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Normally, I refrain from the "multiple letters for emphasis" typing, but the complaint of history being boring is often spoken this way...usually by begrudging high school students. This remark used to drive me absolutely wild it's so ludicrous. I have learned, however, that high school history teachers can make history incredibly boring, so I'm a bit more sympathetic when I hear such things.
I once did a presentation for a high school teacher who told me, between classes, how amazing I was getting his students interested in, granted, a rather dull time period. While this was a flattering and lovely compliment, I couldn't help but notice when the first student came in to each class, this same teacher greeted him or her with, "Oh-ho! Who's the eager beaver today?!?" Oof. I'll fill you in more on my advice for history teachers at another time.
Anyway, sometimes my history friends and I gather together and have lengthy discussion on how people can find history boring. My fiance says, "it's a story that actually happened, how can that not be cool?" This is a fantastic way to look at it. If you can be a fan of any historical movie or book, I really cannot fathom how you could not find what actually happened more interesting.
Now I'm sure a scientist thinks science is super cool and an English professor thinks Shakespeare is totally fascinating, and I'm sure they are to them. I'm not saying everyone must find history interesting. On a whole, some subjects, even I will admit are pretty boring...I am so bored with almost anything political it isn't funny. I'm talking about breaking down history to an individual level. For example, I find politics boring, but certain presidents, to me, are fascinating individuals. The same thing can be said about science. As a whole, I find it pretty boring, but I can get embarrassingly engrossed in "How it's Made" and Animal Planet.
Learning about History is what you make it. Stay tuned for my ideas on how to engage students in history.
I once did a presentation for a high school teacher who told me, between classes, how amazing I was getting his students interested in, granted, a rather dull time period. While this was a flattering and lovely compliment, I couldn't help but notice when the first student came in to each class, this same teacher greeted him or her with, "Oh-ho! Who's the eager beaver today?!?" Oof. I'll fill you in more on my advice for history teachers at another time.
Anyway, sometimes my history friends and I gather together and have lengthy discussion on how people can find history boring. My fiance says, "it's a story that actually happened, how can that not be cool?" This is a fantastic way to look at it. If you can be a fan of any historical movie or book, I really cannot fathom how you could not find what actually happened more interesting.
Now I'm sure a scientist thinks science is super cool and an English professor thinks Shakespeare is totally fascinating, and I'm sure they are to them. I'm not saying everyone must find history interesting. On a whole, some subjects, even I will admit are pretty boring...I am so bored with almost anything political it isn't funny. I'm talking about breaking down history to an individual level. For example, I find politics boring, but certain presidents, to me, are fascinating individuals. The same thing can be said about science. As a whole, I find it pretty boring, but I can get embarrassingly engrossed in "How it's Made" and Animal Planet.
Learning about History is what you make it. Stay tuned for my ideas on how to engage students in history.
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