HISTORY THROUGH A CHILD'S EYE

 

 

Courtesy of: North Carolina Postcards, North Carolina Collection UNC Chapel Hill

 

 

     After hearing the saying "Kids say the darndest things" for most of my life, I had not previously thought much about what this could mean as a future educator. However, as I have thought more in this frame of mind throughout this semester, I have realized that these "cute" misunderstandings and funny ways of viewing the world actually mean something more than kids just being kids. These incorrect ideas about our world and history translate into misconceptions, gaps in knowledge, and stereotypes that will be taken as fact until otherwise taught. From my experiences in an elementary classroom, I have come to three main conclusions about students learning history and social studies. I believe that is important for teachers to assess their students' prior knowledge, include marginalized voices into history, and teach children about what they see in their everyday lives. In this paper, I will explore these three conclusions and also suggest some instructional implications to address each of these conclusions in the classroom.

 

     Assessment is an ongoing process in most classrooms. However, after I have observed in two elementary classrooms and interviewed two fourth grade students this past year, I realized that it is absolutely crucial for teachers to get to know their students’ prior knowledge so that they can teach most effectively. For example, when I was interviewing my students, child two stated that the country he lived in was “North America” and other countries were “South America, China, Japan, and Europe.” It was obvious that he at least had some sense of where he lived but had trouble distinguishing between countries and continents. As a teacher, I would know that I need to cover the difference between the two in my lessons about geography. Child one stated that the “most famous woman she had ever heard of was the first lady who saved the White House when it was burning.” While this is an untrue tale about former First Lady Dolly Madison, it is a prevalent story that is often taken for fact by most people. However, it would have been very difficult to know that my students had these misconceptions if I would not have assessed them. Schmidt (2007) notes that it is important to get to know your students’ prior knowledge because "[g]iving students the opportunity to share their prior knowledge lets them feel smart from the outset, and you gather valuable details about their individual skills and interests" (p. 220). Teachers plan and differentiate their instruction specifically to their children, which makes the most of learning time in the classroom and maximizes the experience for the children.

 

     Although I preassessed the students I interviewed in a lengthy and personal one-on-one conversation, there are many more ways for teachers to accomplish the same task in a much shorter amount of time. One of these instructional implications is to use entrance/exit slips. Students simply jot down a few facts they know about a question (ie. Tell me three things you know about the Lost Colony) and then use it as their “ticket” to enter or exit the classroom. This form of preassessment is "...a true timesaver. They allow [you] to quickly identify what the students have learned and what they still need to review. Based on the student responses, [you] can either reteach material or move on" (Bafile, 2004). This strategy is low pressure for students, but it provides valuable information to the teacher about the student’s prior knowledge. Another way to preassess would be to use a KWL (Know, Want to know, Learned) chart. Students can individually or as a class fill in the “K” and “W” columns before starting a unit or lesson. Similar to the entrance/exit slips, KWL charts “…engage students via a simple format. They place the students' observations, questions, and knowledge development at the center of exploring historical sources. Students are able to connect new knowledge to prior knowledge, and generate and investigate questions" (Fillpot). These charts allow teachers to quickly pin point misconceptions and misinformation that students may have as well as what they might not need to teach as in depth. The final piece of knowing your students is to learn about their lives outside of the classroom. Essentially, “…effective instruction in any classroom requires that the teacher’s instruction is informed not only by the content of the discipline but also by the lives of her students" (Hobgood, 2001). Home lives impact learning in the classroom because each student walks into the door with an individual skill set that is learned at home before they come to school.

 

     Another conclusion I gleaned through my observations is to include marginalized, minority voices in teaching history. After reading A Young People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn, I realized how much my own education has lacked “regular” voices and has been based on a skewed point of view.  Zinn (2009) notes that

“Two forces are now rushing toward the future. One wears a splendid uniform. It is the “official” past, with all its violence, war, prejudices against those who are different, hoarding of the good earth’s wealth by the few, and political power in the hands of liars and murders. The other force is ragged but inspired. It is the “people’s” past, with its history of resistance, civil disobedience against the military machine, protests against racism, multiculturalism, and growing anger against endless wars.” (p. 245).

It is important to teach children about this “other force” and include the perspectives of people other than rich, white men when viewing history. When I interviewed my children, both named African Americans as the most famous person in history. I thought that this was very telling of their education because in the past, I remember African Americans mostly being mentioned as slaves and were not thought of as “famous” people, besides Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. However, I interviewed the children during February, which is black history month and these people were fresh in their minds. It made me wonder whether they would give the same responses at other times of the year. Did their education about minorities continue throughout the year? The fact that I had to even question these responses makes me realize that teachers need to be making every month Black History Month, Hispanic History Month, Women’s History Month, etc. in their classrooms.

 

     One of the best ways to include minority voices into history is to read books from a minority perspective about a historical event. Picture books and historical fiction "help the student to see the world through someone else’s eyes, to learn to understand other people’s circumstances and perspectives and to empathize with them” (Thibault, 2004). There are many books about a range of historical events and it would be a quick and easy way to get kids to see history from a different point of view from the text books. Another way is to read historical documents that highlight two different points of view. Schmidt (2007) mentions that “primary sources help you and your students get as close as possible to what actually happened” (p. 44). Historical documents really bring to life what real people were thinking and looking a real minority’s perspective will bring students very close to their thinking and perspective. Finally, students can take the standard perspectives and write from the other to think about the other side of the story. Schmidt (2007) suggests that “…you could find a section of your social studies text that has a distinct point of view- such as landing at Plymouth Rock- and tell it from other points of view. Students could use a narrative format, do a series of drawings like a comic, or create a picture book" (p. 190). Students not only learn about empathy but also learn to question standard history and view from a minority perspective.

 

     My final conclusion after interviewing my children is to teach them more about what they see in their everyday lives. Both children were convinced that the only things President Obama does when he goes to work is to sit at his desk and do paper and to make big speeches. This is what they see on television or hear from their parents. Child two as mentioned that “taxes are after you buy something. If you buy something online, they pay for shipping and handling. The store owner sets the taxes.” He had obviously seen taxes but had no conception of what they were for and who set them. Children are very observant but often misinterpret everyday events because they do not have the background knowledge to correctly frame their assumptions. As social studies teachers, we need to provide them with background knowledge and instruction about the world they live in so that they can be effective and knowledgable citizens in the future.

 

     Teaching the everyday world in social studies can be integrated into the curriculum in many ways. One of the most obvious ways to instruct about modern occurrences is to use current events. Kids hear about good and bad things and it is improbable think that we can hide the real world from them. In response to Hurricane Katrina, Peratla (2005) said that we “might as well use these tragedies to help them grow as students and as citizens…we watched the news, participated in discussions, read newspapers, and maintained contact with a fellow teacher who waited out the storm in Louisiana…My students are now learning charity, citizenship, and how to help fellow Americans. We have learned geography, politics, civics, weather, history, and current events." Current events can cover a broad range of topics and still help students learn more about what news means and how it affects their everyday lives. Another way to teach about the everyday world is to explore social studies through social justice. Schmidt (2007) notes that "most children experience or think about social justice issues. They know instinctively when something's unafraid- whether they're puzzled by the way certain kids are bullied out of playground games, or deeply troubled wondering where homeless people sleep at night" (p. 216). Teachers can tap into childrens’ instincts and use it as an avenue to teach about lawmaking, social services, community leaders, and their community in general. Finally, teachers can use buildings and other important physical places as a way to teach about the everyday world. Many students ride in a car or a bus and notice different types of buildings as part of their everyday routines. Research shows that with “skillful questioning and coaching, students can amass impressive amounts of information about social studies simply by looking at objects from the material culture and decoding the stores they can tell” (Schmidt, 2007, p. 109). Teachers can use these observations to fuel discussion and exploration in the classroom.

 

     In conclusion, my experiences and observations in an elementary classroom this semester have made me think about how I should be teaching social studies in my own classroom one day. After thinking about my childrens’ responses, I concluded that it is important for teachers to do a variety of preassessments to determine what they should be targeting in their teaching. It is also important to teach past the standard history and to include marginalized voices in order to look at different perspectives of history. Finally, teachers need to teach about everyday occurrences and topics that children are observing in their communities.

 

WORKS CITED

Bafile, C. (2004). Let It Slip!: Daily Exit Slips Help Teachers Know What Students Really   Learned. Retrieved Apr. 17, 2010, from Education World. Web site: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev091.shtml.

 

Fillpot, E. Using KWL Guides to Explore Sources with Elementary Students. Retrieved Apr. 17, 2010, from National History Education Clearinghouse, US Department of Education. Website: http://teachinghistory.org/teaching-materials/teaching-guides/21806.

 

Hobgood, B. (2001). When Teachers Don't Understand. Retrieved Apr. 15, 2010, from LearnNC, UNC School of Education. Web site:   http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/776?ref=search.

 

Peralta, A. (2005). Teaching with current events. Childhood Education, 82(2), Retrieved from Expanded Academic ASAP database.

 

Schmidt, L. (2007). Social studies that sticks: How to bring content and concepts to life. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

 

Thibault, M. (2004). Children's Literature Promotes Understaning. Retrieved Apr. 14, 2010, from LearnNC, UNC School of Education. Web site:            http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/635?ref=search.

 

Zinn, H. (2009). A young people's history of the United States. New York: Seven Stories Press.

 

INTERVIEWS

Child One's Responses [4th Grader, Girl]

·         Pictures

o   Looked at the methods of transportation, clothes, and typewriters

§  Trolleys

o   Very off in her dates- put a picture that was from the  early 1900s as the 1980s.

o   Was able to identify the modern day picture accurately. Said it looked like New York City

·         Government

o   No king because we have a president

o   Barack Obama is the current president

o   When he goes to work he sits at his desk in the White House and does paperwork and speeches.

o   He got elected by having the most votes. People voted for him over Hilary Clinton and John McCain

o   She had seen commercials about judges. There are two types:

§  1. Decides if someone goes to jail if they did a crime.

§  2. On a TV show: solves problems like repayment of money.

·         People in History

o   Martin Luther King Jr. is the most famous person in history

§  He started the civil rights movement.

§  Had a dream for African American kids to be able to play with white kids

§  May have ended slavery too

§  Wanted to change separate schools

§  Wanted everyone to be friends and play together.

o   George Washington was the first president of the US

§  He had wooden teeth.

§  He couldn’t lie

o   The most famous woman she had ever heard of was the first lady who saved the White House when it was burning (Dolly Madison)

·         Going Shopping

o   Not sure who sets the price in stores but knows that you go to the check out place if you do not know the price. They will scan it for you.

o   Prices are set by the size of the good and how many people want it.

o   The store gets its stuff from a company. She has seen the trucks of companies she does not know while on the bus.

o   The store should sell it for less than what they paid for it, especially if it is something people really need.

·         Banking:

o   She had never been inside a bank. She said her mom drives up and presses buttons to put more money on her card or to leave money at the bank

o   When you put your money in the bank, they put it somewhere that is personal for every person. You put your money in the tube, it zooms up into the bank, they take the money out and then put it somewhere for you.

o   After you put your money in the bank, you should get the same amount when you take it back out. It would not be fair to get more or less.

o   You can borrow money from the bank and you have to pay back the same amount.

·         Geography

o   She knew that she lives in Chapel Hill.

§  Other cities she knew: Raleigh, Durham, Wake Forest, Asheboro, Carrboro, Randelman

o   She knew she lives in North Carolina

§  Other states she knew: Illinois, California, Kansas

§  She knows a lot of states because her brother watches basketball.

o   She knew she lives in US

§  Other countries she knows: Europe, China, Japan (unsure if a country), Africa, Australia

o   What would be different in other parts of the world:

§  If she lived in China, it would be hard to find her way around because the signs would be in Chinese.

§  Life would also be really hard in Haiti because they just had an earthquake.

o   She has learned about other parts of the world through school, home, and reading

§  She especially likes adventure books and non-fiction

Child Two's Responses [4th Grader, Boy]

·         Pictures

o   Placed all but the most modern picture as happening in the early 1800s.

o   Looked at the clothing- described “fancy clothing” as going along with the 1800s

o   The transportation all looked like the early 1800s to him except the most modern. He looked at the school buses and models of cars.

o   Found the picture of the typing class most interesting:

§  Thought it was funny that grown-ups were being taught to type. In the present kids are the ones learning to type.

§  The typewriters were really big. The chairs were fancy

§  If he lived then, it would be the “classic life”

·         Not as much to do

·         Computers were really big back then

·         Not very much TV but radios

·         Boring because we have stuff like laptops now

o   Thought it was pretty easy to guess when

§  Looked at the setting

·         Fancy buildings are older

·         Government

o   The US does not have a king but some places do. It’s connected to religion

o   Barack Obama is our president

o   When he goes to work, he does speeches in front of people.

o   President is elected by voting. People write a code it to say who they want to vote for. We keep track of it on TV.

o   A judge is someone in court

§  They have a huge hammer and listen to people.

§  A lawyer tries to make a person innocent and the judge tries to figure out who is guilty

§  A judge uses the hammer to tell people who is innocent and guilty

·         History

o   Most famous people in history

§  Abraham Lincoln

·         Banned slavery in a big speech

§  Harriet Tubman

·         Freed slaves so they could go back South

o   George Washington was our first president.

§  He got made fun of when he was a kid because his hair was white

§  His wife’s name was Martha

§  He did not sign the Declaration of Independence.

o   Martin Luther King Jr.

§  He had a white friend whose mom did not want him playing with MLK because he was an African American

§  When he heard about Rosa Parks, he made big speeches

§  Marched around with a big US flag and did not go on buses for a year.

§  He got assassinated.

o   Most famous woman: Helen Keller

§  She invented Braille.

·         Going Shopping

o   Owner or a clerk decides the price of something.

o   Prices are set by someone going to other stores to see their prices for something. If it is reasonable, then that’s what their price is too.

o   Stores buy their goods from other stores.

o   A store would charge more for something than what they bought it for because they had to go to other stores to see prices.

o   Taxes are after you buy something. If you buy something online, they pay for shipping and handling.

§  Store owner sets taxes.

·         Bank

o   Had been to a bank. It is a place to put in and take out money.

o   If someone wants to borrow money, they can borrow from your account.

§  They pay back more money.

o   When you want to get money back out, if you go at the right time, then you can get the money the person had to put back when they borrowed.

·         Geography

o   He knew he lives in Chapel Hill.

§  Other cities: Raleigh, Greensboro, Carrboro

§  Counties: Pitt Co., Dare, Hyde, Clay

§  Did not know that he lived in Orange County

o   He knew that he lives in North Carolina

§  Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, Missouri, Wisconsin, Idaho, California, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Alabama, Hawaii

o   He said the country he lived in was North America

§  Other countries he knew of: South America, China, Japan, Europe

o   If he lived somewhere else is the world, he said that it would be most different because he wouldn’t have a lot of technology.

§  There are also a lot of diseases in South America.

§  Also lots of bugs, especially mosquitoes

§  If in Haiti, would be experiencing the earthquake- people are still alive in the rubble.

o   He knows about the world because he likes to look at globes to see other countries.

§  Grandparents have a big map.

§  Also likes to play with the GPS in his parent’s car.

My Reactions:

·         Some of the misconceptions that children have are very surprising as an adult. I cannot remember thinking some of these things that the kids said to me.

·         Children seem to be aware of what is going on around them.

o   Do not necessarily know how to interpret what they see.

o   Many of their conceptions of the world seem to be from what they have observed while being out in public with their parents.

o   Child 1 mentioned watching the news with

·         Often make sense of things by putting it in terms and situations they understand.

o   Talk about playing a lot as well as technology.

·         They do not necessarily understand the difference between countries and continents

o   Cited continents as being countries.

o   Child 2 cited North America as being the country he lived in.

·         It was great that both children named an African American as being the most famous person in history.

o   Shows that education has come a long way in incorporating minorities into the curriculum.

·         Both children cited myths about various historical people as being fact

o   Ie. Dolly Madison saving the White House and George Washington not being able to tell a lie.

Instructional Implications:

·         Teachers need to know their students and talk to them. Without understanding their misconceptions and what they already know, it is difficult to teach effectively.

o   You should try to preassess when teaching.

·         We should incorporate history and current events into our teaching.

o   Kids see what is going on around them and do not necessarily know what to think about it like banking and government.