Why teach history? Knowing “why” shapes “how”

May 27, 2020 00:43:30
Why teach history? Knowing “why” shapes “how”
Ethical Schools
Why teach history? Knowing “why” shapes “how”

May 27 2020 | 00:43:30

/

Show Notes

Richard Miller, who taught in progressive NYC secondary schools for 28 years, talks about teaching students to think like historians, weighing different sources and drawing their conclusions from evidence. The past gives context to the present, and understanding historiography, or how history is interpreted over time, equips students to view current issues from multiple perspectives. 

Overview

00:00-00:33 Intro

00:33-03:18 Why teach history?

03:20-06:04 What do you want students to know when they leave school?

06:04-10:42 Relationship between individual students’ understanding and society

10:42-13:39 How goals for the year affect design of units and activities

13:39-17:02 Advice to a new teacher on goal-setting

17:02-20:27 Historiography and its importance

20:27-22:23 “Hamilton”

22:23-23:24 Historical fiction and films, David Liss’s “The Whiskey Rebellion”

23:24-29:32 Teaching writing as an ethical obligation

29:32-33:17 Reading the NY Times front page

33:17-42:18 Assessment: test, quizzes, project-based assessments

42:18-43:00 Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of the episode. 

Credits

Painting “The Last Moments of John Brown” by Thomas Hovenden

Soundtrack by Podington Bear

Other Episodes

Episode 0

January 04, 2026 00:01:46
Episode Cover

Join our Global Saturday Salons!

Collaborate with teachers and learners worldwide! LEARN MORE AND REGISTER AT GLOBALCONVERSATIONS.NET Along with our partner organizations – Agastya International Foundation, Center for Artistry...

Listen

Episode 0

January 29, 2020 00:41:00
Episode Cover

Navigating college and career pathways: Self-knowledge, preparation, and parameters

Maud Abeel, nationally-recognized education consultant, focuses on college and career readiness for middle and high school students, including “match and fit.” The earlier the...

Listen

Episode

August 28, 2019 00:25:00
Episode Cover

Leo Ackley on teaching in Finland’s consistently superior schools

Amy interviews Leo Ackley, who emigrated to Finland in the 1972. He taught art, history of architecture, design, and engineering in Finnish schools for...

Listen