History is the story of man from the dawn of time. It is the story of great movements – social, economic, literary, artistic, scientific, cultural, as well as political. History, thus interpreted, is a Social study. It has as its purpose the development of an appreciation for the labors and difficulties of the men of the past and their contribution to society of an attitude of toleration towards the views of others, and of an understanding of the part that individuals and peoples have played and play in an increasingly complex world.
Present conditions are the product of achievements of the past, of man's efforts to solve the problems of his day. History reveals these to the student, thus explaining the present, and aiming at the development of attitudes and skills necessary for the management of society in the future.
History should be appreciated. Its study should not be the mere memorizing of facts for written or oral productions. Children should be taught how to think. Problems should be presented to them for investigation and solution. This does not mean that no "facts" will be learned. As problems are being solved many facts will emerge, and will be used in the solution of the problems. The emphasis, however, will be upon thinking, appreciation, and understanding. Upon the development of critical thinking, open- mindedness, understanding and tolerance, and the sense of orderly progress depends on the growth of a sane and orderly society.
It necessarily follows that in his teaching the teacher will exercise the highest measure of objectivity and impartiality, and living up to the ethical standards of his profession, will not indoctrinate his pupils with his own private views upon controversial questions.
The study of History should be an active and creative process. Provision should be made for individual differences in problems to be studied, methods used, activities engaged in, and readings undertaken. Whenever possible, laboratory or socialized methods should be employed. The necessity for broad, progressive, and purposeful methods of procedure on the part of the teacher is apparent if thoughtful, responsible, and socially conscious citizens are to be developed.
In Grade IV., the approach to history should be through an appeal to the interest, enthusiasm, and imagination of the children. They should be told stories of the great men of the past, their struggles and achievements, their success and failures; stories of action and romance, of discovery and invention. By this means we translate the realm of the legendary (literature) into the realm of the real (history). This transition should be natural and logical – not abrupt and forced. The child's love of stories will then be carried over into the field of history.
Children crave action. Stories told, or retold, in the "first person singular," dramatization in its various forms, drawings, pictures, slides, films, visits to the museum, or library, or historic sites, group or class discussion – these and many other forms of pupil participation make history a "living thing." Much of the success achieved will depend upon the initiative, enthusiasm, and resourcefulness of the teacher. In these grades the attitudes developed by the pupils are more important than the facts memorized. The test should be "do they like history," rather than "do they know history." When the so-called facts of history are forgotten the attitudes and outlooks will remain.
There are still those who believe that in order for work to be profitable it must be unpleasant or uninteresting. Scientific and statistical investigations have proved that there is a negative correlation between unpleasant or uninteresting work and profitable results. It is neither to be inferred from the above statement that pupils should do no work, nor that they should do no unpleasant work. Hard work may be purposeful, interesting, and constructively helpful. The teacher should develop an attitude of purposeful investigation on the part of the pupils in order that interest and not compulsion may furnish the drive to learning.
The foundation for purposeful teaching have been laid in the Social Studies of the first three grades, and an interesting approach to history made through Literature in Grade IV., the point has been reached where children are ready and eager to see this picture of man's progress. In Grade V.we present in natural sequence a panorama of the civilizations that have preceded ours. We show what each succeeding civilization learned from past civilizations and, in turn, contributed to the next. Thus, pictures of the Cave Men, the Egyptians, the Phoenicians, the Hebrews, the Greeks, the Romans – and the contribution made by each – pass upon the screen before we reach the story of Britain. In this presentation general impressions only are to be given. This chronological development places things first, and results in orderliness in historic thinking. Psychologically, it appeals to the interest and enthusiasm of pupils.
In our study of History wars are dealt with only to the extent that they have affected civilization and its development. While pupils should have a proper pride in the heroism of their ancestors, they should understand that war is an evil and a threat to our civilization. They should be taught to be tolerant of the views, rights, and privileges of others. They should be free of national arrogance and should cultivate good will toward the people of other lands. They should understand the functions of the League of Nations and the World Court, and should be prepared to support the League in defense of the right.
The training of good citizens is one of the first duties of all teachers. Obviously, the development of ideas and ideals of good citizenship cannot be limited to the field of history or of any particular subject, or of any particular period of the school-day. The conscientious teacher will be constantly training in good citizenship. The field of the Social Studies does, however, offer especially suitable opportunities for training in citizenship.
Good citizenship implies more than knowledge of social facts, duties, or responsibilities. It means toleration and understanding and involves co-operation and active participation in the affairs of an increasingly interdependent society. Teachers are urged to read the section on "Character Education," much of which applies equally to Citizenship and need not be repeated here.
Man does not live in isolation, but in communities. This involves social relations, regulations, and institutions. The school itself is a community where social relationships must be regulated, co-operation practiced, the principle of "give and take" recognized, and the rights, duties, and privileges of others respected. In the school, as in life in general, leadership and followership are both essential.
To be good citizens children must be given the opportunity of living the lives of good citizens. The part played by the home in this work is a great one, but the school has tasks of its own. It provides an environment and social conditions different from those of the home. It is an intermediate stage between the home and society. Its duties cannot be accepted or performed by either. We cannot expect of children blind obedience to regulations or authority and then hope to have them take an intelligent part in the affairs of adult life. They must, during the formative years of school life, learn the necessity and the methods of community life. This requires tact, kindness, sympathy, understanding, and infinite patience.
"Inspiration – information – participation; but the greatest of these is participation." It is through participation that the child learns to "play the game." To "play the game" involves the attitude of good citizenship. Attitudes remain when facts are forgotten.
Opportunities for the development of the attitude of good citizenship are provided through activities. Activities afford opportunities for thinking, planning, doing; for leadership, followership, organization; for interdependence, co-operation, regulation.
As History is essentially the record of how people have lived together, Biography forms an approach to citizenship. Through it the child has vicarious experience. Grade IV. History is based upon Biography and provides suitable material for the study of citizenship. The evolution of home and community life, of social institutions, and of increasing interdependence is pictured in the history course for Grades V. and VI. This affords opportunity for developing appreciation of the necessity for social regulation and the benefits which follow from it. This appreciation modifies social conduct; and intelligent social conduct is citizenship.
It is not intended that there be formal teaching of this subject in Grades IV., V., or VI. A formal and systematic study of Citizenship – Civics – should begin later and should be based upon the foundation of citizenship laid in these grades; in other words, Grades IV., V., and VI. should develop the attitude of good citizenship, while later grades should develop the means by which such co-operative action is achieved.
From incidents in history, both past and present, such concepts as the following should be developed:-
Unit arrangement tends to break down the barriers between subjects. Each Unit may spread across formal subject boundaries in order that it may be a complete experience. Suggested activities involving other subject-fields will be given a the end of each Unit in the Course. Changes and extensions of these suggestions will appear as the teacher proceeds. It is not intended that all of the suggested activities be carried out; others may be more valuable to the Unit as it is developed by a particular class. The objective of each Unit should be reached by employing as many subject-fields as may be necessary.
What is the place of testing in history and in citizenship? How can we test "appreciation" or "attitude" or "history-mindedness" or "interest"? It is more difficult to test or measure these things than it is to test for facts, dates, and events in isolation. There is therefore a tendency to teach that which can be more accurately measured.
As an alternative to the more formal type of factual examinations, the following suggestions are given:-
These suggestions are not original, nor are the untried. They will satisfy the demands of teachers and principals who find it desirable to produce marks. At the same time, they will tend to eliminate much of the deadening and useless effects of cramming. It may be hoped that as a result pupils will reach the secondary school with a love for history and with right social attitudes.
NOTE – These aims will be pursued at the level of the intelligence and capacity of the child in Grades IV., V., VI. of the Elementary School. Specific aims appropriate to each of the three years will be suggested later.
Scientific research has proven the value of various forms of visual aid in the process of education. There are many forms of visual education – pictures, maps, charts, graphs, slides, stereoptical pictures, film-slides, films, slow-moving films, color photography, talking pictures.
The field of history is rich in possibilities for visual material of instruction. Perhaps the very quantity of material now obtainable is one of the reasons for indifference as to its possibilities. Magazines, Sunday editions of newspapers, calendars, present a wealth of pictorial material. These pictures should be cut out, mounted, and classified for future use. Such a library of pictorial material maybe built up in the smallest rural school. The magazine "Pictorial Education" contains some of the finest pictures which should be found on the shelves, or in the libraries, of all our schools. In larger schools, and in cities, the other forms of visual aids outlined above should be developed, as funds are available.
With Grade V. begins the real study of History. History began in the long distant past and is still in progress. Teachers of Grade V. are asked to read carefully the General Introduction to History at the beginning of this section. It is intended that the picture of man's progress from early times to the present should be presented to the pupils. It is not intended that the detailed history of each people or movement should be studied. The teacher should see, in perspective, the highlights of history, cultural, economic, social, political – each great epoch or movement built upon the previous one and contributing to the next.
We are a British people. It is to be expected, therefore, that we should trace the story of man up to the early period of British history, continue with the progress in Britain up to the discovery of America, and then view the development of the Canadian people up to the present.
The early portion, prior to the Roman period in Britain, occupies a relatively short time (ten or twelve weeks). The remainder of Grade V. is spent in tracing the development of Britain between the Roman occupation of Britain and the discovery of America. Grade VI tells the story of Canadian progress (highlights only) from its discovery until the present time.
The course is arranged in Units. The Units are organized as follows:-
In the Suggested Activities provision is made for correlation with other subjects, for individual differences, and for special training in Citizenship. (See also Character Education.) Brighter pupils should be encouraged to work out additional problems, or do additional recreational reading in the field of the Unit in hand. Several Units have been worked out merely as examples. The purpose is that teachers should work out the detail of the Units for themselves. Herein lies their value.
Anstey: "Romance of British Columbia."
OR
Dickie: "The Canadian West," Book Five.
Dickie & Palk: Pages from "Canada's Story."
Hamer-Jackson: "Discoverers and Explorers of North America."
At a time when the population of Britain's new colony, Canada, was overwhelmingly French, British settlers began to arrive and to lay the foundations of our Canadian nation.
Hamer-Jackson: "Discoverers and Explorers of North America."
The prairie lands of Canada gradually became occupied by settlers of different types and creeds who made courageous and noteworthy contributions to the development of Canada's greatest industry – farming.
British settlers on the North-west Coast increased in numbers owing to the discovery of gold and the building of the railway; organization of the two coast colonies which became part of the Canadian Dominion.
Dickie: Dent's "Canadian History Readers," Book 7.
British Columbia. Department of Education. Programme of Studies, 1936
Transcribed by Cheryl Dawson, History 349, Malaspina University-College, March 2001