is important that we figure out how to conserve and recycle if we hope to continue being successful as a nation. Also, when times get hard it is important that we don't brush problems aside in order to create a prettier picture- allowing students a chance to discuss how to tackle problems head-on will create a smarter generation more able and willing to step up and make a difference on their own- whether it be in the government, an environmental agency, or any group that serves to propel America into a successful future.

The BIG QUESTION: How do we impress the finite nature of our planet without sounding too soap-boxy, and how do we present history and the pathway to the future accurately without depressing students?

Cantu, Chapter 10

In this chapter, Cantu discusses the teaching of economics to our students. Econ has always been grouped as one of the more "dismal" sciences (Cantu, 10) but we have come to learn that educating oneself about the economy positively impacts an individual on so many levels. According to economists, it is important to teach students about the economy and finances and like in order to ensure their ability to make well-informed decisions that will effect their own financial success. Studying the economy also allows us to get a more in-depth analysis of other topics that we might find in history because a lot of major decisions have been made as a direct result of the economy. For example, the Great Depression which began in America in 1929 is definitely teeming with economic factors including credit and micro and macro lenses.

I think that economics is a vital part of the curriculum simply because it directly impacts everyone. Even more-so than a traditional math class; a student's economics course, especially in high school, will help them make it outside of the walls of the school by teaching them how to create and manage a budget, how to file taxes, and so many other relevant real life skills. To teach economics, I would definitely want to get students involved in role-playing activities such as tracking the Stock Market, creating a budget, and learning about the evolution of the economy starting from barter economies.

There are many videos which make the learning of economics far less painful for students. One great example would be School House Rock. I think that even high school students can gain something beneficial from a video such as this, plus its something more interesting to listen to than just a teacher lecturing. This website also includes many lesson plans that would be applicable in a high school setting to help educate economics students.

 The BIG QUESTION: How do we engage students in a class that students take only because it is a graduation requirement, and not necessarily because they are interested?