Secondary History Discussion
Teaching Stuart History in Secondary Schools
Lisa Hann
June 19th at 11:26 am
June 19th at 11:26 am
I am writing a dissertation looking at how museums can provide education programmes reaching the new national curriculum objectives for secondary schools, by focussing on Stuart history. I would really appreciate some input from teachers as to the main barriers to teaching Stuart history at key stage 3. This would greatly help me gain an understanding of what museums can do to provide education facilities in this subject area. Barriers may be in terms of location, organisation, teachers' personal subject knowledge, or school policy for example. I will be very grateful for any advice or opinions on the matter. Thank You.
2 Responses to Teaching Stuart History in Secondary Schools
2
Probably too late now to be of any use but I have taught Stuarts at A level as well as KS3 and many of the same difficulties arise! The 17th dcentury is one of my favourites but I still struggle to make it exciting for students because I get bogged down in trying to explain concepts/background etc. Key points as I see them:
*background knowledge usually very limited
*need to have some idea about Reformation [is the Pope Catholic? is not a rhetorical question]
*too many wonderful'stories' but difficult to unify and provide simplified overview - and that's just up to 1650!
*time: the stories are too complex to do in a hurry
*background knowledge usually very limited
*need to have some idea about Reformation [is the Pope Catholic? is not a rhetorical question]
*too many wonderful'stories' but difficult to unify and provide simplified overview - and that's just up to 1650!
*time: the stories are too complex to do in a hurry
1
Main barriers to teaching Stuart History:
- Time. Its very difficult to cover the era in enough depth. Often you'll find that departments have to pick out one or two aspects of the period and deliver these in some depth, with other issues not getting as much time as perhaps we'd like. (I'll have 12 teaching hours dedicated to this area, plus references to the period in overviews and thematic units).
- Concepts. The political issues that need to be explored are pretty difficult for KS3 pupils to get their heads around.
- Context. 17th century beliefs are totally alien to the kids and it can prove difficult to get them to understand how and why beliefs were different.
- Subject Knowledge. Varies from department to department but as with all areas, its something that people would benefit from 'topping up' etc.
- Access to artefacts. I'm lucky in that I have contacts with lots of reenactors of this period but without their support it would be incredibly difficult to get hold of artefacts or replicas relating to this period.
Role of Museums:
- things that make it relevant to the local area would fit in well with the new curriculum.
- hands on workshops for pupils
- knowledge updates for teachers / universty students
- artefact / replica loans services
- visits that combine traditional museum activities with living history type workshops or reeactments etc.
- Time. Its very difficult to cover the era in enough depth. Often you'll find that departments have to pick out one or two aspects of the period and deliver these in some depth, with other issues not getting as much time as perhaps we'd like. (I'll have 12 teaching hours dedicated to this area, plus references to the period in overviews and thematic units).
- Concepts. The political issues that need to be explored are pretty difficult for KS3 pupils to get their heads around.
- Context. 17th century beliefs are totally alien to the kids and it can prove difficult to get them to understand how and why beliefs were different.
- Subject Knowledge. Varies from department to department but as with all areas, its something that people would benefit from 'topping up' etc.
- Access to artefacts. I'm lucky in that I have contacts with lots of reenactors of this period but without their support it would be incredibly difficult to get hold of artefacts or replicas relating to this period.
Role of Museums:
- things that make it relevant to the local area would fit in well with the new curriculum.
- hands on workshops for pupils
- knowledge updates for teachers / universty students
- artefact / replica loans services
- visits that combine traditional museum activities with living history type workshops or reeactments etc.
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