Why is Teaching History Important?

Contributed by Peter S. Seibert, Executive Director National Council for History Education

Some months back, I was meeting with a key group of Congressional staffers in Washington DC about the future of history as a discipline in the elementary and secondary curricula across the country. The effects of high stakes testing in literacy and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in so many states has meant that subjects like history and civics have fallen from the curriculum. In Iowa, for elementary level students, instruction in history is now down to a fraction of an hour per week. While the staffers acknowledged that this was happening, they also wanted to know why it is important to learn history.

The study of history is not simply the rote memorization of facts nor is it about the mythical view that to know history is to not repeat it. Exact historical events don’t repeat themselves but behaviors do. Rather, studying history is about some pretty important 21st century skills such as evaluating sources, drawing conclusions based upon facts and writing/speaking clearly and cogently. A recent study by National History Day shows that students who participate in the NHD contest process (which includes research, evaluation of primary sources and writing/speaking) do better not only in history but all their other subjects as well.

Where do we begin as a society in helping our students to think this way? Obviously, the answer is with our teachers. We need to ensure that not only are our teachers well-trained (and in many cases they are) but that they continue their own education throughout their careers. Last week, I spoke to a businessman in Texas who noted that “Professional Development” is probably the most cost-effective way to build productivity. It’s true…particularly among educators where the quest and passion for knowledge led them to their present positions.

Thus, the National Council for History Education is bringing its national conference focusing upon teacher professional development to Kansas City, Missouri, March 22-24, 2012. Between 700 and 1000 teachers will spend three days hearing from great historians, visiting historical attractions for firsthand experience with primary sources in those respective repositories, and most importantly—learning about effective ways of bringing all of this into the classroom and making it relevant.

Key to this conference has been the support of the Missouri Humanities Council. Through the Council’s efforts, we have been able to bring in Dr. Eric Foner, one of the most famous and highly regarded historians in the country, to keynote this address. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Dr. Foner appears frequently on national television and radio.

The other critical piece from the Missouri Humanities Council has been to provide for two scholarships from each federal Congressional district in Missouri so that needy teachers can attend this meeting. Despite history teachers’ thirst for knowledge, starved school district budgets often mean that they have little if any travel money to send people to meetings. So, thanks to the Missouri Humanities Council and a funding challenge met by the NCHE national board, more than two dozen teachers from every part of the state will be able to receive professional development in history.

We are exceedingly grateful to the Missouri Humanities Council for their support of this program and   hope that everyone, not just history teachers, will come out to KC in the spring to learn from the best and brightest about history. Our theme is Reading the Past: Literature and Literacy in History be sure and check it out. http://www.nche.net/

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