The Challenge
Recognizing that many Americans learn about the past, and how to think about it, during their K12 years, many historians have worked to strengthen the bonds between historians and history teachers. Historians have long been active in their communities, in workshops with teachers, and in national organizations.
One important locus of activity, however, has been neglected: history departments themselves. We believe that historians in higher education might educate, in more purposeful and effective ways, the future teachers among their own students. In fact, it seems to us, all history departments might benefit from interesting themselves in these issues even if they have not done so before.
We urge every department to devote at least one department meeting in 2007 to discussing this message. To help focus the conversation, this document offers background, resources, and strategies that have worked elsewhere.
Endorsed by:
- American Historical Association
- Organization of American Historians
- National Council for History Education
- Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Sponsored by:
- Carnegie Corporation of New York
- The Thomas Jefferson Foundation
- University of Virginia College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
- Virginia Center for Digital History