From Norm Gurr MA M ED
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CONGRATULATIONS = GREAT DISCUSSIONS YOU ALL

As a retired 80 year old Toronto history and school principal,and as an 
interested eve  dropper on your communications  I  congratulate you on your 
incitefull comments about history.

I had on my classroom wall," THIS IS EXCITING HISTORY, PAST, PRESENT AND 
FUTURE""

History is a  most important subject as it teaches  life skills, "What we do 
today determines our future, What our country does determines its future, 
What I do today determines my future,

The problem is that far too many people never get beyond instant 
gratification, and not learn there are consequences both bad and good in all 
we do

Examine the actions that people took  in the past, understanding as you say 
in your incite that you students "Not judge a historical event on 21st 
century standards".

How would today's standards have changed how things are today?

As an example 'STUDENTS  Discuss and decide as a group ,while  knowing the 
circumstances, what would you have decided and done if you were that person? 
If you were living as a leader in that time what could you have done to 
achieve emancipation without the war that devastated Virginia?"

What were the results of that action that person  or society took? What 
would have happened if your choice had been taken instead?

What decisions would you take if you were president, based not on left or 
right wing dogma, or wishing to be elected but on consequence good or bad.

 This approach makes history very real and fascinating for students

My interest in the remarkable  Virginia history  is that our  ancestors were 
Virginians for over 10 generations  from its beginning.

Keep up the great work as the scholars you are  . .

 =========================================================================================
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] 03232232Z12 Re: Textbooks


> When I used primary sources in the classroom, I did not interpret the 
> documents.
> The students had to analyze the documents themselves, and in class 
> discussion
> we would take a look at everyone's interpretations.  There was no right or 
> wrong
> answer.  And students had to locate other records that would either 
> support or
> refute their interpretation.  They were taught NEVER to stand on one 
> primary
> source.
>
> Everyone sees an event in a different light.  They bring their personal
> experiences and biases into the interpretation.  We have to teach students 
> to:
> 1. Not judge a historical event on 21st century standards
> 2. Leave their personal experience and bias at the door.  Simply answer 
> the Who,
> What, Where, Why, and How
> 3. Who wrote the document, Why did they write the document?  Did they
> incorporate their own personal experience and bias into their document?
>
> And with history, there is no definitive right or wrong.  History will 
> always be
> a controversial topic.
>
> Karen Needles
> Former history teacher
> Director
> Lincoln Archives Digital Project
> http://www.lincolnarchives.us
>
>
> On March 26, 2012 at 1:10 PM "Steven T. Corneliussen" 
> <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
>>  > There is a serious movement to rewrite history. ... I
>>  > think that moving in the direction of using primary
>>  > sources to teach history, moving away from textbooks
>>  > that have factual errors, and become political weapons
>>  > of propaganda that have a lasting effect on our children
>>  > is something that should be discussed.
>>
>> But wouldn't we then simply debate which primary sources to select? And
>> wouldn't teachers still have to do lots of interpreting anyway? And
>> wouldn't variations in that interpreting cause further debating, with
>> further charges of unconstructive revisionism and accusations about
>> propagandizing?
>>
>> ______________________________________
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>
> "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who 
> is
> doing it."   Karen Needles
>
> "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed, is more 
> important than
> any other one thing."
> Abraham Lincoln to Isham Reavis, Nov. 5, 1855
> Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 2, p. 328
>
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