It’s no secret that the indigenous people of the Americas suffered a catastrophic collapse in the 16th century, driven by disease and the genocidal practices of European colonizers. Every year, fierce debates rage over the legitimacy of Columbus Day, with detractors pointing to Christopher Columbus’s mistreatment of native people. One of the most barbaric, gut-wrenching,... Continue Reading →
Note: If you have not read Historical thinking skills in the classroom, Part 1: Shifting your mindset, do that before reading this article! We've finally made it to the portion of this series where I detail what the skills are and how to teach them in the classroom! As always, this has come a year... Continue Reading →
Update (9/7/25): An update was issued regarding the origins of the supposed Silk Road drawing. Two years ago, I wrote an article on historical thinking skills in the classroom after I had read a few books that introduced me to the topic. In my opinion, the article is decent and makes some solid points, but... Continue Reading →
It's no secret that us Social Studies teachers have felt like we're walking on eggshells for the last few years: calls to ban books, raging debates around the teaching of Critical Race Theory, and the numerous "divisive concepts" laws that have had the unintended outcome of making us targets. Whether you're in a liberal, conservative,... Continue Reading →
Let me pose a question: What were you taught about Columbus?
Wednesday was a tough day. Of course, going to school the day after a mass school shooting always is. Compounding that, our school had a student-planned mental health assembly, and the keynote speaker, unbeknownst to us, just happened to be the mother of a Sandy Hook victim. As I sat there listening to her presentation... Continue Reading →
ATTENTION: While still worth the read, this article is outdated. Please read Historical thinking skills in the classroom, Part 1: Shifting your mindset for the most updated ideas on historical thinking skills in the classroom. We've all been there before: after reading a section in your history book and answering the comprehension questions the night... Continue Reading →
History in Focus 