Why Teach History?

Why Teach History?

For many who grew up and were educated in a traditional schoolroom setting, the study of history may seem a bit pointless. How often have you been asked the date of the fall of Rome? Sure, it was interesting to learn about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving, but has that knowledge ever served you? And now you’ve decided to homeschool your children or are involved in teaching and history is a required subject. Or maybe your child is asking you, “Why do I need to know any of this anyway?”

The fact that this question is now a common one points to an increasingly utilitarian view of education. In many ways the answer to the question of why to teach history comes down to one’s educational philosophy. Is the purpose of education simply preparation for entering the workforce or is it something more? If you believe, as we do, that education goes beyond employee training, then like us, you probably believe in the importance of rich historical study. If you have a philosophy of education that includes training in critical thinking skills, reason, citizenship, and the formation of character, you probably have a great respect for the study of history. Unfortunately that educational philosophy, while ascribed to by many, is rarely held in conviction by educators and certainly not reflected in government mandates. Current statistics on student’s knowledge of the basic facts of US history reveal a disturbing ignorance which belies any devotion to the study of history. Education is viewed as valuable in so far as it prepares young people to be good employees. And yes, education should prepare young people for adult lives, of which work is an important and valuable part, but it has a much deeper value in training young people to be compassionate, thoughtful, and engaged members of their communities.

How did we get here?

Over the past century, the study of history has been increasingly isolated from the other disciplines. Beginning in the 19th century textbooks became the primary mode of teaching history. The drive towards standardization within classrooms drove the development of the textbook and it proved useful for subjects like math and science. Unfortunately for teaching a subject as vibrant as history, the adoption of textbooks stripped the subject of all its life. Where history was once the study of our human story and was filled with tales of adventure, heroic quests, stupefying failures, humorous dunces, and wicked villains, it became a collection of names and dates to be chanted over and over until they were firmly fixed in young minds. One can picture the one-room school houses with their strict schoolmarm, pointer in hand, drilling facts into the heads of students as they chant away the names of the presidents, dates of various battles, etc. Now, this approach, still employed by some educational approaches, is a great way to instill a knowledge of facts, but it’s not so great for teaching students to engage with history, to form informed opinions, to discuss ideas.

History as more than facts

But what about getting a job?

Now you may be thinking this is all great, but who is going to hire someone who isn’t adequately prepared for a job? In our current economic climate, the in vogue career paths are all about technology and medicine. Both of these career paths require specialized training and many education wonks are

Don’t forget to sign up for the Great Homeschool Convention coming to Ontario, California this June.  There is a great line-up of speakers that you won’t want to miss!  Also stay tuned for the session topics Rea will be speaking on there!  If you sign up through the Beautiful Feet Books link (above) your registration will earn a donation to the Patty Pollatos Fund to support Brent Blickenstaff!  Thank you!