Inquiry and interpretation: Learning US history from primary sources (Encore)

December 28, 2023 00:29:31
Inquiry and interpretation: Learning US history from primary sources (Encore)
Ethical Schools
Inquiry and interpretation: Learning US history from primary sources (Encore)

Dec 28 2023 | 00:29:31

/

Show Notes

We speak with Lee Schere, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Office of K-16 Initiatives of CUNY about the Debating U.S. History Program, an inquiry-based curriculum and teacher learning program. Students learn that history is not one set of agreed-upon events and interpretations. Though designed for NYC schools, the curriculum is available free to teachers everywhere.

Overview

00:00-00:37 Intros
00:37-02:42 Debating U.S. History
02:42-04:58 Why CUNY developed a high school course
04:58-06:32 Why this is a more ethical way to teach history
06:32-08:23 Examples of inquiry-based learning
08:23-12:28 Differentiation in working with documents for students at different reading levels
12:28-14:23 Key skills and strategies
14:23-17:41 Historiography and uncertainty
17:41-19:20 Students grappling with ethical questions
19:20-20:53 Program logistics
20:53-23:03 Collaboration with ELA teachers
23:03-24:00 How schools become part of the program
24:00-26:14 Regents exam
26:14- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcript of this episode. 

References

CUNY K16 Initiatives: Debating US History (website)

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Other Episodes

Episode 0

October 13, 2021 00:56:58
Episode Cover

Engaging young black men in school: What we can learn from art class (Encore)

Dr. Don Siler, a researcher and inservice teacher educator, himself a former high school dropout, discusses how art classrooms invite students to be themselves,...

Listen

Episode 0

July 11, 2025 00:38:26
Episode Cover

Hip Hop in the classroom: Reaching students where they are

We speak with Dr. Dawn Hicks Tafari, Professor of Education and Coordinator of Elementary Education at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. Dawn is...

Listen

Episode 0

August 08, 2025 00:40:31
Episode Cover

Teachers as Interpreters: Listening to Every Student

We speak with Dr. Cynthia Ballenger about her recent book, “Teaching is Inquiry: Observation and Reflection as the Heart of Practice,” in which she...

Listen