Inquiry ProjectIn a world where information is at our finger tips, it is vital to teach students more than just information—it is vital to teach them how to use that information to build a better future for themselves. Opening student’s eyes to history gives them not only a wealth of knowledge, but also "access to a human laboratory" (Stearns, 1998). Taking that a step further, we can use the study of cyclical history and discussion about viable ways to stop that cycle that gives students the tools to deeply understand historical and current issue and how they connect and the visible patterns.
In my inquiry I asked the question: How can teachers implement intentional study of cyclical patterns in history to deepen student’s understanding of history and current events, as well as giving students the tools to be agents of change in their communities? History has cyclical inertia-- the names, dates, and fights change but the underlying causes are always the same and build on one another. The inertia cannot truly be stopped and so often it is only with hindsight that we can even see it but there is hope and there is a silver lining. When history’s cyclical inertia is acted upon by a critical mass of people with a critical mass of power, changes can be made. Changes like the push to end all slavery, the push to give all women the right to vote, the push to feed, clothe, and house the world’s whole population.
History’s cyclical nature is evident when one knows what to look for. For example, it plays out perfectly in the connection between Andrew Johnson and #alllivesmatter. When Andrew Johnson took office, after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, he was set the task of shepherding the newly freed slaves into American society. Many people were pushing for an amendment to give African American men the right to vote. Johnson was hesitant because he believed that if African American men were given the right to vote, it would be devalue the white men who already held power in society. Que the #blacklivesmatter vs. #alllivesmatter debate! The #blacklivesmatter argues that in our current society, we do not value the African American community or what happens when one is killed. The movement states that racism is still alive in America today and because of that, black lives are worth less than white lives. The #alllivesmatter movement was in response to the #blacklivesmatter and they argue that we should be concerned about everyone and not just African Americans. The underlying theme in the #alllivesmatter movement is the concern that if America focuses on the mistreatment of African Americans then we will stop worrying about white Americans. 150 years later and many Americans still believe if African American’s are given the respect they deserve then the white man suffers. History has cyclical inertia and therefore requires great force to alter the course we blindly barrel down. Great force is not something achieved by one person or even two, no matter how great they may be—great force is thousands, millions of people speaking in unison. Youth have the vitality for that job but so often they are left out of the conversation because they may lack the knowledge that comes from living through events of the past or the time in school to study them. How can we, as a society, make sure they are brought to the table? The first step is to make sure they are informed-- informed by primary sources, by great authors and leaders, by bloggers, historians, economists, and reporters. We can make sure that students are taught not only history but how history’s cyclical nature is creating the same problems again and again.
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