Patrick Higgins's Library tagged Bias → View Popular

25 Jun 09

What do our textbooks omit? A sort of homage to James Loewen's "Lies My Teacher Told Me."

So what's a history teacher to do?

Romanowski urges teachers to support students in critiquing their textbooks and exploring perspectives beyond that of the texts. Teachers can ask their students, for example, to answer this question: "Whose viewpoint is presented, whose omitted, and whose interests are served?" Teachers can have them explore reactions of various Americans to a historical event, such as the attacks of 9/11, including that of the U.S. president, a member of Congress, a relative of a victim, and an Arab-American. Lastly, Romanowski recommends, teachers can use writing assignments to develop students' critical thinking.
- For some resources regarding how to do this, see George Mason University's Historical Thinking Matters, or Questioning Textbook Authority. - on 2009-06-25
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