Customer Reviews

Engagement in Teaching History: Theory and Practice for Middle and Secondary Teachers (2nd Edition)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While there is certainly something to be gained from this book, it really is Drake and Nelson's attempt to sell their personal vision of the outline and context of history teaching. There are a few good ideas in the book, but many of them are reliant on the structure which they propose. The book is certainly helpful, and some of their ideas are certainly going to find their way into my classroom. However, others seem reliant on model students and citizens who already have a framework on which to build. At times Drake and Nelson refer to the need for scaffolding but make no recommendations as to how to make it a reality. The chapters on writing, images, and deliberative discussion are helpful but the beginning of the book is dry, self-serving, and monotonous. When I began the book I actually threw it across the room at one point and complained to my wife that it was "A waste of time." When reading this book, it might be best to view it as a buffet where you can take away one or two things that you enjoy even if the sum is something you find unreasonable or without a solid foundation.

Used Engagement in Teaching History at a NCHE colloquium with Lafayette, LA teachers with great success. This excellent source can be of assistance to the new or veteran teacher when planning meaningful lessons for students. Highly recommended.

Anyone who has taught (or taken) a social studies class is familiar with the problem: a teacher who clearly knows a lot about the subject (or worse, doesn't) who recites a numbing series of facts, names, and dates. A steady diet of lectures, worksheets, and quizzes. In these days of mandatory curriculum, SOLs, and "pacing guides," the challenge becomes worse

This isn't necessarily a book you're going to read from cover to cover, but it's a very useful source of ideas both for experienced teachers and teachers-in-training. The background information is interesting and the chapters on images and writing are especially useful.