I really wish the history curriculum was more varied. Though teaching has come a long way in terms of engaging students through different styles of teaching, the topics covered are quite repetitive. We also have the added issue of being forced to pick between Geography and History to study for GCSE. My son wanted to do both, but this isn’t allowed. So he’s picked Geography. With a promise from the head of the History dept that he can study History at A level if he continues his level of commitment.
I would reintroduce Civics classes. In the US at least Civics classes gave students at least a rudimentary understanding of Society, Rule of Law...just how to be a Citizen. I don't know why they stopped teaching it but you can see the results over the last 30 years or so...your lifetime it seems. Another problem here has been that typically the History teacher is the football coach...Grid Iron, American football...guess which topic gets short shrift? Oh I also went to Catholic School grades 1-12 so I got more of a History of Catholicism instead of History as such. BTW, my favorite war...The Opium War because it tells you all you need about Colonialism. Cheers
I really wish the history curriculum was more varied. Though teaching has come a long way in terms of engaging students through different styles of teaching, the topics covered are quite repetitive. We also have the added issue of being forced to pick between Geography and History to study for GCSE. My son wanted to do both, but this isn’t allowed. So he’s picked Geography. With a promise from the head of the History dept that he can study History at A level if he continues his level of commitment.
I would reintroduce Civics classes. In the US at least Civics classes gave students at least a rudimentary understanding of Society, Rule of Law...just how to be a Citizen. I don't know why they stopped teaching it but you can see the results over the last 30 years or so...your lifetime it seems. Another problem here has been that typically the History teacher is the football coach...Grid Iron, American football...guess which topic gets short shrift? Oh I also went to Catholic School grades 1-12 so I got more of a History of Catholicism instead of History as such. BTW, my favorite war...The Opium War because it tells you all you need about Colonialism. Cheers