#sschat is a network of educators, resources, and ideas that started on Twitter, but has expanded to Facebook, an annual NCSS unconference, and more. Join us to chat asynchronously on Twitter or Facebook, or chat with us live on Mondays from 7-8pm EST.
Welcome to the Teaching Hard History #sschat! Please introduce yourself and let us know what state you teach in, your grade level and subject area. #HardHistory
Welcome to the Teaching Hard History #sschat! Please introduce yourself and let us know what state you teach in, your grade level and subject area. #HardHistory
Welcome to the Teaching Hard History #sschat! Please introduce yourself and let us know what state you teach in, your grade level and subject area. #HardHistory
Welcome to the Teaching Hard History #sschat! Please introduce yourself and let us know what state you teach in, your grade level and subject area. #HardHistory
Welcome to the Teaching Hard History #sschat! Please introduce yourself and let us know what state you teach in, your grade level and subject area. #HardHistory
I'm Chris from Bloomington, IN. I teach world history for a private online HS affiliated w/ Indiana Univ. I'm also on the leadership team of #sschat. Looking very forward to tonight's chat. Thanks in advance to @Tolerance_org
My name is Tyler Pray and I teach 8th grade SS in Indiana. Moving to Columbus, Ohio this year and hope to continue to teach Social Studies. #sschat#hardhistory
Andrew from snowy Massachusetts -- one of the #sschat co-moderators -- 8th grade Civics/US Govt -- interested to see where we go with this challenging but essential topic
Happy to be back with #sschat tonight! Couldn’t miss this important topic! K-12. SS Coordinator in Charlottesville VA where we are actively working to #ChangeTheNarrative
Hi, pre-service teacher here, currently living in Williamsburg, VA and student teaching at a middle school. I am a big fan of @Tolerance_org and am happy to be here. #sschat
Good evening, #sschat!
Karl, 3rd-6th gr ELA basic skills teacher. Loved teaching social studies when I was a classroom teacher. Help all 4 of my teachers in whatever areas they need support. So, I'm down for becoming a better history teacher.
Let's learn!
If you’re using Tweetdeck, you might create a column for #sschat or if you’re using a Twitter app search for #sschat and sort by “recent”. In the Android version the app will append the hashtag when you tweet.
Q1: we have a high African Refugee population in Omaha. Those students are particularly sensitive to this topic and are often the most engaged. I also have many Latino students unaware of slavery so we have a lot of great convos. #sschat
A1. 95.1% white population so, there are many misconceptions and cultural questions. Our few African-American students are often placed in a tough position of trying to answer Ss questions. #sschat
absolutely. If I have a small minority of AA students as opposed to a plurality or majority, this definitely will influence how I teach. I'm not about to put one student or a small # of them in the "spokesperson" role. #sschat#hardhistory
A1) Try hard not to let assumptions about “who should know what” dictate my teaching-also must consider how different people react to language embedded in primary sources, etc. #sschat#hardhistory
A1: My district is a small, rural community that is certainly not as diverse as larger districts near us, however I approach teaching American slavery from a factual point in both APUSH and WHAP, demographics do not change my approach. #sschat
A1 It definitely should. Conversations around slavery are going to impact students differently based on their identities.
I have mostly white classes with some Ss of color. I want to be sure that my African and African American Ss don’t feel to put on the spot.
#sschat
A1. Our school is behind the times. American slavery is dealt with matter of factory but not in the men’s of black resistance. It’s an economic system ended by Lincoln. Our Ts are hesitant to delve deep into the heart of it. #sschat#hardhistory
A1 Students need to see themselves with agency in historical settings. This means that I begin with the great African civilizations to provide context. Listened to the last episode of your podcast Saturday. Everyone should. #sschat
A1: I teach in school that has a large ELL population. They bring a wealth of experiences that are beneficial to our entire school.
We discuss a variety of topics including slavery. We take the opportunity to look at difficulty topics and learn from one another.#sschat
As a parent of Black children, I cringed at the idea of a teacher doing a terrible job, so we had a lot of conversations at home about how we wanted to approach it. We didn't want the narrative to start with the oppression of their ancestors. #SSChat
that makes for an interesting contrast, one that we engage. How is it different to be enslaved vs. fleeing corruption/violence? How is it similar? #sschat
A1 I approach teaching slavery from a place of truth and from the perspective of the slave. We have a very high white population and I use these lessons to really expand/ challenge their knowledge #sschat
A1: this varies from year to year. My first goal is to make it a safe space for ALL my students and myself as an African American teaching this subject. Once they know they can ask authentic questions they become more comfortable and open to the topic. #HardHistory#sschat
A1: Middle school Ss grapple with their identity/ role. As a result, I try to have my Ss look outside themselves & be empathetic of others. However, when teaching about American Slavery one cannot truly be empathetic; that's why primary sources are crucial. #sschat#hardhistory
I would never force a student to be a spokesperson. Some want to be. But I would not change historical events or narrative because of ethnicity. Just doesn’t make any sense to me. #SSChat
A1: I work with Ts and stress the importance of multiple perspectives... the enslaved, those who proudly enslaved, those who dared not speak out for fear of being ostracized or loss of financial gain...every voice matters in the goal of learning #sschat#HardHistory
True. Many teachers also situate it within antebellum America in the south and ignore its existence in colonial America and its prevalence throughout North America. #sschat
#sschat A1: 1/3 of my students are SOC, so I use people-first language (i.e. enslaved person vs. slave) and include the accomplishments of POC in my teaching, because I do not want SOC to walk away thinking people who may have been their ancestors were identified only by slavery
Yup. My current students had an issue last year with white kids asking for an n-word pass .... outside the scope of tonight's #sschat, but indicative of the need for looooots more education about race-based issues.
A1: I teach K, so I don't talk too much about slavery. I am trying to figure out how lay the groundwork in Early Childhood to talk about this subject as children are ready for the harder truths of it. #sschat
#sschat Recognizing your student backgrounds is important, but I also think that it is important to help students of all backgrounds understand the cultural events that have taken place. Understanding others perspectives is nothing but positive.
A1) This is challenging for me in my current position as I teach for an online HS. I don't necessarily know much about my students' identities beyond what they are open to sharing. #sschat
A1 in any case, I usually focus on the ideas of resistance and uprise, the stories that emphasize the tremendous lengths and risks that slaves and abolitionists went to in their desire to bring slavery to an end #sschat
A1: I teach at a very diverse school. Due to this I focus all of my lessons around primary sources- let them learn from people they identify with. #sschat#hardhistory
That sounds tremendous! I honestly had no idea about the refugee population in Omaha Nebraska ..... this is a big part of what edu-Twitter is for!
#sschat
Historical events can appear quite differently depending on the POV from which they are presented. Also selection of which events to include is important. #sschat
Kids are going to hear these things differently, though. And, we, as teachers, can’t control how they interact with each other, even during class.
We need to be aware of how the topics will impact students.
#sschat
A1. Military presence in Colorado Springs adds an interesting twist. I taught in the Academy School District, which includes the USAFA and lots of military kids & kids from all over. #sschat
A1) This is challenging for me in my current position as I teach for an online HS. I don't necessarily know much about my students' identities beyond what they are open to sharing. #sschat
A1: I want my Ss to know that their voices (identities) matter...we do a lot of work throughout the year to prepare for teaching & learning #hardhistory. Understanding that we are all a part of opressed/oppressive groups is part of that learning. #sschat
I don't think anybody is suggesting *that* .... just consciousness about HOW the events are presented and discussed.
We're all here in #sschat to learn better ways!
"When we learn better, we do better" -- @PFHistory
In reply to
@historycomics, @classroomtools, @ERBeckman, @PFHistory
A1: what a timely question. I’ve been faced with rethinking what sources I use in class when discussing difficult and sensitive topics. My philosophy is to be “real” and authentic, however, I teach freshmen, and diverse freshmen. I need to be more aware of implicit bias #SSChat
A1. Work in a predominantly white district/town. Teaching issues of race and slavery takes a fine touch in #elemed. I'd like to think that we do a good job promoting and developing empathy in our school, and this leads to gasps of disgust when we talk in real human terms.
#sschat
We always select events. It is impossible to include everything. Students with more background knowledge do not need to retaught, and students with little need introductions. #sschat
I agree, being aware of your students' skill set is important, but filtering events isn't the route I would go. However, I have AP students and that does make a difference #sschat
In reply to
@historycomics, @classroomtools, @ERBeckman
#sschat We have been examing this topic for the past several years as we live and teach in Charlottesville with Monticello/UVA and Montpelier right in our backyard —this has become a much larger conversation over the past 18 months and we continue to struggle with it
Not really beyond something pretty simple w/ GTKY because it's rolling enrollment and self--paced. Students are starting at all different times during the year. They do some interaction (commenting in GDocs) but not always with same students depending on pace. #sschat
A1) This is challenging for me in my current position as I teach for an online HS. I don't necessarily know much about my students' identities beyond what they are open to sharing. #sschat
Definitely not!
But my teaching these topics has evolved as my experiences with students has grown and as I’ve talked with more students about how discussions affect them.
I want to be sure students see enslaved people as possessing agency.
#sschat
A1: Honestly? I don’t much. And that’s something I’m sitting with right now as an admin. I think this question speaks to how we often teach elementary Ss VS secondary Ss. I notice in secondary, we tend to teach *content* first, kids second. That’s a problem IMO #sschat
Nope, just making sure I am covered if there was. One parent did email me with "seriously, why did this even have to be sent out?" in full support of the curriculum #sschat
A1: I teach at a very diverse school. Due to this I focus all of my lessons around primary sources- let them learn from people they identify with. #sschat#hardhistory
99% of my students are Latinx - our Latin American studies class started by acknowledging the (often ignored) African roots within our culture and an exploration of the slave trade in Latin America & the Caribbean. #sschat
A1. Teachers must consider student background when constructing effective&appropriate lessons on hard history such as American slavery. Knowing about your students & their backgrounds can help ensure you do not single out students or put them in uncomfortable situations. #sschat
A2: I teach it in the context of the 13,14,15th amendments. We don’t cover slavery directly in our class, but use a lot of sources when covering civil war amendments. Primary sources, literacy tests, images, etc. #SSChat
99% of my students are Latinx - our Latin American studies class started by acknowledging the (often ignored) African roots within our culture and an exploration of the slave trade in Latin America & the Caribbean. #sschat
I think I am caught in a whirlwind of semantics right now. I think we are all saying the same thing, but those who don’t know me are putting a twist on my question. Certainly an emotional topic and difficult in the limitations of twitter. #SSChat
A2: I use a lot of Gilder sources, slave songs, migration records and patterns, video clips, artwork, etc. I had my APUSH students complete an extra credit assignment on 12 Years a Slave, their reactions were powerful. #sschat
A2: lean heavily on Fredrick Douglass's autobiography, fantastic account of rising up and succeeding in the face of ridiculous racism. Excerpts from Amistad, 12 Years A Slave, & Midde Passage (novel) highlight the hypocrisies of the traders & the courage of the resisters #sschat
A2-opening chapter of Frederick Douglass’s narrative. My 5th graders are deeply affected when they hear his description of being separated from his mother. #sschat
I’m a former NYC high school special education instructor with experience in teaching both Global and U.S. History. I’m in the chat to provide any resources that supported me throughout my tenure. #HardHistory#SSChat
A2: I teach it in the context of the 13,14,15th amendments. We don’t cover slavery directly in our class, but use a lot of sources when covering civil war amendments. Primary sources, literacy tests, images, etc. #SSChat
Q2: Ya’lls resource on slavery as well as TCI and the SPLC and as many primary sources as possible! The LOC and slave interviews from archives help immensely. #sschat
as many as are relevant/appropriate. 18th century prose can be fiendishly complex, all the more so when you consider that grammar and spelling had not really been standardized yet #sschat#engchat
Do you find that sometimes it is okay with everyone in class being uncomfortable for different reasons (different lenses) when covering difficult topics? I think there’s opportunity for learning there. And empathy! Thoughts? #sschat
A2 SLAVE NARRATIVES! I also bring in Blumenback and Linnaeus. Its always new material for the Ss and we get to touch on pseudoscience, racism, and white supremacy #SSchat
A2: I’m happy to say that I know many @WendellMiddle Ts (and our fantastic @LiberryLadyDex) often use @Tolerance_org as a go-to resource. I think an area of growth for us is really incorporating *local* history/stories into the larger narratives and counter-narratives #sschat
A1: I write with descendants of enslaved people in mind. Slavery is taught inadequately in schools, so many students leave feeling ashamed or embarrassed. My goal is to make them empowered. For those who are not descendants, I use activities designed to foster empathy #sschat
A2. #sschat#hardhistory a lot of primary sources and documents from the perspective of those who lived under the oppression. One of my favorite activities is to share an account of sharecropping and then show Ss that the account was after the passage of the 13th 14th and 15th
A2 Last year, I decided it was important to analyze the slaveowners' logic / perspective as well as the enslaved persons themselves.
My 8th graders sliced & diced the arguments of John C Calhoun, the "Mudsill" speech, and other slavery apologists. It was beautiful
#sschat
A2: I use a combination of resources from the LOC. I try to keep it to short quotes on a variety of aspects (culture/family/control/religion/etc. https://t.co/SzJVzFQV5P#sschat#HardHistory
A2: Photos and other primary sources. I also use articles about modern day slavery from Junior Scholastic and Newsela. CNN 10 has covered slavery as well. #SSChat
Freshmen. Slavery is covered in the 8th grade curriculum...kind of. The Ohio standards for HS Gov and US history start after the civil war. I cover it in the context of the amendments, but I KNOW not everyone in Ohio does. #sschat
If you teach secondary, I recommend the anthology Growing Up In Slavery for narratives by the formerly enslaves edited for easier classroom reading. #sschat#hardhistory
A2. I have shared @Tolerance_org Teaching Hard History #: American Slavery, especially the 2nd to last episode. We have a small SS dept so our team is not shy about the topic but are always looking for resources. #sschat#hardhistory It’s work we are now focused on.
A2: lean heavily on Fredrick Douglass's autobiography, fantastic account of rising up and succeeding in the face of ridiculous racism. Excerpts from Amistad, 12 Years A Slave, & Midde Passage (novel) highlight the hypocrisies of the traders & the courage of the resisters #sschat
#sschat As an early elem. teacher I rely often on literature as the conduit to meaningful discussions about slavery and the civil rights movement that followed. I have used Ruby Bridges biography and the personal contacts that I have had with her as a way to make connections.
A2) all kinds from visual to music to written...a favorite place to select sources is from PBS series “Africans in America” https://t.co/1vDBnAY8Tv#sschat
#sschat We have used the Teaching Hard History lessons and materials and worked with our local museums @JMMontpelier@TeachMonticello & @VAHumanities#JSAAHC to develop curriculum framed around local history including truth and racial healing
In reply to
@Tolerance_org, @JMMontpelier, @TeachMonticello, @VAHumanities
I made a similar assumption about my Ss knowledge level. I also have professor friends at large state universities who say that Ss are arriving with no knowledge about it. Have you thought about some type of pre-assessment so that Ss understand what/why they are learning? #SSChat
Freshmen. Slavery is covered in the 8th grade curriculum...kind of. The Ohio standards for HS Gov and US history start after the civil war. I cover it in the context of the amendments, but I KNOW not everyone in Ohio does. #sschat
discomfort is frequently a key element to education. if we are only ever comfortable in our assumptions, beliefs, opinions, we're lost. it's part of our jobs as teachers to manage the degree to which Ss experience that discomfort #sschat
In reply to
@MrDeGregorio, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
Link to my GoogleDoc of slightly modified primary source documents from the pro-slavery POV (with extra space in the margin for student annotation): https://t.co/ODGE8bEuot#sschat
A2. Though I am a pre-service teacher I think implementing primary sources in the classroom is pertinent for allowing students to critically analyze all sides of history, especially #hardhistory#sschat
A2: I use picture books to start tough conversations...everyone is going to feel uncomfortable...a picture book such as The Bell Rang allows you to begin the conversations slowly with lots of room for discussion, questioning and reflection. #sschat#HardHistory
A1: It’s everything when teaching American slavery. It’s a part of their history and needs to be taught as such. I know many feel uncomfortable when discussing it but I try to approach it with as much honesty as possible. #sschat#HardHistory
Joining late, #sschat! Joslyn from Michigan, teaching 8th, 9th, and 11th at an IB school. Really wanted to be here for the #hardhistory chat with @Tolerance_org - so I'll catch up, share what I can, and learn lots, I'm sure!
Q3. In our Teaching Hard History report, we emphasize the importance of using primary sources. What primary sources do you use when teaching about American slavery? #sschat#hardhistory
AND it is ok if some lessons and content aren't the most comfortable/easiest to teach and learn about...history is loaded with flawed men and ideas and Ss must learn from it. #sschat
In reply to
@mrshayELA_sd735, @MrDeGregorio, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
How do we manage that with emotionally damaging or triggering students that may have a history of violence or a sensitivity to it? I’m legitimately asking, as this has come up for me. #sschat
In reply to
@mrshayELA_sd735, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
Ken from Western Oregon Univ. & Center for Geography Education in Oregon. Just back from a 3-day weekend away. Such an important topic! Going to try to join in as much as I can as I unpack #sschat
Um...can we start using primary resources from the Confederacy that confirm that it wasn't about states rights or am I pushing to hard as a visitor on this chat? #sschat
I can see how that would be powerful.
I want Ss to understand evolution of slavery, including how ideas of race and racism evolved along with slavery.
If I used that source I would want Ss to understand Calhoun’s attitudes as the result, not the cause, of slave society.
#sschat
I LOVE getting my students to feel uncomfortable! I truly, truly believe this is where growth happens and we should encourage and welcome this awkward. #sschat
In reply to
@MrDeGregorio, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
A2: primary sources, including photographs and narratives, but it is a struggle...realizing that I bring bias even when I am trying to be balanced. Is this a topic where multiple perspectives shouldn't matter? #sschat#hardhistory
A2 we do a quilt/underground railroad project. Ss get a map of the school and a code for what different quilt squares mean. They build a quilt and give it to other Ss who have to get from our class to another location. They have to negotiate their way w/o getting stopped #sschat
I'm beginning to think I haven't done the issue of slavery justice through the years. While many of you are ms/hs Ts, there are a few avenues my elemED self could have traveled on the topic. Starting with music as resistance & resilience might have led to deeper convos.
#sschat
A2 Several Finding Your Roots episodes on @PBS with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. feature descendants of slaves. I am always moved by the personal, emotional weight of slavery when they discover bills of sale & other evidence of their ancestors' lives. #sschat
Frankly, we spent more time on the anti-slavery/abolitionist side: David Walker, Douglass, Garrison, and my 8th graders LOVED Angelina Grimke's verbal duel with the angry mob in Philadelphia.
https://t.co/Zcskk79NfW#sschat
Um...can we start using primary resources from the Confederacy that confirm that it wasn't about states rights or am I pushing to hard as a visitor on this chat? #sschat
Um...can we start using primary resources from the Confederacy that confirm that it wasn't about states rights or am I pushing to hard as a visitor on this chat? #sschat
A3: Similar A2, I really like to use reflections and journals of conquistadors to set the mindset of my students on how slavery evolved to the American model. I also like to use primary sources such as poems, songs, and art to display the beautiful culture impacted #sschat
Want to take a field trip to a historic home or plantation? Here’s how to choose one that honors the enslaved people who lived and worked there.
https://t.co/cXSfh1Q1vR#sschat
Forgot to introduce myself! I teach 8th grade US history in MD! We are currently learning about the Antebellum period and about to engage in writing a DBQ on Harriet Tubman #sschat#hardhistory
I fully agree with you. But I have been forced to evaluate the images/sources I use. Some are very graphic; I can defend them and do so, but not sure if it holds up. It’s a tough thing to weigh. I think they learn a lot from them, but at what cost? #sschat
In reply to
@BrittBrazz, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
incredibly difficult but equally important. gotta build strong classroom culture and one-to-one relationships. If possible, ask admin and social workers about relevant issues regarding violence, abuse, etc. gotta avoid those triggers for many reasons #sschat
In reply to
@MrDeGregorio, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
A2 Since I don't teach it directly (I teach ancient world), I do make a point of covering slavery as a world issue. Questions about American slavery always come up. That gives me a chance to address how the American institution is much different. #sschat
I know they often DONT get that content. It’s just not in our standards. You know the game. Covering what we can with the depth we can in the context of the state test. I lose class time to discuss content outside of the standards, but that’s a personal choice.
Yes! Historical context is very important, which is why I like using scaled timelines to point out the passage of time. Calhoun's 1837 speech comes after 200+ years of American slavery! #sschat
Do you mean that students shouldn’t articulate the slaveholder perspective? If so, I understand what you mean.
I do want students to see how slavery caused racism in the US, at least as much as the other way around.
#sschat#HardHistory
A2-I prefer to use excerpts from slave narratives as I think it is important for students to hear the voices of the slaves who endured the hardships. I like to pull from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, excerpts from Equiano and Northrop are a few...#sschat
Let's count the number of times kids feel uncomfortable about anything, and remember the feeling of discomfort ourselves as kids. I think they'll get through this. #sschat
I LOVE getting my students to feel uncomfortable! I truly, truly believe this is where growth happens and we should encourage and welcome this awkward. #sschat
In reply to
@MrDeGregorio, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
"none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization"- Mississippi Declaration of Secession #sschat
Spoiler-alert: during the civil war and prior, the confederate leaders were abundantly clear abt what their motives were. It was only after the war during reconstruction and the nadir that you really get the “lost cause” nonsense filled with a lot of slavery-denying mess #sschat
A3: I try to use first person accounts. Diaries and personal narratives help my 2nd grade students connect to the event that we are discussing. Younger kids have a really strong sense of fairness and they connect to those who are treated unfairly.#sschat
Agree 110%...I use some secession declarations to begin my “Road to the Civil War” unit to solidify that slavery was the cause and that our inquiry will focus on why it was the cause (use them again later on) #sschat
This is a good point @GeoJo22 , and I think it would be cool if Ss could see that in every content area there is an indirect (if not direct) connection to a contemporary issue. I am learning that from the THH podcast. #sschat
A2 Since I don't teach it directly (I teach ancient world), I do make a point of covering slavery as a world issue. Questions about American slavery always come up. That gives me a chance to address how the American institution is much different. #sschat
A1c: My white Ss also struggled the most with seeing the present day impact of slavery. Instead, they see it as a distant "event" in history that has been overcome. Whereas my Ss of color were able to draw those connections almost immediately. #sschat
A3) I use some w/ 8th grade American Studies from Olaudah Equiano, also w/ 9th grade world studies we use the Abina graphic novel & have Ss examine the primary sources that come along with it as well. I hope to use more from this https://t.co/eX1bBy1MWC too #hardhistory#sschat
Q3. In our Teaching Hard History report, we emphasize the importance of using primary sources. What primary sources do you use when teaching about American slavery? #sschat#hardhistory
When my class explores documents from the pro-slavery POV, I don't present them as "another perspective" on equal footing. We do not debate/discuss anyone's humanity in my classroom. It's more like "let's see why these people thought/acted that way"
#sschat
More import: is that cost evenly distributed amongst your students?
A great teacher once told me that they wanted their students to be “safe, but not comfortable.” Finding that line with the intensity of some of these sources is important.
#sschat
In reply to
@MrDeGregorio, @BrittBrazz, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
Read Jordan Winthrop's The White Man's Burden (a version of his White Over Black written for secondary students). Racism predated slavery in the anglo american mind. #sschat
A3: Speeches are useful tools. In a couple of months when we get to the Civil War unit I am planning to lead a Socratic seminar on Frederick Douglass's speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" #sschat
A3. Modern-day art from Kara Walker & Titus Kaphar, lots of historic paintings, slave narrative passages from Solomon Northrup, Frederick Douglas, Harriet Jacobs, runaway ads, and material culture. #sschat
In my collaborative planning I was told by the veteran teacher that I must remember to teach that the war was about states rights and that whites were not the only people to have slaves. I would love primary sources to back up my argument againsr teaching it that way.
it's worth adding that "state's rights" was a complete canard. When northern states started passing laws that assisted/protected freedmen and escaped slaves, southern states demanded federal action #SSChat
@Tolerance_org what do you have on Jim Crow era? I’d love to use your resources after receiving your slavery guide. Great content. I hung up my #HardHistory placard on my wall! #sschat
Read Jordan Winthrop's The White Man's Burden (a version of his White Over Black written for secondary students). Racism predated slavery in the anglo american mind. #sschat
A2: As a curriculum coordinator, I now guide all Ts to Teaching Tolerance resources as well as institutions that support teaching black history. However, when I was a classroom T over a decade ago, I did not do this well + was largely ignorant of the wealth of resources. #sschat
A3: I have used Frederick Douglass’ account of his conditions living as an enslaved man. I have also used various accounts of the Nat Turner event to show Ss bias. I want to get a collection of past president’s views so Ss see how embedded it was #sschat#HardHistory
That one I know. I've worked with that one before.
I just need to do more with it than what I was doing. Too shallow.
5th & 6th graders, so a certain level of kid-gloved-ness. But I can push more to deepen their understanding and widen their world view.
#sschat
Q3. In our Teaching Hard History report, we emphasize the importance of using primary sources. What primary sources do you use when teaching about American slavery? #sschat#hardhistory
Q4. Students arrive in your classroom with their own ideas about American slavery. How do you elevate student voice in lessons about American slavery while also challenging misconceptions and misinformation? #sschat#hardhistory
A3: My entire unit is taught through primary sources. One ex is when teaching abolitionism I use 2 qoutes from Fredrick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, & William Lloyd Garrison then have students complete a sensory figure from the POV of an Abolitionist. #sschat#HardHistory
A1: As someone who fashions himself as a local historian, who teaches in a district that is over 80 percent African American and 6 percent Native American, I don’t hold anything back, though I try to remain sensitive to student identities. #sschat#HardHistory
Right. It's a tricky balance. But we can't send students out to the hallways without some attempt to reflect on their discomfort, and perhaps to learn what they learned (and didn't) with an exit ticket or something similar
#sschat
#sschat@Tolerance_org Q3 We have been examining primary sources shared @JMMontpelier “Mere Distinction of Colour” exhibit (all SS teachers should come to VA & see this)They do an excellent job of using slave narratives, artifacts to tell the story & start the conversation w/ Ss
A1 I teach more around the civil rights movement but I spend a lot of time examining bias, whiteness, racism in individuals as well as systems with with students. My students are about 60% white usually #sschat
Hey #sschat-ers, it is school vacation week up here which means I can actually join a live chat! It has been a while. Love this topic. Have any of you been to @RoyallHouse in Medford, MA? It has done a fantastic job telling the tale of Northern slavery.
James Loewen’s Neo-Confederate reader is a collection of commentary and primary sources that will easily debunk this. Ts: if you’re teaching this, you’re performing educational malpractice. There’s no debate among historians. The debate happens in schools. #sschat
A4: It is a pretty basic approach, but a KWL will help with this. Misconceptions and misinformation always provides a great opportunity for evidence-based learning and source evaluation. #sschat
You definitely need to read Winthrop Jordan. His work has stood the test of time, and is fundamental to understanding the roots of racism (especially the viciousness of our form) in the Anglo-American mind. #sschat
Read Succession Orders---those "state's rights" were their right to own people. Ask your T-friend "what did they want the state's rights for? What rights were they asking for in particular? And what were the underlying issues to those "reasons?" <--*hint... all slavery #sschat
A4: I find that with a topic like slavery, most students in my class are very, very hesitant to voice any opinion that could be misinterpreted. I encourage them and try to create a safe space for open conversation, but it’s such an awkward topic. #sschat
While this may be true we can't ignore that slavery was at the root of the war. The Civil War has a huge impact on the lives of enslaved people. We must look at all aspects political, economic and social. #sschat
Early elementary students have a nascent sense of historical thinking, so a little bit of chronology and geography can help anchor their thinking. #SSChat#HardHistory
Read Succession Orders---those "state's rights" were their right to own people. Ask your T-friend "what did they want the state's rights for? What rights were they asking for in particular? And what were the underlying issues to those "reasons?" <--*hint... all slavery #sschat
A3. #sschat#hardhistory 2 docs I always teach: (1) the codification of chattel slavery by the VA house of burgesses and (2) docs about slave revolts (since Kanye teed that one up for us)
A3 I am currently reading Blight's biography of Frederick Douglass. Douglass' words from his own experiences would be important to include, I think. #sschat
As @janellemwriter said, I teach with descendants of slavery, primarily American, in mind. We can’t afford to sugarcoat this horrible institution we still feel the effects of today. Whites, Blacks and Native Americans all owned slaves. #sschat#HardHistory
"Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938 contains more than 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves."
https://t.co/L8AtS3q8xU
I think this is really important. How much are the students in your class learning? vs. How much are they unlearning? I think you can't start a slavery unit without figuring out where everyone is to start. #sschat
Q4. Students arrive in your classroom with their own ideas about American slavery. How do you elevate student voice in lessons about American slavery while also challenging misconceptions and misinformation? #sschat#hardhistory
A3) Difficult to explain pro-slavery thinking without using primary sources...tend to use “Mudsill Theory” “Universal Law of Slavery” as two selections in addition to selections from DeBow’s Review #sschat
Q3. In our Teaching Hard History report, we emphasize the importance of using primary sources. What primary sources do you use when teaching about American slavery? #sschat#hardhistory
A4 I start by asking Ss to write all they know about slavery, this way I know what I'm up against. A lot of un-learning and re-learning takes place. #sschat
A3 I always like to use an art piece because my students respond more effectively when they can put faces to a suffering minority group. #sp19edfb4338#sschat
I certainly am not arguing that slavery in the US did not effect the ongoing racism in our history; just that the racism that formed in the anglo-american mind before slavery set up all that followed. #sschat
Acknowledging this with Ss is an important intervention. When I am doing European imperialism in Africa with students, for instance, I will say that images may affect Ss differently.
Also, I don’t post images like this online resource. I want to be able to contextualize.
#sschat
In reply to
@MrDeGregorio, @BrittBrazz, @LivSalonen, @Tolerance_org
A4) I feel like that's our job for all content, but it is particularly important for teaching #hardhistory like this. Some of it is giving them different info & evidence. Some is getting them to think about what they know, how they know it, why they trust(ed) it. #sschat
Q4. Students arrive in your classroom with their own ideas about American slavery. How do you elevate student voice in lessons about American slavery while also challenging misconceptions and misinformation? #sschat#hardhistory
A4: I have found that younger Ss often come to school with a host of misconceptions. They tend to be very set in their opinions because they have been shared bytheir parents. I use lit. and historical text to help help recognize injustice and look for alternatives. #sschat
A4: It's common for Ss to have misconceptions/misinformation. This is why primary sources are vital. Reflective journals and thought provoking questions about primary sources elevate student voice. #sschat#hardhistory
Students need sources beyond those that neatly package slavery as a distant horror, long buried in our past. It was an institution on which this country was built. I show presidents’ lists of enslaved people, pics of gov bldgs & elite universities built by enslaved ppl #sschat
A3: I use Frederick Douglass's autobiography, Olaudah Equiano's testimony, amendments to the Constitution, and various letters from slaveowners. for advanced students, I add in Bartolomo de las Casas #sschat
Q3. In our Teaching Hard History report, we emphasize the importance of using primary sources. What primary sources do you use when teaching about American slavery? #sschat#hardhistory
#HardHistory I’m sure there is a reason for the “hard history” title, but I’m perplexed why we name the teaching of slavery hard. It’s hard for who? Teachers or students? Would someone please clarify? #sschat
A4: Student voice is important in any topic, however I always revert back to our primary sources. Students learn to become more comfortable using historical details in their rhetoric and start to realize their own misconceptions. #HardHistory#sschat
A4 #sschat Most know little about Northern slavery or the prevalence of slavery in colonial/revolutionary MA. We study the Quock Walker and MumBet cases and use the excellent @DBQProject miniQ on Northern Slavery.
A3 also important to use sources like Cornerstone Speech and CSA state's new Constitution. Lastly use a collection Cotton, Cloth, and Conflict that shows effect of slavery in Lowell, MA #sschat
Our Inquiry Design Models create space for students to engage w/ primary source documents and develop answers to compelling questions, encouraging students to think not only about the history of enslavement, but also how it affects us today. #sschathttps://t.co/xZIduPEPdq
A4: In September set the expectation that we need to be respectful of each other. Sometimes having Ss journal first, then share out is helpful too #SSChat
A4: Brain dumps to learn what they "know", discussion norms (disagree w/ea other in civil manner), facilitate research, encourage questions, explain that there are a lot of misconceptions and misunderstood information...it's ok to change your understanding as you learn. #sschat
A1a: What a great question... I think we need to to show the thorough story of slavery. It is a horribly uncomfortable topic which is why it is often not taught, and which is the reason it should be. I have found that my white Ss understood it the least.
A3) selections from Solomon Northup always intrigue me to use as they show viewpoint of person who experienced freedom first and then interpreted slavery through a unique lense of that period #sschat
Q3. In our Teaching Hard History report, we emphasize the importance of using primary sources. What primary sources do you use when teaching about American slavery? #sschat#hardhistory
A4: I think this looks different depending on who is in the room (Ts & Ss)
I do think it’s critical that we don’t present slavery as a result of “mindsets” that lead to policy, but precisely the opposite. @DrIbram does a great job explaining this #sschat
Do you have a @wakelet account..it's free to sign up...after the chat you can create an archive by searching hashtag and save all the posts you like! #sschat#HardHistory
Q4. Students arrive in your classroom with their own ideas about American slavery. How do you elevate student voice in lessons about American slavery while also challenging misconceptions and misinformation? #sschat#hardhistory
I think student voice is also important for students who come prepared to your class for this conversation where they may hear a lot of misconceptions. I want my children to go in confidently, even though it will be uncomfortable and maybe even hurtful. #sschat
A4: Student voice is important in any topic, however I always revert back to our primary sources. Students learn to become more comfortable using historical details in their rhetoric and start to realize their own misconceptions. #HardHistory#sschat
A4: students write down their anonymous insights/opinions/knowledge of American slavery and drop them in a box. These become part of my backward-planning for misconceptions we have to address. #sschat#hardhistory
Q4. Students arrive in your classroom with their own ideas about American slavery. How do you elevate student voice in lessons about American slavery while also challenging misconceptions and misinformation? #sschat#hardhistory
A4 Slavery I think is very suited to a Socratic seminar type delivery method. That way, the class-- as a community-- is confronting the same essential questions. Getting Ss to think about the same thing in a safe, supportive atmosphere lends voice to all. #sschat
Ditto! Reading @DrIbram's book now and trying to figure out when/how to make it accessible to my 8th graders. Already shared some stories with a 9th grader who is using some of it for her own research paper. #sschat#hardhistory
Same. I don't even ask "what do you know?" I usually ask "what have you heard about it?" or "what do you think you know?" to give space for them to put forth ideas that they may be hesitant to own. #sschat
There are many stories of resistance that could be included like Nat Turner, of course, but also The Stono Rebellion and Vesey. Here's a great place to start. #sschathttps://t.co/GxvK4ejdDy
A4 When I taught US Hist to 10th graders they often thought they already knew about slavery bc it had been covered in early grades.
Challenge to show them that slavery had a history.
#sschat
A4 In middle grades this starts with the opening lesson. Remind sts that it’s ok to ask questions, it’s ok to feel confused, it’s ok to be embarrassed or angry, and it’s ok to just listen. This makes challenging misinformation easier #sschat#hardhistory
Tonight's #sschat is zooming by even faster than usual!
That's why we post a @wakelet archive soon after the end of the chat session
Previous archived chats: https://t.co/3hS2wH4oNi
A4: Helping students analyze primary sources so they are able to vividly hear the voices of history helps challenge misconceptions and misinformation. #sschat
A4: Station activity w varied primary sources, including art is an effective way to enlighten students and draw them into powerful conversations. #sschat
Primary sources. I also let students research newspaper ads for freedom seekers to attempt to put themselves in the shoes of the owner & of the enslaved property, & speak on how they felt while completing the assignment. #sschat#HardHistory
Q4: a lot of my kiddos assume that slavery only took place in the south. We discuss the role of cotton slavery to validate this but also use primary sources to show the north’s reliance on cotton as well as the fact that there was slavery in the north. This drives inquiry #sschat
Then you can shift the center of the topic away from good/bad, enslaved/enslaver to something more analytic or more focused on a source or set of sources.
#sschat
Thanks for sharing. I teach a unit on the civil war to civil rights to 8th graders. Could help them contexualize the urgency of the Civil Rights Movement #sschat#hardhistory
"Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938 contains more than 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves."
https://t.co/L8AtS3q8xU
We love this! We created this quiz to serve as a starting point toward understanding the gaps in your students’ previous education and as a tool to help you move forward. #sschat#hardhistory
A4 I start by asking Ss to write all they know about slavery, this way I know what I'm up against. A lot of un-learning and re-learning takes place. #sschat
A4: I tell my Ss that US history is rough and ugly but we work over time to do better. I encourage them to reflect and talk about what is on their minds. We do our best to clear up the misconceptions #SSchat#HardHistory
Was the freedom seeker trying to reunite with family? Were they just trying to escape? Did they have a trade? How do those factors influence whether someone attempts to seek his or her freedom, etc.? #sschat#HardHistory
A5: I like to teach its application globally and across time. We talk about what it looked like in the Bible, Roman's, how it compares to serfdom and indentured servitude etc. #sschat
What I have noticed is that there are huge gaps in knowledge between American slavery and the Civil Rights era. That's 100 years! Why would we need the Civil Rights era if the Reconstruction legislation was actually enforced? #SSChat
A4) one of my favorite lessons is a fishbowl discussion analyzing selection of slave narrative accounts showing array of experiences-through this collaborative dialogue, students arrive at deeper meaning together #sschat
Q4. Students arrive in your classroom with their own ideas about American slavery. How do you elevate student voice in lessons about American slavery while also challenging misconceptions and misinformation? #sschat#hardhistory
A4: my warm-up every class is a table-talk this allows students to share their knowledge with low risk. After we go through the EQ for the day, each group shares a highlight from the talk & as a class we connect what we already know to what we will learn. #sschat#HardHistory
A4. Primary sources include these audio recordings in Voices from the Days of Slavery, accompanied by exhibits to provide context. https://t.co/TYkqt9QTHZ#sschat
Yes! I reworked our Revolutions unit for 8th grade to focus on rebellion and resistance, looked at Stono, Turner, and other enslaved people's revolts as well as resistance from indigenous groups against European settlers before we looked at the American Rev. #sschat#hardhistory
There are many stories of resistance that could be included like Nat Turner, of course, but also The Stono Rebellion and Vesey. Here's a great place to start. #sschathttps://t.co/GxvK4ejdDy
A5. I try to show students that slavery has been a constant across continents and time. In 8th grade, they make connections to the Civil Rights movement. I discuss it in the context of Black Lives Matter, reparations, Marcus Garvey, WEB DuBois vs. Washington in Gilded Age #sschat
Q4: There are multiple ways to elevate student voice in the classroom. I’ve used seminars, inclusive curriculum design and collaborative projects that require students to work together and make meaning through a sharing of their own personal histories. #SSChat
A5 I explain that American slavery set in motion the gross inequities in our system and while people may say “but it was so long ago” you cannot separate today from the stain of slavery. #sschat (the genocide of the Natives here connects too. We started off immoral and unjust)
A5: In my elementary class we have made connections to the African-American experience with slavery and and the Jewish experience in the Holocaust. As I mentioned in an earlier post, kids have the ability to see injustice.
#sschat
A5: Slavery is an institution that predated 1800 and lasted well past the Civil War. We cannot treat it as a historical "event" but instead show the continuities and changes across time to help Ss understand how it still impacts our lived experience today. #sschat
#sschat@Tolerance_org Q4 one istake I think divisions make is waiting to discuss #Hard history until kids are in upper ES or MS. @TeachMonticello does a great job talking about TJ & the Hemings family as well as slavery with our 2nd graders - factual, honest & age appropriate
A5: I like to teach its application globally and across time. We talk about what it looked like in the Bible, Roman's, how it compares to serfdom and indentured servitude etc. #sschat
A5: Ss need to understand that slavery still exists today. We watch CNN 10 every week and read news articles from Junior Scholastic and Newsela. Making connections really matters #SSChat
A5: At the same time I was teaching the Atlantic Slave Trade my ELA classes were dissecting #IHaveADream. After reading Equiano I asked students to brainstorm why Dr. King used the imagery of manacles and chains in his speech. #HardHistory#sschat
History: African American: Primary Sources - A @uwlibraries research guide to primary and secondary sources for African American history. #sschathttps://t.co/SChzmkTc9q
I hope the concept of the “Long Civil Rights Movement” catches on more quickly in secondary classrooms to emphasize agency of reformers throughout those 100 yrs (and beyond King) #sschat
Second the Loewen rec. Read the SC Articles if your students are old enough. Also, it is true that not only Europeans enslaved people. Teaching the complicated history of different ways that enslavement has existed helps students understand the past and present. #sschat
In reply to
@mikeaustinwest, @Mrs_Pawlikowski, @ValeriaBrownEdu
Speaking from outside the classroom...
I think of the umbrella as oppression in which slavery is the most heinous element. Abolishing slavery just shifted the oppression, which is inevitable. Describe how MLK brought this together 100 years later...and continues today. #sschat A5
A5 we teach a unit that ties together slavery, reconstruction and the long night into the Civil Rights Movement. modern day slavery is relevant, but exploring how oppressive policies in 17-20th centuries leads to change in the 50s&60s is v powerful #sschat
A5. I see all parts of American History as where we see the inclusion or exclusion of slavery. I’m pushing Ts to see how it has been woven in and how at every moment of black resistance, the gov’t set up a new system of laws. #sschat#hardhistory It’s been very uncomfrtable
I was teaching a/b the Reconstruction Amendments today! So many connections, especially the 13th which still allows slavery to exist in the US in our prison system. Jim Crow, the gutting of the VRA by USSC, etc. There are abolitionists still around today. #sschat#HardHistory
A4: Connecting slavery to other eras like the Civil Rights Movement and current issues (economic, social, political realities) helps elevate student voices-understanding that while progress has occurred there is still (much!) work to be done-and WE have to do the work.
Same. I don't even ask "what do you know?" I usually ask "what have you heard about it?" or "what do you think you know?" to give space for them to put forth ideas that they may be hesitant to own. #sschat
A51: Allowing kids to connect with people like Ruby Bridges, a person who dealt with discrimination well after the slavery period allows kids to see how even kids the same age as they are currently were treated in an unjust and discriminatory way. #sschat
A4 I really have to plug @Tolerance_org on this one again. The last episode(18) of Teaching Hard History - American Slavery addresses the questions students ask us and also the ones we have. So helpful. #sschat
Our framework is organized to provide guidelines and resources for teaching about slavery's impact on these eras:
Pre-colonial & Colonial era
Revolutionary Period
The Early Republic
The Expansion of Slavery
The Sectional Crisis & Civil War
https://t.co/3BKELVGccu#sschat
Great historical video artifact; "The Negro Soldier" - 1943 by Frank Capra. Shows the bravery of black soldiers throughout all of America's wars. But never mentions slavery, jim crow, segregation, racism https://t.co/jv4BKq6m4E#sschat
A5 Students should be provided class opportunities to explore its correlation to white privilege (supremacist) thought, ongoing socio-economic, health, & educational opportunities & differences among races #sschat
A5: 1. Jim Crow Laws during Reconstruction & laws during American Slavery 2. Treatment of enslaved persons & Jews during Holocaust. 3. Modern day slavery. The @FreedomCenter in Cincinnati has an exhibit that shows modern versions of slavery that exist today. #sschat#hardhistory
A5 #sschat Much like many New Englanders thinking slavery was unique to the South, we also get WAY too easy a pass on school desegregation topics in most textbooks. Here's the resource on Boston and desegregation my team put together when I worked for BPS https://t.co/sLvofGqKHA
I think many Ts just don't know how to cover the Reconstruction and Gilded Age eras. Thankfully, through historians like David Blight and organizations like @Tolerance_org and @Gilder_Lehrman & historic sites like @MountVernon & @TJMonticello, it's improving. #sschat
In reply to
@ValeriaBrownEdu, @Tolerance_org, @Gilder_Lehrman, @MountVernon, @TJMonticello
A5) I teach world history and touch on slavery as practiced in different cultures at different times. Ss always surprised, for ex, that some enslaved people in Rome served as doctors & teachers. Opportunity to point out diffs, esp w/ chattel slavery in Americas. #sschat
Q4: I’d add that students enter into the classroom with many misconceptions of not only American slavery but history itself. At the beginning of the academic year its imperative to assess student knowledge and then construct lessons with checks for understanding. #SSChat
A4b. ...misconceptions. Be committed to the learning process. Move all Ss towards greater understanding. Help them to place their understandings into a historical context using evidence. #sschat
A5) 1 Way: I wish I had permission to show @ava's 13th with my 8th graders (and the ability to show Netflix at school), but for now, I mention it to Ss & explain the ideas of the film - explaining the FULL text of the 13th amend. and lasting implications. #hardhistory#sschat
Ss paired up to compare Federalist and Anti-federalist ideologies. Form. assess. was to make a meme that highlighted the diff. for their assigned section. I used the memes to build this quiz: https://t.co/LDOw822QfZ#sschat#edtech#APgov#sscentered
We can take it back to the roots of the US. Multiple presidents owned slaves, including the Virginia Dynasty (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe). The Halifax Resolves that predates the DOI was pro slavery, accusing the British of arming slaves. #sschat#HardHistory
Can you recommend it for viewing at home with families? Also, I sent home permission slips and my 8th graders volunteered to give up 3 lunches to watch Hotel Rwanda. #sschat
A5) 1 Way: I wish I had permission to show @ava's 13th with my 8th graders (and the ability to show Netflix at school), but for now, I mention it to Ss & explain the ideas of the film - explaining the FULL text of the 13th amend. and lasting implications. #hardhistory#sschat
A5 Use an essential question to study slavery which also is relevant to other periods--a question like "Are Americans faithful or unfaithful to the values stated in the Declaration of Independence?" That Q can be reintroduced in industrialization, New Deal and so on #sschat
A5 I like to connect American slavery globally and show students different perspectives from global leaders or influencers, on slavery in America. Ex:Daniel O'Connel in Ireland. #sp19edfb4338#sschat
A5 because of my school's population, we draw a contrast between enforced enslavement of Africans and voluntary but forced emigration of refugees from economic, dictatorial, and environmental situations. The contrasts breed compassion; the similarities forge solidarity #sschat
"Wings for this Man" is a propaganda film produced in 1945 by the U.S. Army Air Forces First Motion Picture Unit about the Tuskegee Airmen. Bonus: Narrated by Ronald Reagan. #sschathttps://t.co/wgO0v201gw
A5 Students should be provided class opportunities to explore its correlation to white privilege (supremacist) thought, ongoing socio-economic, health, & educational opportunities & differences among races #sschat
Q5: one facet my students struggle with is the period of “second slavery” with the sharecropping contracts and segregation. We often tie in Civil Rights to help them see the continued struggle. As well as issues facing communities of color today such as BLM. #sschat
When my class explores documents from the pro-slavery POV, I don't present them as "another perspective" on equal footing. We do not debate/discuss anyone's humanity in my classroom. It's more like "let's see why these people thought/acted that way"
#sschat
My 8th graders learned about the 13th-15th Amendments earlier this month.
"Then how come states could have those Jim Crow laws?" they asked. [sigh]
#sschat
A5) using “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” by Douglass is a powerful Socratic Seminar document (can be excerpted down) to draw connections with more modern issues in respect to liberty, founding ideals #sschat
I teach in Halifax County, NC, where we have 3 racially segregated school districts, so we’re still feeling the effects of Jim Crow, which came out of slavery, today. I make local connections to make it relevant, tying it into local landmark court cases, etc. #sschat#HardHistory
I wonder how the green book might be framed as a powerful act of resistance & strength. I imagine you are saying "so sad" to the idea that it was needed (yes!) & I think it's an opportunity to demonstrate the powerful struggle toward freedom #sschat
In reply to
@MrDeGregorio, @MapM8ker, @Tolerance_org
A5. I have a timeline that we refer back to before lessons, putting the period of American slavery in the context of the rest of American race relations. My goal is that students understand that we live with the consequences of slavery every day - all of us. #SSChat#HardHistory
A6: Teaching #HardHistory means that we want to learn from the situation, to change the narrative of the future...without discussion and learning we are basically saying, "Well it happened, no big deal". #sschat
Your post reminds me of Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow and how oppression kept shifting forms as certain avenues for practicing it were cut off. #sschat
This also might be a symptom of states (like Massachusetts until recently) structuring US History courses which end in 1865.
Yay! "We" won the Civil War!
(later: teaching Reconstruction in September while students are still adjusting back to life at school)
#sschat
A5. Utilizing excerpts from Michelle Alexander’s @thenewjimcrow with @Tolerance_org’s excellent teacher guide has helped my students make contemporary connections to slavery. #sschat#hardhistory
A6. It’s essential bc of events like Charlottesville and Michael Brown’s murder. Electing Pres Obama didn’t end anything if anything it pushed segments of people to strike back with DJT. We are not a post-racial society. We still have a lot to work on. #hardhistory#sschat
The history of slavery is the history of America – “It is often said that slavery was our country’s original sin, but it is much more than that. Slavery is our country’s origin.” #sschathttps://t.co/RwRDukOQEG
A6: I think that teaching the #HardHistory of slavery is one of the most important lessons we can teach-it informs the African American experience through today. Ss cannot fully understand the dynamics that exist today without an understanding of our past #SSChat
A5: I have improved in my approach by making sure slavery is Not one chapter in the book but continues through our timeline. I have used #FindingYourRoots to connect with Ss the importance of slavery & personal history with US history #sschat#HardHistory
Daniel O'Connell is from my family's hometown in Cahirsiveen, Co. Kerry. I teach AP Euro and I want to make sure the European role in the global slave trade- and the slave-like conditions imposed by Britain, Russia, & other powers on so many people are highlighted. #sschat A5
And the white experience. And the white experience. And the white experience. And the white experience. And the white experience. And the white experience. And the white experience. And the white experience.
We have acted as if this is one-sided for too long. #sschat
A6: I think that teaching the #HardHistory of slavery is one of the most important lessons we can teach-it informs the African American experience through today. Ss cannot fully understand the dynamics that exist today without an understanding of our past #SSChat
A6: because it brings light to equality issues now, sets up the JCL, "Separate, but equal," and the entire Civil Rights Era.
It is so essential to understanding humanity, empathy, and acceptance... and what can happen when people in power make poor decisions. #sschat
#sschat@Tolerance_org Q5 The ugly remnants of slavery, Jim Crow & ongoing racial inequality part of everyday life in VA (blackface, Unite the Right) so we’ve had to tackle #hardhistory more aggressively-Honest community dialogues about race, socioecon status &racial profiling
A5: #SSChat I make the connection by centering the stories of the oppressed in the discussion of the construction of American institutions. One example: Constitution/Plessy v. Ferguson/ 13th Amendment/New Jim Crow/13th Doc on Netflix or the Kalief Browder Story/Meek Mill.
I recently tweeted about this exemplary video of a 3rd grade class using primary sources to understand the concept of segregation. https://t.co/c2j0hUcRkn#sschat
Been quietly reading through the experience and collective wisdom of you all. Collecting docs & resources, too. Thank you for sharing so much of your expertise and tools of the trade.
I appreciate the challenge to evolve as a teacher.
#sschat
Perspective and enduring perspectives...what we believed, what our thoughts are built upon, who we've descended from...all so important. #sschat#HardHistory
Q4. One myth I think is important to analyze is the response of the north in regards to slavery. Not the ownership of slaves, but how their purchasing habits and ambivilance helped slavery strengthen in the south. #sschat
A6 How else are we to make sense of the police killings of young black men and boys, and so much else that flashes by out of context in the daily news? #sschat
A5 #sschat#hardhistory I recently had a great discussion with Ss about this passage where Crooks, in the 1930s, all those decades after “emancipation,” is reduced to a slave-like state by Curley’s wife.
A6) Our society doesn't deal with #hardhistory, complexity, or long-term consequences of decisions right now. We need our Ss to think critically, question honestly, and consider lasting implications of our past and present so they can make a better future. #sschat
A6. I tell my MS students from the beginning of the year that "history is a collection of stories". Every group deserves to hear it's story and every group's story has lasting impacts. We can't understand the present w/o understanding the past (cliche, but true)! #sschat
Just saw the movie today with my 14-year-old. The story is presented very palatably, though I appreciate that it educates about the existence of green books. For those who've seen it, I welcome any advice on conversations about what's depicted. It ain't Eyes on the Prize. #sschat
In reply to
@ChristieNold, @MrDeGregorio, @MapM8ker, @Tolerance_org
A6: Why would it not be important to stand up for those who have been oppressed. Injustice is injustice. Kids of all ages have a particular sense of right and wrong.
They can cut through the political and look at simply right and wrong.
#sschat
We need to understand that chattel slavery allowed the US to become, and remain today, through the prison industrial complex (which is only slavery by another name) the wealthiest country in the world. Our very being as a nation comes out of slavery. #sschat#HardHistory
A6: Considering globally - in the US we haven’t had the period of facing this #hardhistory, for example like S. Africa with their Truth&Reconciliation or how Germany tackled how to deal w/Holocaust. Not perfect, but US needs a time for restoration/reconciliation #sschat
I enjoyed joining #sschat for a few questions this evening dinner and dishes! Thank you for moderating with important questions about #hardhistory, @Tolerance_org.
A6: Slavery existed in this country for +/- 400 of +/-600 years, followed by another 100 years of segregation. Its legacy is everywhere around us, whether it's the poverty and violence or the electoral college that determines who wins Presidential elections. #sschat#hardhistory
Yes! This is so important! Racism was not over when President Obama won the election, but continues to impact housing, employment, policing, and even school discipline. Projects on these topics is a good way to turn the history of slavery and racism into authentic learning.
A6) I don't think one can understand current American politics, culture, economics, etc. without understanding how slavery was foundational in the founding of the U.S. #sschat
A6 In order to humanize others both past & present, to disarm white privilege, to facilitate empathic citizens in the world, & instill critical thinking skills. Those are the ones off the top of my head. I'm sure there's many more reasons it's essential! #sschat
A5 Use an essential question to study slavery which also is relevant to other periods--a question like "Are Americans faithful or unfaithful to the values stated in the Declaration of Independence?" That Q can be reintroduced in industrialization, New Deal and so on #sschat
Q6: I recently had a student of color say “Miss, this gives my people a voice. It might be hard but I can hear them talking to me”. The idea that nothing was hidden from them and they heard the truth of it makes them feel so empowered and respected. #sschat
Yes. I teach SS w/ a focus on US history, and we’ve done explorers thru Civil War in the past. This year I’m working on a “Civil War to Civil Rights” unit. I’ve realized that when that 100 years is lost, so is the meaning of the Civil Rights era. #sschat
In reply to
@BusbinsClassAHS, @MrKitMath, @ValeriaBrownEdu
I oughtta read that.
I feel like oppression is human nature, despite claims that kids "learn" to hate. They learn the specific hierarchy of their culture. #sschat
Our framework's Key Concepts 8 and 9—two of the 10 concepts we want students to understand before graduating—underscore this point. #sschat#hardhistory
A6 To learn from our forefathers mistakes and to grow to accept everyone based on character, rather than skin color or culture. Its saddening to see that people are still being discriminated against in todays society. #sp19edfb4338#sschat
Also somewhere between 2 and 5 million Natives were enslaved in the Americas. Recommend The Other Slavery about this, and also about the disturbing and persistent enslavement of Natives. #sschat
Don't forget to teach about the Lost Cause and how the Daughter's of the Confederacy worked relentlessly to frame a narrative still present today | https://t.co/Dwoee35pi9 | #sschat
I'm curious about this approach - how might class norms/agreements (we use @CC_AboutRace agreements) support having courageous conversations regardless of class demographics? #sschat
In reply to
@mrshayELA_sd735, @flipping_A_tchr, @historycomics, @CC_AboutRace
A6) while we often preach foundations of America in positive terms, slavery too is a foundational pillar that we must grapple w/ both its role during and consequences of (highly recommend Half Has Never Been Told) #sschat
One of the best developments in my department over past two decades has been the growth of teaching Reconstruction in US History.
Keep up the good work: @therealHLR@revival_Luke@nwceagle20#sschat
In reply to
@ValeriaBrownEdu, @therealHLR, @revival_Luke, @nwceagle20
A5: As educators, specifically ones focused on #DecolonizeEdu, there is a necessity to move away from teaching history chronologically and in isolation of other events. #SSChat
Join us next Monday (2/25) at 6PM CST to talk "Avoiding Teacher Burnout!" As the winter months continue, we'll have a great discussion with @MsAustinsPowers about keeping the energy and engagement up in the classroom! #engsschat#sschat#engchat#edchat#elachat
