ERIC ED360251: History as the Core of the Precollege Social Studies Curriculum. A Statement of Policy.

6 Pages·1993·0.23 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 360 251
SO 023 344
TITLE
History as the Core of the Precollege
Social Studies
Curriculum. A Statement of Policy.
INSTITUTION
Organization of History Teachers,
Chicago, IL.
PUB DATE
93
NOTE
6p.
PUB TYPE
Viewpoints (OpinioL/Position
Papers, Essays, etc.)
(120) -- Reports
Descriptive (141)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Citizenship Education; College
Preparation; Critical
Thinking; *Curriculum Design;
Elementary School
Curriculum; Elementary Secondary
Education; *History
Instruction; Moral Development;
Secondary School
Curriculum; *Social Studies
ABSTRACT
This policy statement by
a national professional
association of history teachers
from kindergarten through grade 12
begins by pointing out that
history currently functions
as the core
of the social studies curriculum
prior to college. This position
should be expanded and enhanced
as a matter of sound curriculum
policy. History alone of the
social studies provides
an orderly plan,
integrating the different elements
from the other social studies
and
the humanities. History is
the most comprehensive, integrated
way of
knowing about human societies.
History's core concepts of
change and
continuity best represent the
full context and complexity of
human
experience. History
prepares young people for citizenship in
the
United States through
a broader vision of the world. It
expands the
self-knoweldge needed by
young people for healthy moral development.
The study of history refines
the habits of mind needed
for academic
achievement and success in the
modern world. It involves: (1)
determination of the facts with
an open mind; (2) scrupulous
attention to context; (3) sensitivity
to the interplay between the
immediate and the long term;
(4) awareness of the
perversity of
sources; (5) resistance to conspiracy
theories and notions about
reality being predetermined;
and (6) appreciation of broad
reading
and experience as
a basis for conclusions. History's
narrative
approach uniquely conveys the
human drama, infusing the
past,
present, and future by providing
emphasis on chronology and
sequential order, attention
to rhetoric and verbal expression,
focus
on men and women as the nexus for historical
forces, and concern with
description first and analytical
judgments second. History enjoys
a
wider support than other
social studies. For these
reasons, history
should remain the mainstay of
the social studies. (DK)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS
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from the original document.
***********************************************************************
HISTORY AS THE CORE OF THE PRECOLLEGE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM
A Statement of Policy
by
The Organization of History Teachers
U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION
°trice of Educahonal Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
document has been reproduced se
his
received Rom the person or organization
\14
originating it
0 Minor changes have been made to improve
reproduction quality
points of view or opinions slated rn this dOoU-
ment do not necessarily represent °the: .1
OERI position or policy
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
BY
MK(EVRIAL HAS BEEN
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."
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FROM
MAY-261993
10:45
SOCIAL STUDIES
THE PRECOLLEGE
HISTORY AS THE CORE OF
CURRICULUM
A SOnfornant of Policy
by
HISTORY TEACHERS
THE ORGANIZATION OF
ASSOCIATION OF
(A NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL
FROM KINDERGARTEN(
HISTORY TEACHERS
THROUGH GRADE TWELVE)
gained currency that the development of
Only recently has the idea
possible without immersion in the reading of
great minds and leaders was
OF HISTORY TEACHERS invites all the
history. TIE ORGANIZATION
important application of this simple fact in
interested groups to recognize an
currently functians as the core of the social studies
the United States, history
that this position should be expanded and
prior to college. We recommend
curriculum policy. For most students, history
enhanced as a matter of sound
of their knowledge about human societies. It
offers a basic and essential part
coherent scope and sequence. History, and
lends to the other social sciences a
plan, integrating the different elements
history alone, provides an orderly
the humanities. Consider the following
from the other social sciences and
history as the core of
and expanding the position of
reasons for continuing
precollege social studies.
COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED WAY OF
1. HISTORY IS OUR MOST
SOaETIES.
KNOWING ABOUT HUMAN
of modern life by connecting
History establishes the full context
religion, politics,
development of art, law, language,
in time and place, the
Guide to AlTIVIC011 HE7tory
and society. The Harvard
commerce, culture,
lays heavy tribute
the sodal sciences, naturally
explains, "ffistory, as one of
sociology, law,
science, cultural anthropology,
on economics, political
insights which these
and seeks to use the special
statistics, and psychology,
of human
intensive study of selective aspects
subjects derive from their
of
continue to expand our knowledge
behavior." Recent historians
from
life through the use of methodologies
ordinary people and everyday
total
the first time, we are approaching a
the other social sciences. For
description of the past.
CONTINUITY BEST
CONCEPTS OF CHANGE AND
2. HISTORY'S CORE
OF HUMAN
CONTFXT AND COMPLEXITY
REPRESENT THE FULL
EXPERIENCE.
FROM
10:46
MAY-26-1993
2
of change and
History possesses the interacting central concepts
features of the world in
continuity, which are universally observable
economic, and
which young people live. In the actual world, political,
influences; they do not appear
social issues occur interwoven with other
by formulas. Through the concepts of
as neat problems to be solved
integrated. Social forces lose
change and continuity, these problems can be
historical backgrounds
their context and complexity in the abbreviated
offered by the other social sciences.
PEOPLE FOR CITIZENSHIP IN THE
3. HISTORY PREPARES YOUNG
VISION OF THE WORLD.
UNITED STATES THROUGH A BROADER
to understand the
The study of h1fory is imperative if we are
It prepares young people for
United States and its place in the world.
of our Republic. Per example, an
participation in the democratic processes
writing of the Constitution and
appreciation of the great debates in the
strict adherence to the context
subsequent judicial interpretation requires a
occurred. This understanding is
of the epochs in which these disputes
detailing their evolution. A
best revealed by a historical narrative
cultures prepares young people for
knowledge of the succession in human
necessity for constructing a
understanding other visions of realitya
peaceful world.
THE SELMCNOWLEDGE NEEDED BY YOUNG
4. HISTORY EXPANDS
DEVELOPMENT.
PEOPLE FOR HEALTHY MORAL
imperative for historical study,
The broadening of context, an
people. They become more aware of
expands the self- knowledge of young
in the historical evolution of human
human differences and similarities
of the moral opinions governing
societies. History offers an explanation
Young people acquire moral
human action in the prior generations.
informed value judgments.
knowledge in context and fashion
ACADEMIC
HABITS OF MIND NEEDED FOR
5. HISTORY REFINES THE
THE MODERN WORLD.
ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESS IN
mind needed for effective evaluation of
History refines the habits of
determination of
Historical study involves: (a)
contemporary problems.
scrupulous attention to context; (c)
the facts with an open mind; lb)
long-term; (cl)
between the immediate and the
sensitivity to the interplay
conspiracy theories
perversity of sources; (e) resistance to
awareness of the
(g) appreciation of
being predetermined; and
and notions about reality
history
basis for amclusions. Thus,
broad reading and experience as a
academic achievement
the foundation for
provides young people with
L
U
1=17.7.1.
FROM
10:47
MAY-26-1993
3
changing world.
and success in a competitive,
CONVEYS THE
6. HISTORY'S NARRATIVE APPROACH UNIQUELY
FUTURE
HUMAN DRAMA INFUSING THE PAST, PRESENT, AND
in a
History's narrative approach accurately conveys human drama
minds. Historical narrative provides:
manner easily accessible to young
description of man's
(a) emphasis on chronology and sequential order; (b)
rhetoric
journey through time in a single coherent story; (c) attention to
the nexus for
and verbal ecpression; (d) focus upon men and women as
with
historical forces; and (e) portrayals of the past that are concerned
This approach sustains
description first and analytical judgments second.
the analytical
student interest better than the heavy reliance upon
On
the historical
methodologies common In the other social sciences.
sciences should be
method has provided a ixattext,ft remaining social
offered as electives in high echo& or college.
7. HISTORY ENJOYS A WIDER SUPPORT IN THE GENERAL
POPULATION, AS A PRECOLLEGIATE SUBJECT, THAN THE OTHER
SOCAL SCIENCES.
People possess a yearning for knowledge about their roots. It will be
through
studied regardless; it behooves us to have it studied carefully
this human
dynamic courses In school. Geoffrey Barraclough suitirnarizes
of his own
drive by stating, "Man is a historical animal, with a deep sense
by a history explicit and true, he
past and if he cannot integrate the past
will integrate it by a history implicit and false."
MAY-26-1
4
reading and commenting on this
W wish to thank several historians for
position paper:
of Wisconsin,Madison
1. Theodore Hamerow, University
Niaryland,Colkge Park
Louis R. Harlan, University of
2.
Louis, Missouri
3. J'.H. Hexter, Washington University, St.
4. Michael Kammen, Cornell University
of Learned Societies
5. Stanley N. Katz, American
Council
of North Carolina, Chapel
6. William E. Leuchtenburg, University
Hill
Martin, University of Houston
Kirby
7. James
8. Edmund Morgan, Yale University
THE
OrganizatioN
of
History TeaolierS
Organization or History Teachers
Estimative Board
President: Earl P. Bell
University of Chicago Lab
Schools. Chicago. IL
Ifice-Prealdont: John Ty tar
Groton School, Groton, MA
Recording Secretary: Doris
Meadows
Wilson Magnet High School
Rochester. Nave York
Corresponding Secretary: Sill
Everderit
Si. Arm's School, Brooklyn, NY
Treasurer: Susan Shapiro
University of Chicago Lab
Schaaf. Chicago. IL
Mombers-st-Large:
GIOri. SO...,
Halt Hollow
Hills High School, Ws Mil.
Maw York
Julia Werner, Nicofet High
School. Mondale, WI
Thomas New. COUPlit School.
Tba Woodlands. TX
Richard Swanson. McCalii.
School. Chattanooga, TN