The Hoover family, Dallas County, Missouri, 1891 History
When I was in school, I liked history but could never say that I loved it like I do now. What changed for me was a realization that history is really a bunch of good stories. I love a good story or a good book or a good movie. The better the details, the better the story. Most of my history teachers told very limited stories, usually just overviews. They also focused on names and dates, which was difficult for me, and they didn't help me make connections with any of the history. Therefore, I dedicate a lot of what I do to these failings from my past.
I start out the school year with a great story called "The Journey of Man." It is science's explanation of how humans populated the Earth using the latest abilities with DNA genetic testing using blood samplings from all over the world. I don't believe that this story conflicts or has to conflict with any religious beliefs and I also teach everything in my class as a theory and a story.
It really is an interesting story and is motivational in the fact that it helps my students start connecting the dots of why history is a fascinating and important study. Another positive outcome is the thought that if we are all related and originate from a similar people, then the concept of race and racism is incorrect.
We then review what they did last year in history, and I explain to them the time period we will look at in the 7th grade - The Middle Ages 500-1500. I also explain that 8th grade history is American History that begins around 1500 and goes through the Civil War and the Reconstruction. Eventually, they will finish American History in high school. This explanation of the sequence of their studies is another correction of a problem I had a s a student. My teachers jumped around so much in history that I was very confused (I suppose I am a linear person in this aspect and needed something like this and never understood it until I was out of school).
The teaching of World HIstory is changing. We are trying to move away from a Eurocentric view of teaching world history and be more inclusive of all the people of the world. This relates to the changing and growing population in the US and seems like a positive change in my mind. That being said, our texts still spend more time in Europe than anywhere else, but fortunately, Europe still remains a fascinating subject to study. In the years to come, I'm certain our history books will reflect the changes I've mentioned. My goals as a history educator is to continue searching for more detailed stories from this time period and sharing them with my students.
I love culture and people. I also enjoy looking at the way different people live and enjoy contrasting their lives with ours. I have a passion for geography and spend a lot of time explaining our world map and how it relates to how people live according to their location in the world, both now and then.
In an attempt to help my students connect with history I have to spend time explaining what the world is like currently. Many begin to understand how different life was for people in the Middle Ages, but many don't understand how different life is currently for people around the world. We live in a very special and beautiful place in the world and those students with limited travel experiences are at a disadvantage to those who have had those kind of experiences.
Lastly one thing that helped me connect with history was understanding my family history - something that didn't happen until I was older. Ancestory.com really was an eye-opener for me. I encourage my students to talk with their older family members about their family histories. I believe the more a person knows about their own history, the more they are interested in other peoples' stories.