9. You Do Have to Know HOW to DO IT
It is not an easy task. It is fun and meaningful, but it takes a heating-up of the brain. In order to tackle questions before them, your students need to be directed. The hard work of planning those lessons is on the shoulders of the teacher.
If you prefer to take a teacher’s guide and ‘get through’ the history book, testing, questioning, moving on, that’s your choice. These methods of Critical Analysis and Doing History may seem daunting, especially if you never “did history” this way.
But this method will not only help your student. It will equip you for the future as well. When you watch the news with your students, events will strike you as relating to the forces and categories of analysis you have been learning together. When you start to look critically at events, you will find meaningfulness that supersedes the ease of simple methods.
But what is the final product? The student and teacher have grappled with history. They have developed their ability to analyze. They are ready for the challenges of college. And they have time-travelled! The end-product is worth the hard work.
