Book Reviewed:
Percoco, James A. (1998). A passion for the past: Creative teaching of US history. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
James A. Percoco is a dedicated educator who brings U.S. History and applied history studies alive to his students in the West Springfield High school in Springfield, Virginia. Since beginning his teaching career in 1980 Percoco has sought out instructional methods that reach beyond the typical lecture and in class projects so common in many US history courses. Since 1991 he has actively engaged high school students in real world investigations through his innovative Applied History course.
The theme that winds through all his curriculum and lesson plan design is “thinking like a historian.” Percoco practices what he preaches to his students. Over the last 25 years he has received many outstanding educator awards including the Outstanding Social Studies teacher awards (1993) at the Walt Disney Company American Teacher and election to the first USA TODAY All-USA teacher team in 1998. A Passion for the Past: Creative teaching of US History, the book highlighted in this review, was granted the American Historical Association’s James Harvey Robinson Prize in 2000. He also served on the board for the National Council for History education.
Recognition of his awards provides only a superficial view of his educational influence. The teaching methodologies described in the book have delivered many students into the world of historic research and advocacy. Students in his Applied History course have worked side by side with professionals at historic sites and agencies, and museums, logging in over 20,000 volunteer hours. He has also actively participated in international educational exchanges programs in Russia and China. He was also appointed to an adjunct professor position and named, in 2005, as a History Educator in Residence at American University. In 2007 his work was documented in Paul Sanderson’s Augustus Saint- Gaudens: Master of American Sculpture.
It is quite fitting that Percoco’s most recent award focuses on American Sculpture. The methodologies described in the book bring together successful pedagogy from across multiple disciplines and are all tied together with his obsession with history, particularly Cleo, the muse of history. At the beginning of each semester he declares his love for all things history by revealing his “Clio Corner.” A depository of photos depicting events either Percoco or his students have experienced surrounds a picture of the sculpture of Clio found at the Old House of Representatives Chamber in the US Capitol. In his classroom she is the central point for recording history for his students and all humanity.
Throughout A Passion for the Past he focuses on innovative ways to bring the documents and artifacts of history to the students present conscious. He uses dynamic, enthusiastic presentation though film, interviews, primary source investigation, site visitation, literature review, and musical and art exploration, as a means to engage his students. His text describes activities he used and how he broke away from lecture, the dominant mode of instruction when he began his teaching career in 1980.
Percoco expresses the need for networking and using outside resources throughout his book. Many history teachers rely on textbooks and staged documents provided by publishing houses for soul sources of reference in their instruction. Percoco emphasizes the need or history educators and thus inferred other educators to hone skill and knowledge base by reading and experiencing history for themselves.
He also encourages educators to engage in the art of networking. Educators should find local and regional facilities and educators might serve as resources during field trips, video conferencing or in-class speaking arrangements, and internships. These resources are often free, especially when linked to tax funded organizations such as the National Archives, and provide a contemporary real world connection to the past.
Alternate forms of expression and artifacts for assessment are also important. These activities include such zeitgeist expressions such as summarizing historical themes or messages on bumper stickers. Creation of journals (written and photographic), songs, artwork, and other creative applications such as “if a statute could talk” encourage students to move beyond recitation of historic fact and internalize both the content as well as the historic thinking process necessary to become a historic literate citizenry.
This interdisciplinary approach to social studies promoted is very important for novice educators to witness and experience whether in Social Studies or other disciplines. As a teacher educator in the Environmental Education field I intend to incorporate the methodologies demonstrated in A Passion for the Past. The recommendations transcend all disciplines and have sound place across all disciplinary curriculum.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Journal Review: Children's Literature in Environmetal Education and Social Studies - 2/6/08 9:11 PM
Article reviewed:
Meyer, Jason. M, 2002. Accuracy and bias in children’s environmental literature: A look at Lynne Cherry’s Books. The Social Studies. 93(6), 277-281.
This is not a typical experimental research article but I chose to review it because it links to many activities I’ve lead as an environmental education specialist and discusses the implications of using sound resources in education. (Dr. H…this was one you had approved via email several months ago...)
Environmental Education has long been criticized for portrayal of issues in through a narrow perspective often filled with fear and strong bias. This criticism is also applied to many forms children’s literature that discuss environmental issues such as global warming. Meyer found through his literature review that many children’s environmental literature is filled with fear tactics and often avoid contradicting points of view. In this article he examines the works of Lynne Cherry in an attempt to determine if her works transcend the criticism and if they can be used as scientifically accurate, unbiased resource for teaching about environmental issues in the classroom.
Prior to Meyers expose on Lynne Cherry there were several research-based articles about biased educational materials related to the environment. Past research found that many EE based materials are one sided, presenting oversimplified “good side/ Bad-side, explanations of very complex situations. Pierce and Short (1994) found that some authors utilized pictures and story themes that actually caused children to be fearful and forcing them to become advocates for an issues they do not understand.
Meyer begins by examining Cherry’s history as a writer and illustrator. Although her career, which began in 1976, held many affiliations with organizations such as the National Defense fund, National Wildlife, and the Sierra Club her dedication to a accurate interdisciplinary view of environmental issues in a format that represents the New Ecological Paradigm. This is one of three ways humans view their world. The first, Dominant Western World View, separates humans from the other creatures. There is a belief of human centered dominion that permits control and exploitation of the environment to the one's heart's content. Human Exemptionalism, the second, states humans and other species will never be the same because humans are able to have “culture”. The third, the New Ecological Paradigm, infers that humans are just an actor in the web of life and that any action we take has an effect on the rest of the environmental web.
Past interviews and actions by Cherry and her husband, Eric Fersht indicate that they recognize the many criticisms that follow children’s environmental literature as a result of demagogue tactics used by many earlier authors. Meyers points out that the team founded the “Center for Children’s Environmental Literature” as a resource and networking facility for authors and illustrators who want to connect children to the natural world in a responsible way.
Meyer the continues his investigation into Cherry’s writing style by reviewing the illustrations, storyline, scientific accuracy, and reference materials for her 4 best known books. These books: A River Ran Wild, The Shamans Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest, The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest, The dragon and the Unicorn, and Flute’s Journey: The Life of a Wood Thrush, carry the reader from a basic level of awareness through simple yet factual content base onto a call for individual action. Her books are notable more scientifically accurate that most children’s books.
Cherry is unique in her approach because she openly states she will not present a topic in her books that children are not empowered to act upon. Keeping this philosophy in the forefront she meets one of the biggest criticisms of EE, that is promotes activism. She wants children develop a habit of interest and involvement in the democratic process early in their lives. She often infers both simple actions for children and adults as well as ways to be come active in the larger rule-making community.
To support his defense if Cherry, Meyer also points out that her books are well researched and include many resources for children, parents, and teachers to investigate issues further. To research each story Cherry has traveled to the places where she set the story line. She also includes a summary at the end of ach book highlighting the factual background and lists the resources she accessed to write the story.
This article is important to teachers in the social studies field because it highlights the pitfalls of using literature and lays out criteria with examples of sound children’s literature. Cherry’s books cover topics such as water pollution (including drug tracing in water supplies) deforestation, habitat destruction along migration routes, medicinal plants and resource protection with a under riding theme of cultural awareness that is woven throughout. If environmental and social studies educators wisely select literature children and adults can learn about issues in scientifically accurate ways yet develop critical thinking skills necessary. It would be interesting to follow students’ environmental or civic behavior for a year following lessons that incorporate Cherry’s or similar literature to see if participants make and maintain literate behaviors.
Additional References from Article:
Pierce, K. M., & Short, K. G., (1994) Environmental issues and actions. The Reading Teacher, 47(4), 328-335.
Meyer, Jason. M, 2002. Accuracy and bias in children’s environmental literature: A look at Lynne Cherry’s Books. The Social Studies. 93(6), 277-281.
This is not a typical experimental research article but I chose to review it because it links to many activities I’ve lead as an environmental education specialist and discusses the implications of using sound resources in education. (Dr. H…this was one you had approved via email several months ago...)
Environmental Education has long been criticized for portrayal of issues in through a narrow perspective often filled with fear and strong bias. This criticism is also applied to many forms children’s literature that discuss environmental issues such as global warming. Meyer found through his literature review that many children’s environmental literature is filled with fear tactics and often avoid contradicting points of view. In this article he examines the works of Lynne Cherry in an attempt to determine if her works transcend the criticism and if they can be used as scientifically accurate, unbiased resource for teaching about environmental issues in the classroom.
Prior to Meyers expose on Lynne Cherry there were several research-based articles about biased educational materials related to the environment. Past research found that many EE based materials are one sided, presenting oversimplified “good side/ Bad-side, explanations of very complex situations. Pierce and Short (1994) found that some authors utilized pictures and story themes that actually caused children to be fearful and forcing them to become advocates for an issues they do not understand.
Meyer begins by examining Cherry’s history as a writer and illustrator. Although her career, which began in 1976, held many affiliations with organizations such as the National Defense fund, National Wildlife, and the Sierra Club her dedication to a accurate interdisciplinary view of environmental issues in a format that represents the New Ecological Paradigm. This is one of three ways humans view their world. The first, Dominant Western World View, separates humans from the other creatures. There is a belief of human centered dominion that permits control and exploitation of the environment to the one's heart's content. Human Exemptionalism, the second, states humans and other species will never be the same because humans are able to have “culture”. The third, the New Ecological Paradigm, infers that humans are just an actor in the web of life and that any action we take has an effect on the rest of the environmental web.
Past interviews and actions by Cherry and her husband, Eric Fersht indicate that they recognize the many criticisms that follow children’s environmental literature as a result of demagogue tactics used by many earlier authors. Meyers points out that the team founded the “Center for Children’s Environmental Literature” as a resource and networking facility for authors and illustrators who want to connect children to the natural world in a responsible way.
Meyer the continues his investigation into Cherry’s writing style by reviewing the illustrations, storyline, scientific accuracy, and reference materials for her 4 best known books. These books: A River Ran Wild, The Shamans Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest, The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest, The dragon and the Unicorn, and Flute’s Journey: The Life of a Wood Thrush, carry the reader from a basic level of awareness through simple yet factual content base onto a call for individual action. Her books are notable more scientifically accurate that most children’s books.
Cherry is unique in her approach because she openly states she will not present a topic in her books that children are not empowered to act upon. Keeping this philosophy in the forefront she meets one of the biggest criticisms of EE, that is promotes activism. She wants children develop a habit of interest and involvement in the democratic process early in their lives. She often infers both simple actions for children and adults as well as ways to be come active in the larger rule-making community.
To support his defense if Cherry, Meyer also points out that her books are well researched and include many resources for children, parents, and teachers to investigate issues further. To research each story Cherry has traveled to the places where she set the story line. She also includes a summary at the end of ach book highlighting the factual background and lists the resources she accessed to write the story.
This article is important to teachers in the social studies field because it highlights the pitfalls of using literature and lays out criteria with examples of sound children’s literature. Cherry’s books cover topics such as water pollution (including drug tracing in water supplies) deforestation, habitat destruction along migration routes, medicinal plants and resource protection with a under riding theme of cultural awareness that is woven throughout. If environmental and social studies educators wisely select literature children and adults can learn about issues in scientifically accurate ways yet develop critical thinking skills necessary. It would be interesting to follow students’ environmental or civic behavior for a year following lessons that incorporate Cherry’s or similar literature to see if participants make and maintain literate behaviors.
Additional References from Article:
Pierce, K. M., & Short, K. G., (1994) Environmental issues and actions. The Reading Teacher, 47(4), 328-335.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Social Studies Manifesto-January 21, 2008
This week begins my formal investigation of social studies facilitation methods for high school students for the Spring 2008 semester. It has long been my belief as an educator that the disciplines included in social studies are not recognized as true science discipline across the educational unit and as a result are not granted the same value as the traditional sciences in curriculum development. With recent trends in testing and accountability the focus has pulled even further from the social sciences to basics such as reading, writing, and mathematics. Educators are attempting to improve students’ skills in these fields without context or emotional connection. Social sciences and studies can provide a “human” link, one of consequence to the student’s culture and ethnic history. Social studies are more than learning from historical mistakes. It provides a sense of place for students to link all learning. Hopefully, with acquisition of new knowledge, reflection, and synthesis, the student’s sense of place will grow.
It is with these thoughts that I develop my initial social studies manifesto.
I believe:
Social studies philosophy is perhaps the epitome of interdisciplinary investigation if utilized progressively. Social Studies is a discipline of many disciplines ranging from anthropology to economics to psychology. Through investigation of historic, current, and projected phenomena social studies becomes a sinuous binding which creates a holistic approach wrapping together humanities, mathematics, earth systems and astronomical sciences. By applying viewpoints and knowledge from the social sciences students of social studies follow the thread connecting choice, behavior, and relations to other humans, animal and plant species, and physical environment. By examining and understanding how place influences the origin and development of cultures, ethics, religions we can better understand past choices regarding consumption, environmental modification, and human interactions and look ahead to make informed literate decisions which will benefit the public good based on global perspectives.
Thoughts and phrases noted during this weeks readings for further thought:
• Choices made by the greater culture and individuals have shaped our beliefs and potential actions regarding interactions with other cultures, the environment, and beyond.
• Emotional connection
• Thread that investigates human choices based on resources and why both healthy and detrimental choices have been made through history.
• Way to development understanding and respect for different cultural perspectives.
• “Intertwined destinies” from Pg 31 in text.
• How do social issues create environmental issues?
• How do environmental conditions create social issues?
• Why do most descriptions include “democratic;” world-views require that we act in a truly democratic manner yet we should be able to interact regardless of culture.
• Social studies is the humanity in science where decision-making moves beyond facts to affect and consequence.
It is with these thoughts that I develop my initial social studies manifesto.
I believe:
Social studies philosophy is perhaps the epitome of interdisciplinary investigation if utilized progressively. Social Studies is a discipline of many disciplines ranging from anthropology to economics to psychology. Through investigation of historic, current, and projected phenomena social studies becomes a sinuous binding which creates a holistic approach wrapping together humanities, mathematics, earth systems and astronomical sciences. By applying viewpoints and knowledge from the social sciences students of social studies follow the thread connecting choice, behavior, and relations to other humans, animal and plant species, and physical environment. By examining and understanding how place influences the origin and development of cultures, ethics, religions we can better understand past choices regarding consumption, environmental modification, and human interactions and look ahead to make informed literate decisions which will benefit the public good based on global perspectives.
Thoughts and phrases noted during this weeks readings for further thought:
• Choices made by the greater culture and individuals have shaped our beliefs and potential actions regarding interactions with other cultures, the environment, and beyond.
• Emotional connection
• Thread that investigates human choices based on resources and why both healthy and detrimental choices have been made through history.
• Way to development understanding and respect for different cultural perspectives.
• “Intertwined destinies” from Pg 31 in text.
• How do social issues create environmental issues?
• How do environmental conditions create social issues?
• Why do most descriptions include “democratic;” world-views require that we act in a truly democratic manner yet we should be able to interact regardless of culture.
• Social studies is the humanity in science where decision-making moves beyond facts to affect and consequence.
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