Posts com a Tag ‘STEARNS Peter N (Ed)’
Knowing Teaching & Learning History – STEARNS et al (CSS)
STEARNS, Peter N.; SEIXAS, Peter; WINEBURG, Sam. Editors. Knowing Teaching & Learning History. New York: New York University Press, 2000. 482p. Resenha de: BRADLEY, Jon G. Canadian Social Studies, v.37, n.2, 2003.
So much a comma can imply. The front cover of this marvelous compilation boldly proclaims a title written as: Knowing Teaching Learning History. The inside fore pieces, on the other hand, perhaps more conventionally, dictate the title as: Knowing, Teaching, and Learning History. How do these little commas challenge the first impressions of what might be contained within the pages?
Often linguistically defined as separating inseparables, the comma is a powerful stop within the English language. Connoting a definite pause, commas draw attention to the separated and un-separated words/phrases and, consequently, focus attention and make clear inferences. Therefore, is the title actually Knowing Teaching as the cover proclaims or Knowing, Teaching as the fore pieces maintain? To some, this may seem akin to debating how many angels dance on the head of a pin; to others, thankfully, this is a major linguistic issue that grounds the main thrust and orientation of the volume.
Mindful of English academic Francis Macdonald Cornford’s (1874-1943) protestations, one has to be extremely careful when engaging in what he playfully terms the comma hunt. While commenting on the place and power of academic meetings, he sarcastically notes that another sport which wastes unlimited time is comma-hunting. Once start a comma and the whole pack will be off, full cry, especially if they have had a literary training (Cornford, 1922, p. 21).
Published in conjunction with the American Historical Association, this book emanates in large measure from what the authors categorize as the American congressional History Wars of the mid-1990’s (for but one example, consult History on Trial, 1997). As so often happens in matters related to curriculum, politicians – and those ever so plentiful outside experts – debated the kind and degree of history that should be taught in the schools of the United States. Knowing Teaching and Learning History seeks to establish a sort of contemporary pedagogical playing field on which this continuing educational and philosophical struggle may take place.
Canada, like many other countries caught up in the immediacy of the current technological revolution, is not immune from similar gigantic contests. The public reaction to various cross-Canada and widely reported surveys that generally show Canadian youngsters to be quite ignorant of their Country’s history often leads to short bursts of parliamentary indignation and tabloid media sentiments of the need to revitalize low-key Canadian nationalism(s).
More recently, Granatstein’s small polemic, Who Killed Canadian History? (1998), has likewise produced a less strident but equally rough ground-swell in Canadian academic and educational circles regarding the manner and way that history, as a separate and distinct discipline, is taught at various levels of the Canadian educational system. Political debate has followed and various foundations and other organizations espousing various points-of-view have established themselves in the interest of finding the true route to historical comprehension.
Cries have been raised across North America, for example, regarding the kind of history that is taught, the orientation of history and its purported goals, the place of history within the overall curriculum package and even that most dreadful of all terms, standards, for the teaching – and evaluating – of history. Some alarmists have even suggested that the teachers (of course, classroom teachers are usually blamed for all of society’s ills at one time or another) are the main culprits and it is their general lack of training that contributes to poor student showing on various tests and skills dealing with historical knowledge.
For academics and educators who reside north of that geographically invisible but intellectually physical forty-ninth parallel, the book’s subtitle of National and International Perspectives is immediately appealing. Notwithstanding the commonalties amongst children and adolescents as well as the difficulties inherent in the teaching and learning of history in this day and age of immediate gratification and ten second sound bites, the joy of seeing a touch of Canadian content in this essentially American tome is most pleasurable.
Ever mindful of English dramatist Alan Bennett’s (1985) pithy remark that Standards always are out of date. That is what makes them standards (Act II), one can view the almost five hundred pages of Knowing as a most compelling, eclectic, and wide ranging view of the teaching and learning of history in elementary and secondary classrooms. The chapters are arranged into four clumps aptly noted as: (1) Current Issues in History Education; (2) Changes Needed to Advance Good History Teaching; (3) Research on Teaching and Learning in History; and, (4) Models for Teaching. The twenty-two chapters in Knowing touch upon just about every facet connected to the teaching and the knowing of history. Far from being an exercise in American navel gazing, the editors have done a fine job in bringing a variety of other world and professional views to the issues at hand. As well as cogent pieces by Peter Seixas of UBC and Desmond Morton of McGill, there are a number of relevant articles by authors from England as well as Europe.
While this geographic sprinkling does indeed provide for differing views, the editors have not shied away from internal professional debates either. Although unpopular in some academic circles, Diane Ravitch does raise concerns about the training of classroom teachers. Furthermore, the place and role of elementary education in laying the foundation to future scholastic endeavors is clearly evident as there are a number of articles which address the need for historical themes as well as a sense of history to be honoured and strengthened with younger learners. Finally, there is a wonderful collection of articles concluding the volume that deal with research implications and the most effective mediums for the teaching of history.
Knowing Teaching and Learning History is definitely required reading by anyone who is interested in the manner in which history (at whatever level) is taught. True, there are some particular geographic situations and specific examples that may or may not be directly or immediately applicable to the broad Canadian scene but, on the whole, each and every article in Knowing explores a unique dimension on the wide landscape that is history. In my view, there was not a single chapter that did not resonate with a conviction and a desire to see the teaching and the knowing of history rejuvenated.
Unfortunately, many people (and that may well include elementary and secondary teachers) contend that history is somehow settled. Too many classroom practitioners believe that it is an old story that cannot be added to and needs no new interpretations. Notwithstanding the forceful assurances of conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh, the teaching and learning of history at all levels of the educational system is complex and layered. Wouldn’t it be nice if
History is real simple. You know what history is? It’s what happened. History is what happened, and history ought to be nothing more than the quest to find out what happened (Limbaugh cited in Nash, Crabtree, and Dunn, 1997, page 6).
Knowing Teaching and Learning History explores the complexity of teaching and knowing and learning history at a myriad of levels. This is not a static voyage; rather, it is one that will take the interested reader on a wonderful journey of discovery and reexamination. In many ways, this is a very positive and uplifting volume. While difficulties and problems are accurately noted and contextualized, the overarching sense that emanates from the book is that history is alive and well in classrooms around the world. Captured within its pages, Knowing provides an educational framework that anchors the discipline and centers its impact upon society.
References
Bennett, A. (1985). Forty Years On and Other Plays. London: Faber and Faber.
Cornford, F.M. (1922). Microcosmographia Academica. Cambridge: Bowes and Bowes Publishers.
Granatstein, J. L. (1998). Who Killed Canadian History? Toronto: HarperCollins.
Nash, G.B., Crabtree, C. Dunn, R.E. (1997). History on Trial: Culture Wars and the Teaching of the Past. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Jon G. Bradley – Faculty of Education. McGill University. Montreal, Quebec.
[IF]Knowing, teaching and learning History: National and international perspectives – STEARNS et al (ECS)
STEARNS, Peter N.; SEIXAS, Peter; WINEBURG, Sam (eds.). Knowing, teaching and learning History: National and international perspectives. New York: University Press. 2000. 475p. Resenha de: RODRÍGUEZ, A. Ernesto Gómez. Enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales, v.1, p.113-114, 2002.
Pronunciarse sobre los requisitos que confieren calidad a la enseñanza de la historia es, sin duda alguna, una complicada cuestión que precisa de la concurrencia de múltiples y variadas opiniones; pues bien, ésta es una de las características a destacar de la obra que comentamos: la confluencia de autores procedentes de campos tan dispares –psicólogos e investigadores de la educación, historiadores, didactas y profesores de historia– que aportan numerosas e interesantes ideas sobre cómo ha de entenderse su enseñanza en unos momentos de cambios sociales y culturales tan profundos.
Las aportaciones se debatieron en la conferencia de la American Historical Association celebrada en Pittsburgh en 1997 y más tarde fueron recogidas en un texto que se estructura en cuatro partes y en el que se hace una reflexión sobre la enseñanza de la historia, entendida ésta como una asignatura independiente en el currículo escolar. A pesar de la distancia, es una obra perfectamente adecuada para abordar su enseñanza tanto en nuestra ESO como en la secundaria postobligatoria, una etapa bastante abandonada por las editoriales españolas, quizás porque los pasados debates se centraron, sobre todo, en torno a la cuestión de ciencias sociales o geografía e historia.
En la primera parte, titulada «Cuestiones actuales de la enseñanza de la historia» se aborda, desde siete colaboraciones pertenecientes a diferentes contextos –Canadá, EEUU, Gran Bretaña, Estonia–, las cuestiones de qué es la historia y cómo debería enseñarse. Entre ellas destacan la de Seixas, que analiza la naturaleza del conocimiento histórico, sopesando los pros y los contras de tres corrientes a través de las cuales el profesorado maneja conflictivas interpretaciones de los acontecimientos históricos: la memoria colectiva, la orientación disciplinar y la orientación postmoderna. Por su parte, James Wertsch analiza las diferencias entre los conceptos de maestría y apropiación, al objeto de responder a la cuestión de si se pueden simultanear valores y conocimientos en la enseñanza de la historia. Desde la experiencia escolar canadiense, Morton, plantea la necesidad de reflexionar profundamente antes de aplicar soluciones simplistas que abogan por una explotación del pasado para solucionar los problemas políticos contemporáneos.
Ante la incapacidad del alumnado inglés para construir un mapa coherente del pasado, Shemilt no tiene más remedio que reconocer cierto fracaso del Schools History Project, a pesar de que su currículo se articulaba y estructuraba, esencialmente, para lograr esa orientación.
Como conclusión general de esta sección, hay que reconocer que, a pesar de la profundidad de las reflexiones, resulta imposible establecer el consenso entre ellas.
La segunda parte ofrece menos utilidad para el caso español, al centrarse en problemas y cuestiones específicamente norteamericanos; en líneas generales, argumenta la necesidad de introducir cambios en la enseñanza de la historia. La historiadora Ravith, muy implicada en las conservadoras reformas curriculares de los años noventa, responsabiliza de la mala calidad de la historia que se enseña a la mala formación histórica del profesorado, sin entrar en otras circunstancias. Otro capítulo analiza un programa piloto universitario destinado a la formación del profesorado de historia, subrayando la necesaria e imprescindible colaboración entre los departamentos de Historia y de Educación. El tercero versa sobre la reforma de la enseñanza de la historia emprendida en un distrito escolar californiano, cuyo éxito se justifica en que se basa en el desarrollo profesional de los docentes y en la intervención activa y coordinada de departamententos universitarios de contenidos y de educación.
La tercera parte se dedica a «La investigación sobre la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la historia» y la integran siete colaboraciones de conocidos didactas y psicólogos educativos, aunque algunas de ellas –las de Leinhart y von Borries– parecen fuera de contexto. Los británicos Lee y Ashby exponen los resultados de un proyecto curricular destinado a incrementar la comprensión de la historia entre el alumnado de 7 a 14 años, y sus conclusiones confirman que el aprendizaje histórico resulta mucho más complicado y variado de lo que tradicionalmente se creía. Por su parte, la didacta Levstik establece comparaciones entre la forma de percibir la historia por unos alumnos y la distinta percepción de sus profesores y de profesores en formación. La cuestión más interesante es que, mientras que los primeros se muestran bastante sensibilizados por abordar las cuestiones conflictivas de la historia del país, los segundos muestran una marcada tendencia a dejar aparcados los aspectos más candentes de la historia y reflejan una profunda despreocupación hacia aquellos temas que realmente suscitan la participación cívica. Finalmente, Wineburg destaca, a través de los datos proporcionados por un estudio longitudinal, que en la actualidad la escuela no es más que uno de los muchos espacios donde se puede enseñar y aprender la historia en la sociedad moderna.
Los seis capítulos de la quinta y última parte tratan la cuestión de «los modelos de enseñanza» mediante informes de experiencias destinadas a mejorar el rendimiento del alumnado; unas experiencias que parten desde distintas interpretaciones de lo que constituiría el conocimiento y la comprensión histórica y que pretenden constatar la viabilidad y la eficacia de las técnicas educativas que se aplican.
Las tres aportaciones más interesantes son las de Gutiérrez que, narra su experiencia en una high school californiana con elevada población «marginal». Básicamente, esta autora percibe la comprensión histórica en términos de desarrollo personal y de capacitación del alumnado para participar de manera efectiva en la comunidad democrática. Bain desarrolla un planteamiento más academicista y expone su experiencia docente centrada en la adquisición de estrategias cognitivas dirigidas a desarrollar la habilidad del alumnado en el manejo de recursos históricos variados. Por último, Boix-Mansilla relata una experiencia encaminada a revisar algunas cuestiones sociales problemáticas actuales a la luz de acontecimientos ya históricos, pretendiendo y fomentando una interpretación e intervención valorativa del alumnado. En síntesis, estos modelos de enseñanza pueden servir para animar al profesorado en la búsqueda de nuevas fórmulas educativas.
En general, pese a los desequilibrios que se aprecian en ella, podemos valorar positivamente esta obra que, como señalan sus editores, en un campo acosado por serios problemas e incertidumbres, sugiere nuevas vías para discutir sobre cuál y cómo debería ser la aportación de la historia a la educación.
Ernesto Gómez Rodríguez – UMA.
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