Subject knowledge as professional development: history
Well hello there and welcome to update #054!
I have made the case that if the materials I am using are of the highest quality and are an accurate representation of the domain, then my own subject knowledge increases.
To continue the theme of teaching resources as subject knowledge development, let’s take an example from key stage 3 history, in this case, the Norman Conquest. And first, it’s important to locate this unit in the history programmes of study for key stage 3:
‘Pupils should extend and deepen their chronologically secure knowledge andunderstanding of British, local and world history, so that it provides a well-informed context for wider learning. Pupils should identify significant events, make connections, draw contrasts, and analyse trends within periods and over long arcs of time. They should use historical terms and concepts in increasingly sophisticated ways. They should pursue historically valid enquiries including some they have framed themselves, and create relevant, structured and evidentially supported accounts in response. They should understand how different types of historical sources are used rigorously to make historical claims and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.’
I have a choice here: I can either pull down online resources for teaching a unit on the Norman Conquest, but the question I have an obligation to ask myself is whether they meet the criteria of an ambitious curriculum?
It’s fair to say that some online resources suggest low level activities such as word searches, cut and stick activities and newspaper articles. These neither provide sufficient intellectual grist for my pupils, nor do they add value to my own subject knowledge.
What I might consider instead, is yo follow the example of Richard Kennett who offers his Year 7 classes extracts from Marc Morris’ account of the Norman Conquest.
Spot the difference in terms of demand and engagement? I know what type of provision my pupils deserve. And as a by-product, if I’m using extracts from Marc Morris’ account of the Norman Conquest, my own subject knowledge grows, in a way low level worksheets will never do.
Until next time
Mary
PS The secondary subject networks for history have more high-level conversations about scholarship, ditto for primary, both on Myatt & Co
Im always saying we don’t give children enough credit and I think challenging work - sometimes with support but sometimes with surprising independence - is such a great way to help them understand what they’re actually capable of.