Creative history teaching : going beyond historical facts

Abstract

There exist many, often divergent opinions on what should be taught in history, what should be included and what should be left out in the contents of a curriculum. For example in 1989 when the National Curriculum was under construction for the first time in Britain, history proved to be one of the most troublesome subjects. The selection of historical knowledge in the programmes of study was criticised of being culturally biased. On the one hand there were those who wanted 'pure' British history asserting British heritage and achievement, while others wished for a more multicultural curriculum emphasizing a pluralistic society. A debate which very soon became politicized and eagerly taken up by the media with such titles as 'Thatcher's Conquest on history in schools' More recently, this time across the Atlantic, a set of new recommendations by the authors of National Standards for United States History triggered off a controversial debate on what students should know about the American past. Apparently National Standards aims to promote the achievements of blacks, Native Americans and women while pressure groups from the right demand that emphasis should be returned to more traditional landmark events li ke for example Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the Wright brothers.