The leaves are starting to pop, the sun is peaking out (although it looks like it is going to rain all week here in New York City) and my favorite season for running is teasing its way back. I spent spring break trying to unplug and actually rest, which for me means running, working out, and reading.
In general, I have been focusing on what I can control these days, such as teaching my students United States History with the hopes that maybe we can stop repeating past mistakes over and over again. I have definitely noticed that young people are more interested in history these days, especially using it as a means to understand current events by putting them into historical context. One aspect that I have been trying to emphasize is that just because two events in history have similarities, it does not make them the exact same. Even if history rhymes, it is not the same exact song. To make these false equivalencies between two events avoids complexity and further alienates us from understanding the past and the present. That is why a good history course is not just about rote memory of facts. It is one that challenges students to employ historical thinking skills and critical thinking as well as one that also brings in multiple perspectives.
Times are especially tense these days. I still hope we can find common ground one day and fight for all humanity ensuring that everyone has the same human rights. Maybe one day we will also collectively realize that powerful entities including authoritarian leaders and terrorists love to see us divided and fighting in the streets. They always have and they always will. That is not to say that protest is not important. It has often historically pressured leaders to rethink and alter policies.
In the end, I still believe that education is our best anecdote and that is what continues to keep me in the classroom for nearly 22 years.
I will post more soon but wanted to say hello and apologize for not writing recently.
In the meantime, here three articles I recommend you read:
and a video from my History Chat Series
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Thank you for all your support.
i’ve noticed your passion for teaching and learning history with teenagers. kids want to know the real stories, and they want to understand from multiple points of view. when a high school social studies teacher in a facilitates a discussion of a significant event in history, students are gonna need more than official accounts shrouded in faith-promoting narratives that explain nothing. this is where you shine. it’s immediately apparent to anyone who is paying attention. i believe your grandmother is very proud of you. i’m a total fucking stranger, and i’m proud of you.
Number 46 has been out for 24 hours and I remain the only commenter. Outside that fact that 60% of Trump supporters either find Kristi Noem killing her dog acceptable or no opinion is 60%, I want to know have you have ever heard of YouTube personality Matt Beat (real name)? he is a former APUSH teacher based in Kansas (west of Kansas City) who runs the YouTube channel Mr. Beat which has several videos about US History of all eras with a left of center slant. Maybe you and him should collaborate or at least have a conversation. PS he IS married with children so it's not THAT kind of fixup.