Yesterday I had my first meeting with my “Teaching History” (HIST 390) course at Messiah College. Here are the books I have assigned:
Gary Nash, History on Trial: Culture Wars and the Teaching of the Past.
James Percoco, A Passion for the Past: Creative Teaching of U.S. History
Bruce VanSledright, The Challenge of Rethinking History Education: On Practices, Theories, and Policy
Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts
Sam Wineburg, et. al, Reading Like a Historian; Teaching Literacy in Middle and High School Classrooms
We dive into Nash on Friday.
Would second the Nokes recommendation.
But, no world history?
Do you just focus on US?
I would recommend Heidi Roupp, ed., Teaching World History in the 21st Century
Don’t forget to give every teacher a copy of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed!
All good books. The Nash book is excellent at exposing the culture wars which unfortunately have us on the front lines. I point students who are interested in teaching history towards Nikki Mandell and Bobbie Malone’s Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History Instruction as well. https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Like-Historian-Rethinking-Instruction/dp/0870204386/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504225206&sr=8-1&keywords=thinking+like+a+historian
Great choice. Might I also recommend the following:
“Building Students’ Historical Literacies: Learning to Read and Reason with Historical Texts and Evidence” By Jeffrey D. Nokes
https://smile.amazon.com/Building-Students-Historical-Literacies-Learning/dp/0415808987
“‘Why Won’t You Just Tell Us the Answer?: Teaching Historical Thinking in Grades 7-12” by Bruce A. Lesh
https://smile.amazon.com/Why-Wont-Just-Tell-Answer/dp/1571108122
Those two books changed my (professional) world.
I hope the class goes well; the books look interesting.,
I am now retired, but my undergrad major was history, and I’ve always loved the study of history. My interest and passion should have been quenched before ever leaving high school, or before I was halfway through college…because the ONLY good history instructor I ever had was in the 9th grade. Every other one for all those years taught as if they would rather be teaching something (anything!) else.
So my prayers go with you and your students, that you may help carry them on the winds of joy and integrity in your class! :-).