Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past (Critical Perspectives On The Past)

Since ancient times, the pundits have lamented young people's lack of historical knowledge and warned that ignorance of the past surely condemns humanity to repeating its mistakes. In the contemporary United States, this dire outlook drives a contentious debate about what key events, nations, and people are essential for history students. Sam Wineburg says that we are asking the wrong questions. This book demolishes the conventional notion that there is one true history and one best way to teach it. Although most of us think of history - and learn it - as a conglomeration of facts, dates, and key figures, for professional historians it is a way of knowing, a method for developing an understanding about the relationships of people and events in the past. A cognitive psychologist, Wineburg has been engaged in studying what is intrinsic to historical thinking, how it might be taught, and why most students still adhere to the 'one damned thing after another' concept of history. Whether he is comparing how students and historians interpret documentary evidence or analyzing children's drawings, Wineburg's essays offer 'rough maps of how ordinary people think about the past and use it to understand the present.' Arguing that we all absorb lessons about history in many settings - in kitchen table conversations, at the movies, or on the world-wide web, for instance - these essays acknowledge the role of collective memory in filtering what we learn in school and shaping our historical thinking. Author note: Sam Wineburg is Professor of Education at Stanford University and formerly Professor of Cognitive Studies in Education and Adjunct Professor of History at the University of Washington, Seattle. Although Most Of Us Think Of History--and Learn It--as A Conglomeration Of Facts, Dates, And Key Figures, For Professional Historians It Is A Way Of Knowing, A Method For Developing An Understanding About The Relationships Of Peoples And Events In The Past. A Cognitive Psychologist, Wineburg Has Been Engaged In Studying What Is Intrinsic To Historical Thinking, How It Might Be Taught, And Why Most Students Still Adhere To The One Damned Thing After Another Concept Of History. Whether He Is Comparing How Students And Historians Interpret Documentary Evidence Or Analyzing Children's Drawings, Wineburg's Essays Offer Rough Maps Of How Ordinary People Think About The Past And Use It To Understand The Present. Arguing That We All Absorb Lessons About History In Many Settings--in Kitchen Table Conversations, At The Movies, Or On The World-wide Web, For Instance--these Essays Acknowledge The Role Of Collective Memory In Filtering What We Learn In School And Shaping Our Historical Thinking. Historical Thinking And Other Unnatural Acts -- The Psychology Of Teaching And Learning History -- On The Reading Of Historical Texts: Notes On The Breach Between School And Academy -- Reading Abraham Lincoln: A Case Study In Contextualized Thinking -- Picturing The Past -- Peering At History Through Different Lenses: The Role Of Disciplinary Perspectives In Teaching History -- Models Of Wisdom In The Teaching Of History -- Wrinkles In Time And Place: Using Performance Assessments To Understand The Knowledge Of History Teachers -- Lost In Words: Moral Ambiguity In The History Classroom -- Making (historical) Sense In The New Millennium. Sam Wineburg. Includes Bibliographical References. Since ancient times, the pundits have lamented young people's lack of historical knowledge and warned that ignorance of the past surely condemns humanity to repeating its mistakes. In the contemporary United States, this dire outlook drives a contentious debate about what key events, nations, and people are essential for history students. Sam Wineburg says that we are asking the wrong questions. This book demolishes the conventional notion that there is one true history and one best way to teach it. Although most of us think of history -- and learn it -- as a conglomeration of facts, dates, and key figures, for professional historians it is a way of knowing, a method for developing and understanding about the relationships of peoples and events in the past. A cognitive psychologist, Wineburg has been engaged in studying what is intrinsic to historical thinking, how it might be taught, and why most students still adhere to the'one damned thing after another'concept of history. Whether he is comparing how students and historians interpret documentary evidence or analyzing children's drawings, Wineburg's essays offer'rough maps of how ordinary people think about the past and use it to understand the present.'Arguing that we all absorb lessons about history in many settings -- in kitchen table conversations, at the movies, or on the world-wide web, for instance -- these essays acknowledge the role of collective memory in filtering what we learn in school and shaping our historical thinking. What ways of thinking, writing, and questioning would be lost if we eliminated history from the curriculum? The essays in this book begin with the basic assumption that history teaches people a way to make choices, to balance opinions, to tell stories, and to become uneasy--when necessary--about the stories that are told. The book is concerned with the question of understanding historical understanding. What is it that historians do when they "read historically?" What acts of cognition lead to sophisticated historical interpretations? Chapter 1 provides an overview of its themes. Chapter 2 focuses on the challenges faced by novices in learning history. Chapter 3 compares the readings of high school students with those of professional historians. Chapter 4 is a case study of two college students, both preparing to become teachers. Chapter 5 focuses on how fifth and seventh graders "pictured the past" by making drawings of Pilgrims, Western Settlers, and Hippies. Their responses show the resilience, in the face of curriculum interventions designed to overcome them, of traditional assumptions about gender. Chapters 6, 7, and 8 take up history teaching. Chapters 9 and 10 seek a broader context for history instruction by considering it alongside other "memory sites" in society. (Each chapter includes notes.) (BT) Although most of us think of historyb7sand learn it--as a conglomeration of facts, dates, and key figures, for professional historians it is a way of knowing, a method for developing an understanding about the relationships of peoples and events in the past. A cognitive psychologist, Wineburg has been engaged in studying what is intrinsic to historical thinking, how it might be taught, and why most students still adhere to the "one damned thing after another" concept of history. Whether he is comparing how students and historians interpret documentary evidence or analyzing children's drawings, Wineburg's essays offer "rough maps of how ordinary people think about the past and use it to understand the present." Arguing that we all absorb lessons about history in many settings--in kitchen table conversations, at the movies, or on the world-wide web, for instance--these essays acknowledge the role of collective memory in filtering what we learn in school and shaping our historical thinking