Where's the Knowledge?
The teaching of history should give students a broad knowledge of their subject rather than focus on the skills needed to analyse narrow periods, says Seán Lang.
‘Is there any point to which you wish to draw my attention?
‘To the curious incident of the history teachers’ furious reaction to the report.
‘There was no furious reaction from history teachers to the report.
‘That was the curious incident.’
The report in question came out in the spring of 2009 from the Historical Association (HA). It found that only 30 per cent of school pupils currently study history to GCSE. That is a pathetic proportion for such an important subject. History teachers have been arguing for years that the subject is essential for an understanding of the modern world, central to citizenship and social cohesion, while history bodies and groups have staged polite campaigns with clever slogans. But if you’re not hopping mad about a take-up of only 30 per cent it looks as if you don’t think history matters very much at all.
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