tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post4108155469335481446..comments2024-03-28T01:33:17.573-04:00Comments on History Is Elementary: From Eye of the Beholder to Presenting History AccuratelyEHThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17964668210604436937noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-6915765484673302152009-02-17T20:12:00.000-05:002009-02-17T20:12:00.000-05:00BRAVO!!!As a teacher and author myself I struggle ...BRAVO!!!<BR/><BR/>As a teacher and author myself I struggle with these same things. Is my interpretation really as accurate as I believe it to be? Is my knowledge as rock solid as I think? I argue with the history channel and books all the time, to the point where my wife (a yankee mind you, married to an unreconstructed southerner) thinks I am crazy. Then one day in my AP US class in discussing the Civil War (a misnomer I know), one of my better students said "Brown, it was all a power play wasnt it? Slaves, tariffs, money; just a power play" At that I had to just nod and felt a sense of relief that someone got it.Robert Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02233458259866896836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-22657771391712834582009-02-06T17:06:00.000-05:002009-02-06T17:06:00.000-05:00this site is great its given me great ideas for my...this site is great its given me great ideas for my own, you should see it.<BR/><BR/>http://bussinessmouse.googlepages.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-39102611350878303832009-02-03T21:17:00.000-05:002009-02-03T21:17:00.000-05:00I learn more from your posts than just about anyth...I learn more from your posts than just about anything else I read. I've poured you some lemonade at my site, so enjoy!Mrs. Bluebirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10283080212189118357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-69983273726582390332009-02-02T17:36:00.000-05:002009-02-02T17:36:00.000-05:00I take this research and writing as positive indic...I take this research and writing as positive indicators of your recovery from surgery. Welcome news. Of course, I am a history buff, but I am actually encouraged to think you are able to interest elementary students in anything not produced by Walt Disney. I am happy for you to prove me wrong.Cotter Penhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13244583549014981929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-75600902538259519292009-02-02T09:51:00.000-05:002009-02-02T09:51:00.000-05:00Thanks for an interesting post! As a former middle...Thanks for an interesting post! As a former middle school history teacher and current social studies curriculum coach in Kansas, I've not had to deal with the specific concerns you've described.<BR/><BR/>But we've all had to deal with similar issues of fact vs. perceived fact. The concern is truly one of how to teach our kids to be good historians, training them to ask the very sort of questions that end your post.<BR/><BR/>And I am convinced that if we get our kids thinking as historians, they become so much more engaged as they begin to see how incredibly rich and complex history can be.<BR/><BR/>I've started using a book called "True Enough" by Farhad Majoo along with James Loewen's "Lies Across America" as way to help kids and teachers see the multiple facets of events. <BR/><BR/>Thanks again for talking about an important piece of history education.<BR/><BR/>glennwAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-54246631447995486302009-01-31T20:36:00.000-05:002009-01-31T20:36:00.000-05:00Interesting post ! I hope you are getting better...Interesting post ! I hope you are getting better following your surgery!<BR/><BR/>Out here in the west, I occasionally get into conversations about Manifest Destiny and Mexico's loss of what is now the s.w. part of the USA. Some folks of hispanic heritage who subscribe to the "our land was stolden by los gringos" are fairly certain that those lands of Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California what were ceded to the US by the Mexican government should belong to Mexico. Viva La Raza ! My wife comes from an old New Mexican family that apparently lost land following the US occupation of N.M. Our courts, for those "Mexicanos" who chose to go to court to "fight" for their lands, usually said that if they couldn't produce the paper work proving "ownership", then it wasn't their land. <BR/><BR/> US authorities also pretty much put a stop to New Mexicans raiding the Navajo and Apache and enslaving children and young women. There were also a number of "Navajo and Apache" people who were former "New Mexicans" also, slave raiding was something both groups participated in. IIRC, the Compromise of 1850 forbid slavery in what became N.M. (Arizona was part of NM at that time) and California.)<BR/><BR/> All teachers of history should strive to make their students think, look at as much data and facts as possible, then make some assumptions or begin to formulate an opinion. IMO, this is one of the hardest things to do with students. But those who do it, learn. There will always be multiple sides to a story.....<BR/><BR/>I'd posted a response to this post earlier today, but blogger ate it. I don't know what happened. <BR/><BR/>Have a SUPER weekend !Dan Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13397636504405471939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-85262097594454344572009-01-31T11:29:00.000-05:002009-01-31T11:29:00.000-05:00Thanks for your comment, Teacher Mom. I was hopin...Thanks for your comment, Teacher Mom. I was hoping this post wasn't all over the place because I'm still on meds from surgery I had on Monday. :) So...if it's lacking in something that is why.<BR/><BR/>We cannot make the issue of slavery a fuzzy, feel good issue for kids....especially here in the south where it took place. While I don't think my fourth and fifth graders need to know all the details they need to be exposed to the realities of the situation. <BR/><BR/>I handle the conversations with parents with as much diplomacy as possible. Take a breath, smile, and don't try to sound like you think you know it all (even if you do).<BR/><BR/>I usually recited the basic framework of causes that are discussed in class using the reason I anticipated they were looking for first on my list. Most stop listening to me once they hear what they want to.<BR/><BR/>Every once and awhile when I get a very involved parent who persists I pull out the standards and highlight the ones involving the Civil War. I advise that I'm contracted to to teach this information by the school system. This usually ends the inquiry. <BR/><BR/>You can also advise a parent who is overly concerned regarding how you will teach a segment of the curriciulum that they certainly have the right to teach their child in tandem with your lessons to make sure all the bells and whistles they want are included. I've even gone so far as to advise certain books, materials, and websites.<BR/><BR/>You are certainly correct regarding human emotions....and from time to time I have had parents I cannot satisfy no matter what I do.EHThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964668210604436937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-5917981894600419172009-01-31T08:41:00.000-05:002009-01-31T08:41:00.000-05:00This is an EXCELLENT and thought-provoking post. I...This is an EXCELLENT and thought-provoking post. I listened to James M. McPherson on a podcast discussing this very issue with high school teachers. As a fellow Southerner, when I attended high school in the early 1980's, the focus was not on slavery. I completely agree with the philosophy of presenting historical truths - no matter what the issue - and all sides so the students can develop perspective and critical thinking skills.<BR/><BR/>I am curious, how did you handle these conversations with parents? I am student teaching now and wondering about these kinds of touchy situations. I would think that just saying that historians consider multiple perspectives would be sufficient, but is that really the case when human emotions are involved?Teacher Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11441317501525389969noreply@blogger.com