Thanks again for your patience with my delay last night and then later allowing the group to finish properly. Their presentation would have fit in neater if I had arrived earlier. We were getting tired and you hung in till the end offering contributions and attention.
1. So let's begin where the group left off. The last item this group offered us was a prompt. The document asks us (the learner) to think big (it is an example of a closure exercise)...What did I learn at school today. What might we say to that question? Keep it limited to 2.
2. From a pedagocical point of view...what might we do with those responses? Why?
3. Suppose you had a child take this view on Thanksgiving home to mom and dad. Mom and dad respond to this lesson with suspicion if not rage. They phone the admin and school board. The results are...the principal want to meet with you...what do you explain to the principal?
The parents want a meeting too...what do you explain to them?
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Hey, I will go first again since I am that motivated this week.
1. I learned about the tradition of Thanksgiving even before the Pilgrims arrived. I had no prior knowledge that the natives celebrated such a thing and that the Pilgrims really had little to do with the tradition iteself.
Something else I learned in the lesson was thinking about the differing viewpoints on native American military victories against the colonizers. For instance, the battle at Little Big Horn is viewed as a massacre; although, any battle in which the colonizers were victorious was an advancement for the nation.
2. These responses would be a great guide for directing a following lesson. For instance, collecting these at the end of the period and reading them to understand student comprehension. If they all appear to be on target then build onto the content; if not, then revisit the lesson and strengthen certain areas.
3. If conflict exploded from such a lesson, I would explain to the principal and parents my intentions and resources. This is not an opinion that we are dealing with but a historical event. I would be sure to support the book and guides that I constructed, but also listen to their concerns and attempt to reach a compromise. Obviously, something like this would not warrant a termination; however, it could ruin a reputation, so it is something to take seriously.
1. I had no prior knowledge of the “real” story behind Squanto, so to read that he was abducted and returned to his native land to find that no one else had survived was a shock to me. I had always been taught that he was a friendly, good-natured Native American who unselfishly helped the Pilgrims a great deal. The second major thing that I learned from this lesson was the fact that the Native Americans were cleaner, and in some cases, more civilized. I had learned that the Native Americans had a form of government (but then again, what civilization could survive without some sort of governing body), but I had no idea that the Native Americans bathed more and had better hygiene than the Pilgrims. I found it humorous and interesting that the Native Americans felt that the Pilgrims smelled bad. We usually think of Native Americans as savages and uncivilized, but we now find that to be false.
2. The handout is a great idea because it allows a teacher to assess what the students retained from the lesson. If I implemented the handout, I would look at the responses to get a sense of how effective my teaching is, and also how well my students understood and paid attention to the lesson. By using this non-graded “check for understanding,” students do not feel pressured to write down every bit of detail they can, but they would have to think of the big idea from the lesson and I could use this to understand what parts worked and didn’t work with my teaching style.
3. I would explain to the administration that my job is not to merely teach the facts, but to teach historiography as well. I would explain that students should know why we teach the history we do teach, and why we leave out the history that we do leave out. I feel that students will find this interesting and “hook” them to look further into some controversies of history. I would tell the parents the same thing. I would explain my reasoning for including history that is not typical and pretty so that students can understand that history is interesting, messy, and not cut-and-dry. I must say, however, that I would not teach this as a first year student because I do not want to step on anyone’s toes, nor would I teach this type of lesson to any class that is not a junior or senior class. It is interesting, but I realize it is not main-stream, and many parents and administrators would have an issue with this type of teaching.
1. I feel like I'm kind of cheating by answering this question, since I presented the material. I guess going straight off of the book, I learned a considerable amount about Squanto. I had always assumed, like everyone else, that Squanto was just a friendly helpful native who took it upon himself to aid the Pilgrims. I had also always been taught that the concept of Thanksgiving was originated by the Pilgrims. The idea that the natives had their own preexisting harvest festival makes sense, but it's nothing that I would have thought of.
2.) Pedagogically speaking, a closing activity that asks students to sumarize what they learned gives the teacher a good understanding of their effectiveness. If students are walking away trying to figure out how to narrow their response down to just two or three things, it's a safe bet that the lesson was a job well done. If students appear to be struggling to come up with something to write, then there's a problem with the teacher's presentation.
3.) I would present my sources to the principal and the parents. I would never present information to my students that I wasn't going to completely stand behind. Historiography is a huge part of teaching history. I completely agree with Lindsay with regard to the explanation that history is not neat and clean. I would make it a point to present as many credible viewpoints of a topic as time allows, thus allowing the students to form their own opinions. If the information is reliable, there really can't be any legitimate argument against it. Our particular presentation was a bit lopsided, but that's because Loewen's book is lopsided as well and our job was to present the book alone. I would not present something so heavily slanted without having the counterbalancing point in a classroom environment, just to cover my bases for precisely this sort of dilemma.
1. I learned how Euro-centric history has twisted the Thanksgiving story into something it really was not. The Native Americans actually invited the Pilgrims to join them in a feast they already celebrated. As it is taught in schools, it sounds like Europeans brought culture and fellowship to the Native Americans with this feast when really it was almost the exact opposite. The second item I learned was the fact that most of the Native Americans in that area died from disease before the Pilgrims even arrived. Now that I understand that fact, the ease at which the early Europeans took the land makes complete sense.
2. These responses, especially if the students hand them in at the end of class, are a great tool for teachers to evaluate what the students really learned. From that information, a teacher can adjust the lesson for the future and adjust the lesson for the next day to make sure that students discover those main themes the next day. Also, the ticket to leave idea is a helpful way for students reinforce the essential understandings of that lesson.
3. If I taught a lesson on Thanksgiving from this non-mainstream approach, I would make sure I had amazing documentation to defend my unpopular stance. In the event of a confrontation, I would present the facts and approach the situation in a balanced way. I would ask the question of whether I should teach the historical truth or just a popular myth. Depending on the response to that, it would be possible to question whether popular opinion should be allowed into other subjects such as science or English. I would hope it never came to that, but if you are going to venture out onto the limb of unpopular truth, you have to be prepared to hang on.
First off, it is obvious this group put in a tremendous amount of preparation......I think you guys did great and your confidence in the content was obvious. I think there are many gifted teachers in our class!!!!!!
-I thought the activating strategy of brainstorming what we know about Thanksgiving was great. It shocked me that I know very little and can only recall making crafts. I learned about the tradition of Thanksgiving with respect to the Natives verses the Pilgrims. I had no idea that the Natives celebrated Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims had little to do with it.
-I think it is imperative to uncover misconceptions prior to a new lesson. The activating strategy is a safe way for students to write down what they actually know and remember about Thanksgiving. It is easier to share ideas in a group verses speaking up independently. Collecting the warm-up and reading it allows us as teachers to reflect upon our lesson plans and make necessary adjustments before diving into unchartered waters.
-Lastly, If solid lesson plans are written, I do not think we as teachers have anything to worry about. If you have appropriate resources to support what you are teaching, than there should not be any problems. I think both sides of history should be taught but with caution.
I was surprised to know that the "first thanksgiving" with the pilgrims and the Native Americans was really not the first. Instead the book discussed how the Native Americans actually celebrated the traditional before the pilgrims even came to America. I also found it interesting that the Native Americans found the pilgrims to be unclean and unsanitary.
I did like the closing assignment it allows the teacher to gauge themselves as instructors and administers of the material, while also seeing if the student realize the content. It also presents a opportunity to see which students are having trouble with the material before a test situation.
Its hard to say exactly what my stances on teaching would be because I believe that it depends on the students you are teaching and the school district you are teaching at. The community plays a major factor determining what is expected to be taught. However if I did teach this modern take on the traditional thanksgiving I would present the students with resources that supported the view and discuss the different views.
1) Before reading these chapters on Thanksgiving and the Native Americans, I did not really know the real history of Thanksgiving. One thing that I learned was that over our lives we have learned a false story of the Pilgrims. The land was not at all complete "wilderness" as many textbooks claim. A second big idea I learned was that writers of history have written history in a very ethnocentric way. Indians were civilized and peaceful people, but history paints their picture as savages that kill anything that walks onto their land. Leaving out the Native Americans who have been such a huge part of American history is lying by omission, and in doing so, historians kept the atrocities Indians suffered under the door mat.
From a pedagogical standpoint, I think it is important to teach both sides. I don't think telling kindergarten students about the disease that wiped out the majority of Native Americans is right, but I do think that by high school the truth should be taught. It seems that the fabled story of Thanksgiving has not changed much from its original intent in the 1860s, to unify Americans. Most keep the truth at bay because it makes the "settlers" look like murderers, but it is an event in history that we need to address.
Depending on the age of the child, I would argue that I had every right to teach the student a true history. I wouldn't teach the history in a way that just bashes white settlers, but to teach the idea that this land was not empty when "we" got here. As a teacher I may encounter some trouble if I go off topic from what the curriculum says. But, I do believe that if a history textbook lies, it is our responsibility to correct them. If I had to explain myself to the student's parents, I am not sure what I would do. It would be hard to explain to concerned parents that what I taught was the truth. I would hope that if I were teaching an advanced high school history course, there would be no problem in teaching history.
1. I had little knowledge, nor had I thought much about the Thanksgiving traditions of the American Indians prior to the arrival of the Europeans. The fact that it is a time of harvest had never really occurred to me.
The second thing that I learned was that the American Indians thought that the colonists smelled due to their bathing habits. The cultural difference in personal care is another point that I had never really considered.
2. Reviewing these responses in comparison to the learning goals of the lesson or unit plan would be a great use for this type of activity. An educator could get a great idea of what needs to be reviewed and what was overwhelmingly understood. This activity would make assessment much smoother. The students will be given a better understanding of what is essential to the time period, event, concept or person.
3. Upon being asked to meet with the principal, I would prepare my lesson plans and make sure that both perspectives of the Thanksgiving story were presented in my classroom. I would then explain that in order to illustrate to my students that history is not a static discipline, I offered a fair and balanced perspective of the historical controversy of Thanksgiving. The lesson was not meant to be a political statement but an example of how history is still developing even if it occurred upon European settlement.
I think that the most important thing to do in a meeting with parents it to listen. They have made time to meet with you because they have an obvious concern about their child and not many parents are willing to offer this level of advocacy. As an educator, it is so critical to try to make the parents aware of the ways in which history has grown as a discipline since they have been in school. Assuming that the lesson was age appropriate and there was not political statement involved the parents should (but I am sure will not always)understand the situation. Also, some students embellish and this whole scenario may have been avoided if an accurate account were relayed home. Try to explain this without making the child out to be a liar, this is probably a miss understanding.
1. The first thing I learned at school today was about Squanto. How he was taken from his home land at such a young age and then was able to work his way back to only find out that most of his people had died off due the massive issue with disease that ravaged the Native American people. I was taught he didn’t care for the pilgrims much and from what the teachers said the pilgrims were a very dirty people, compared to the Native American people. Another thing I learned at school was how things were perceived by one people or by another. When Europeans killed Native Americans (they were just trying to protect their land) it was just and right, but when they lost it was called a massacre and the Native Americans were considered the savages. We always seem to see that the winners write the history books but never the losers, and here it seems to be the case once again.
2. The handout is a good idea to assess what the students learned throughout the presentation and could lead to a reflection conversation afterwards from what they learned previously to what they learned today. Not only does it assess the student but the teacher as well to see what the students connected to or what the teacher could improve on. Possibly the teacher could put a “what could change” question along with the response activity to get a clearer view to get a more direct response.
3. Well I would make sure I had a strong foundation to present to the principal that would backup what I taught my students. Next I would offer two view points to the students so they could get each side of the story. One thing when you are teaching history you learn that nothing is one sided. Also if this is a major problem I would offer a parental form for the students and parents to tell them what we will be discussing and making sure they were alright with it. After giving both sides I would then ask what would you rather have your students learn a false past or a factual one. I would do the same for the parents to that I would present to the principal.
1) Well it would seem obvious that I learned much more about the first Thanksgiving then I originally knew. The biggest shock to me is how Thanksgiving became instituted as a national holiday during the Civil War as a morale booster! Its going to be difficult for me to take the holiday seriously for quite some time since there are just so many misconceptions about its implementation. I almost feel like I have to mention something to my extended family at this up coming Thanksgiving dinner. Or, at the very least tell my younger cousins the "true" story of the origins of turkey day!
2) I think getting response from your students is an integral part of the teaching profession. Without getting feedback, you cannot possibly know what your students have gotten out of a lesson. Hopefully, they will have comprehended everything you taught, but that should not be assumed. If your students seem to not have a full grasp on the subject then as the teacher, you must revisit your material.
3) First I'm not sure if I would teach such radical history my first few years of teaching. While I am a big advocate of the truth I think some extreme views need to be approached carefully. There are always two sides to every issue both avenues have to be presented to your students. Still, assuming I had an unhappy parent or administrator I would present my reasoning and research to them so that they would see that I'm teaching facts. While explaining myself I would enforce the notion that I'm not trying to destroy Thanksgiving but instead just give another side to the story. I still believe that it is necessary to celebrate the national holidays and their importance.
1. I think there are certainly a couple of major ideas I will take away from our presentation. The first major idea for me is that American Indians are often mislabeled as savages in history textbooks. This technique of textbook writing is truly unfair and inaccurate in representing the true nature of American Indians. The second major idea for me is that textbooks often neglect to accurately describe the involvement of American Indians in warfare throughout our history. American Indians played a major role in wars such as the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. American Indians' efforts during these wars are rarely given the textbook space they deserve.
2. I think we can use these responses to determine what information we need to emphasize and reiterate in a later class. I think we can also have our students discuss the major ideas they chose in a classroom discussion. This would help to emphasize a wide variety of major ideas in order to ensure that students would be better prepared for any tests, assignments, or projects later in the unit.
3. I would explain to them quite simply that I am only trying to teach an all-encompassing and accurate portrayal of Thanksgiving. I would simply inform the parents and the principal that as a history teacher, it is my duty to give students a clearer understanding of the events of history. I would provide the principal or parents with sources and references to back up the claims I made during class. I would also inform the principal and parents that I am not attempting to vilify the manner in which Thanksgiving is celebrated in our country today.
1. It was interesting while reading these chapters to find some new truths to histories that I thought were elementary subjects. I had no idea that many times we were not being told the whole truth. They idea of syncretism, the fact that American Indians and the Settlers did work together more then hate each other. Our society is made up of a melting pot of cultural ideas and here is a great point where that all started.
Second, I did not know that many settlers used American Indians as translators for other European nations. I found this very interesting, granted they were mainly enslaved American Indians but they were very intelligent unlike I was taught.
2. This exercise would be a good way to gage the knowledge that students are gaining from your lesson. It will allow you to move on or go over again any aspect of the lesson that the students did not properly understand.
3. I would do my best to explain why I am teaching the content in this way. I would try to explain to both the principal and teacher that history is not always what we were taught as we grew up. That there is a side of this history that we were not taught but that there is sufficiant evidence to prove that it is true. I may also want to include some of the ideas that are traditionally taught in the classroom about this subject and allow for a class discussion about which theory they believe is correct.
1) Enduring understandings is quite crucial for activities that re-educate students to some misconceptions that they have learned throughout their schooling. I myself learned a good bit of new information. As the group asked us to think about what we already knew about thanksgiving my answer was very standard, Native Americans and Pilgrims eating happily together. I learned however that this was not the case. The reason for their unity was because the Native Americans had been wiped out by famine and disease. The pilgrims provided them with security from other hostile tribes. Also, the notions behind how history is viewed was brought to my attention. Wars in which native americans won were considered massacres, while anytime settlers were victorious it remained a good thing for our nation.
2) The responses would be a good tool for a pre-assessment to the next class. Asking students to give a few answers to their responses would allow the entire class to refresh what they had already learned. These kind of prompts can also be used to strengthen understandings throughout a course.
3) Having an outraged parent contact the school over a lesson may be something that we will experience. In this matter I believe that I would inform the principle what my intentions were. By balancing what actually occurred to what the students thought about certain issues would allow them to draw their own conclusions on the issue or subject. I also think, that even before giving such a touchy lesson, I would run it by one of my superiors to make sure that it was appropriate for my students. I think that would be one of the best ways to handle such a situation.
1. A: I learned that the tradition extends beyond that first 'shared' meal between civilizations. There was a culture that was around and had its own customs prior to the stealing and raping of the land by the pilgrims (/end sarcasm).
B: I also came away with a better understanding that the friction caused by expansion since the begining of colonization is the cause of many problens. In every war that was fought on this soil the Native Americans were on the recieving end of our 'anger' and lust for more land.
2. The responses have two uses: an after action review, and a guide on what to prepare for an assessment to follow on with. The AAR allows the teacher to see what areas he or she is strong in and where there is improvement. This also helps to see if the goal or enduring understanding was achieved. The responses also show what information is being prioritized by the student. This inturn can be used to create an assessment that factors in their understanding of the topic and is adjusted accordingly.
3.
Dear Principle,
I took it upon myself to blow off state standards and teach what I wanted to teach. I felt the children needed to go away with a sense of guilt when they eat their turkey.
Dear Parents,
I have failed as a teacher and presented your child a biased view on this subject. Please censure me accordingly.
But really, I would explain with sources that the students already know one side of the story. I was just sharing the otherside with them. Ideally though, I would still present at least part of the other to form a more Fair and Balanced story.
With this being my groups activity, I had the opportunity to take a more in depth look into these topics than the average student.
1) I found the story behind Squanto to be very interesting and revealing. The fact that I was taught that the impression of Squanto being a love able and friendly native American was the only story greatly surprised me. Understanding the story behind how Squanto learned English and how he ended up supporting the Pilgrims sheds a great deal of light on the first vestiges of English colonialism to the continent.
2) The responses would be a great source for the teacher to check for understanding with the class. From these responses a teacher could adequately readjust their teaching plans or be reassured that they are on the right track.
3) First of all this lesson would have to be intermixed with other data in order to present a more fair and balanced teaching style. If from this fellow teacher, parents, or the principle had a problem with my teaching I would show to them the facts that I had presented to them and ask for suggestions on what they expect from me as a teacher in this area of study.
1. I was unaware that the American Indians that lived around the Plymouth settlement already celebrated a festival in the fall. I was always taught that the Pilgrims invited the American Indians to their feast, when really it was the other way around. Another thing I learned was that American Indians protest the celebration of the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth every year. I had no idea that it was such a huge deal to them that it would be worth protesting.
2. With the responses from closure activity, the teacher can see just how effective his/her teaching was. If the students hit on what the teacher's goals were for that day, then the teacher has taught a successful lesson. If the students missed the point, then the teacher can go back the next day to clarify some things and reexplain them in a different way to make sure the students understand.
3. I would explain to the principal that I was teaching what really happened historically, and offer him/her the sources where I found my material. I would try to explain how the textbook version of the first Thanksgiving misleads and leaves out a lot of information from the American Indians' point of view, and I was trying to represent their viewpoint as well. If the parents wanted to meet with me, I would probably explain to them the same things I explained to the principal. I would offer them my sources if they wanted to look them over to see what they say about history and judge whether they are valid. I would also try to listen to the parents' point of view to make sure I was not overlooking something in my teaching. If I could use their comments to improve my teaching, I would.
1. Squanto's story regarding his acquisition of the English language (his abduction and his travels through Europe) I found to be fascinating. Nobody tells you that kinda stuff - I guess in that particular instance, we've had a serious case of cultural amnesia.
2.From a pedagogical point of view, those responses are an ideal launching pad for classroom discussion. They provide a great way to get the kids talking and debating about the course material (as well as the material that affects their everyday lives).
3.Well first, its important to present the material in a way that is as much free from personal (or literary, in the case of Loewen) bias as possible. As teachers, we need to understand that both Loewen and traditional textbooks are effectively two sides of a historical debate, and as the teacher, we need to attempt to steer as much of a middle course as we can. That being said, the possibility of confrontation between teachers and parents is still possible. If that happened in my classroom, I would make every effort to meet and discuss the issue with the parent in a way that was convenient for THEM (they're already pissed at you, the least you can do is be accommodating) and try to explain to them the situation. I like to think that people are generally rational individuals (though I've been proven wrong on many occasion)and a discussion on historical viewpoints is an important thing to engage in with the people you'll be dealing with in the public schooling system.
1.I knew going into the book that the idea of our thanksgiving is flase and that europeans made it their own to meet what they believed happened. What i did not know is that the native Indians had been celebrating the traditions long before we meaning the Pilgrams got there. This was a new idea to me and what I had always been taught. What i found interesting in the discussion was that the Native Americans have very diffrent points of views even today about the subject and that it has become a sort of sore spot with their community.
2. Thinking abou the lesson through a teachers point of view I took in to serious consideration about looking at both sides of the issue no matter what the event of topic is that i may be teaching. This allows me to maintain a very objective stance on issues and just teach about the issues. I believe this will be the most efective way to teach a social studies class, this way the students make up their own minds about issues and ideas that are in their curriculm.
3. If a parent were to get inraged about the idea of teaching about the holiday in this way and i were to meet with the administration and the parents i would simply answer their questions by telling them that i am trying to give a complete historical view of the information. That to truly and try and educate their child i believe that it is my job to show no bias towards one group or the other.
1. I learned that true story and message about Thanksgiving was not the story that we heard and learned about during grade school. We were all taught that Indians and Pilgrims loved each other and shared food and company with each other at the first Thanksgiving. However, this is not how is really happened. The Pilgrims and other settlers took advantage of the Indians; killing them, giving them diseases, and robbing their ancestral graves.
Although these new ideas about Thanksgiving are important to have, to better understand history and the American culture and society, they are still inappropriate for 1st graders to know and learn about. Much like the rest of the book, theres a fine line where there are things that just cannot be taught to someone young. The book is for scholars to learn more.
If an issue did occur where a principal wanted to talk to me about teaching the true message of Thanksgiving I would reply with, "Would you rather have me lie to your children?" Teaching students how history truly happened will give them empathy/sympathy towards others different from themselves. Hopefully they will walk away realizing the atrocities that the settlers did to the Indians.
1. On the topic of Thanksgiving, pretty much everyone had the initial belief or had been taught that everything was all peaceful and happy. On the issue of Little Big Horn, everyone blames the Indians for the "masacre" of Custer and his troops. In both cases no one wants to put blame on the Americans and our students are taught this very onesided view of history.
2. The responses should definately be collected as they would serve as an assesment as to the understanding of the students.
3. Very delicatly you would have to explain that we can not sugar coat the truth. When these students enter the real world, things will no longer be sugarcoated. Also, depending on the age, most of the students understand things better than the parents think. In many cases the students understand what you are talking about, it is the parents often wanting their children to stay naieve for as long as possible to protect them from the harsh realities of life. This is a tricky situation and must be handles with extreme delicacy.
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