Teaching History

[Oexmelin]

In my opinion that should be the role of a different subject, but not necessarily history. There's plenty of history to be taught to pile on top the teaching of civics and political values.

Perhaps. But all history is the result of a choice, and by virtue of teaching "how the country became what it is", you already discriminate against all sorts of alternative takes, and you actively contribute to strengthening the idea of that country inevitably existing. In short, the reason why, say, Spain doesn't ditch Spanish history in favor of teaching, say, the history of India or the history of technology, is necessarily tied to the idea that understanding "Spanish" history actively contributes to participation in the current Spanish state.

I think when people disagree with the notion of national history, they have in mind some sort of RAH RAH propaganda. And certainly, it seems some conservatives want national history to be a continuous celebration. But it doesn't need to be. What it does require, however, is at least some acknowledgment that whatever is going to be taught in history class reflects a certain idea of the nation.

As I said above, one can certainly champion the idea of discarding national history entirely, in favor of other approaches. The problem we have then is that one of the major political operators of our time remains the nation-state, and making us willfully ignorant about it may be playing with fire. 

[Syt]

Saw this on willhaben (Austrian kijiji):





These kinds of wall maps were quite common in my history class. This one shows Europe during the reign of Emperor Frederick II, the smaller one the realm of Frederick I Barbarossa, and a little map of the crusades of the time. I actually remember that our teacher used this one.

[The Brain]

I only use German historical atlases. They rule. Other historical atlases often for whatever reason 1) include a lot of text and 2) show approximate borders even though borders were often well defined even in the middle ages.

[Duque de Bragança]

Like the Atlas zur Weltgeschichte by Hermann Kinder and Werner Hilgemann? Translated in many languages.
I still have a copy somewhere:





It's not perfect obviously, but really useful as a start.

[The Brain]

I have a four volume set from Bayerischer Schulbuch-Verlag. It's very nice.

[Monoriu]

When I was at school, we didn't have any maps for history classes.  Only textbooks. 

[mongers]

Like the Atlas zur Weltgeschichte by Hermann Kinder and Werner Hilgemann? Translated in many languages.
I still have a copy somewhere:





It's not perfect obviously, but really useful as a start.

A while back I bought a newer pair of those to replace my childhood ones; the 2nd vol. had even been updated to include 9/11 etc.

[jimmy olsen]

When I was in school and at least until I got my masters in Ed required two US history courses to pass High School. US History 1: Colonial Era to Reconstruction. US History 2: Reconstruction to Today (IIRC in practice we got to around 1970 covering the Civil Rights Movement).

Kids on the college track are required to take a third social studies class. The choices at my school that I can remember were Western Civ, Economics, and Law.

[Syt]

Seems some people are a bit unsure about a change to the UK curriculum.

[Josquius]

Seems some people are a bit unsure about a change to the UK curriculum.

Context of this? Who from? To what?

[Syt]

Seems some people are a bit unsure about a change to the UK curriculum.

Context of this? Who from? To what?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-your-relationships-sex-and-health-curriculum

[Sheilbh]

I mean that's saying don't teach extremism and is related to the personal relations, health and sex education. I could be wrong but my guess is that's aimed at MRA/incels which are a growing extremist community and one that really targets young men so exactly the people who'll be in these classes.

I don't really have an issue with guidance saying schools shouldn't work with external agencies that promote or take extreme positions.

There is no UK curriculum - it's a devolved matter.

[The Larch]

According to this Guardian article part of these changes (not that particular section mentioned before) are actually aimed at the teaching of anti-capitalism. It basically puts and protects capitalism in ideological terms at the same level as democracy.

Schools in England told not to use anti-capitalist material in teaching
DfE categorises idea as 'extreme political stance' equating to endorsing illegal activity

The government has ordered schools in England not to use resources from organisations which have expressed a desire to end capitalism.

Department for Education (DfE) guidance issued on Thursday for school leaders and teachers involved in setting the relationship, sex and health curriculum categorised anti-capitalism as an "extreme political stance" and equated it with opposition to freedom of speech, antisemitism and endorsement of illegal activity.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the measures effectively outlawed reference in schools to key events in British history, and that it symbolised growing "authoritarianism" within the governing Conservative party.

The guidance, part of lengthy guidelines for implementing the statutory curriculum, said: "Schools should not under any circumstances use resources produced by organisations that take extreme political stances on matters. This is the case even if the material itself is not extreme, as the use of it could imply endorsement or support of the organisation."

It listed examples of what were described as "extreme political stances", such as "a publicly stated desire to abolish or overthrow democracy, capitalism, or to end free and fair elections"; opposition to freedom of speech; the use of racist, including antisemitic, language; the endorsement of illegal activity; and a failure to condemn illegal activities done in support of their cause.

McDonnell said: "On this basis it will be illegal to refer to large tracts of British history and politics including the history of British socialism, the Labour Party and trade unionism, all of which have at different times advocated the abolition of capitalism.

"This is another step in the culture war and this drift towards extreme Conservative authoritarianism is gaining pace and should worry anyone who believes that democracy requires freedom of speech and an educated populace."

Economist and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said the guidance showed "how easy it is to lose a country, to slip surreptitiously into totalitarianism".

He added: "Imagine an educational system that banned schools from enlisting into their curricula teaching resources dedicated to the writings of British writers like William Morris, Iris Murdoch, Thomas Paine even. Well, you don't have to. Boris Johnson's government has just instructed schools to do exactly that."

Barrister Jessica Simor QC suggested that the government has on occasion not complied with the guidance itself, after it admitted the new Brexit bill would break international law ("endorsement of illegal activity") and continued selling arms to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen following a court ruling that it was unlawful.

Tariq Ali, the writer and activist, said although the new guidance was a sign of "moral and political bankruptcy", the advent of the internet meant such measures were futile.

"Leaving aside the stupidity, these things don't work," he said. "People will read what they want to read. Trying to enhance a version of the Prevent strategy, which is already in place, is quite scandalous and shocking.

"If you put things on a banned list, lots of young people can access them via the internet and read them. Banning them from schools will not work at all, aside from the fact it's a sign of moral and political bankruptcy."

He added: "How could both young and old people not read anti-capitalist analysis after 2008, or now with the virus going on and recessions looming all over the western world."

It is understood that the DfE is clear that schools should not work with agencies that take extreme positions, including promoting non-democratic political systems, and that teachers should be politically impartial.

Minister for school standards Nick Gibb said: "Our new relationships, sex and health education (RHSE) guidance and training resources equip all schools to provide comprehensive teaching in these areas in an age-appropriate way.

"These materials should give schools the confidence to construct a curriculum that reflects diversity of views and backgrounds, whilst fostering all pupils' respect for others, understanding of healthy relationships, and ability to look after their own wellbeing."

It comes after counter-terrorism police earlier this year placed the non-violent group Extinction Rebellion on a list of extremist ideologies that should be reported to the authorities running the Prevent programme. However, the south-east division of Counter Terrorism Policing later recalled the document.

[Josquius]

This is potentially very disturbing. Seems very open to interpretation and could be taken as meaning no socialist teachers allowed.

[Sheilbh]

I'm baffled by what's going on in these personal relationships, sex and health education. When I was growing up it was mainly about the importance of personal hygiene and putting condoms on fruit

Although I take a lot of issue with this:

McDonnell said: "On this basis it will be illegal to refer to large tracts of British history and politics including the history of British socialism, the Labour Party and trade unionism, all of which have at different times advocated the abolition of capitalism.

The only time when the Labour Party had people near the leadership who wanted to abolish capitalism was 2015-19. It was never a revolutionary party, unlike most of the European left. Similarly most of the union movement was not ever revolutionary (unlike in, say, France).

I'm not sure how I feel about it. The restriction is on using resources produced by organisations that take extreme political stances (I think this was, until recently, mainly focused on faith schools and mosques in particular - but is now moving to deal with the many other forms of extremism that have emerged) and then it's a list of examples of extremism. I don't really see that this prohibits left-wing teachers or teaching William Morris, Iris Murdoch or Thomas Paine etc.

I don't know, I sort of feel like wanting to abolish or overthrow capitalism is an extreme position in modern Britain. There is a difference - even in this age of cosplaying - between being on the left or anti-capitalism and wanting to abolish or overthrow it. That's pretty rare and pretty extreme. While it's absolutely fine for kids to take that view (all kids probably have an extremist phase) but schools shouldn't be seen to endorse it by using resources from, say, the CPGB but can and should teach about it posibbly.