Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks & Get Students Excited About Doing History By James W. Loewen Loewen, J. W. (2010). Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks & Get Students Excited About Doing History. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Main Concepts Teaching “forests, trees, and twigs” (2010, p. 19), relating to the number of topics taught, the depth to which they are explored, and their general significance Uncovering the past, rather than covering it (p. 19) Teaching students to “see[k] more info, asses[s] sources, develo[p] an argument, and collec[t] evidence to persuade their reader” (p. 87). Deconstructing myths often perpetuated in history classrooms: the $24 bead purchase of Manhattan, the Almo Indian Massacre, slave contentment, the glorified Christopher Columbus

Choosing What to Teach Choose 30-50 topics – these are the “trees,” topics you deem significant and plan to teach fairly comprehensively: Add topics that you judge to be important and are excited to teach Ask yourself (2010, p. 21): Why do I want my students to know all this? What should they be able to do with the information, assuming they recall it once they leave school? Consider these themes when choosing (2010, p. 22): “How cultures change through diffusion and syncretism Taking the land The individual versus the state The quest for equity (slavery, women’s suffrage, etc.) Sectionalism Immigration and Americanization Social class; democracy v. plutocracy Technological developments and the environment Relations with other nations Historiography, how we know things”

Bringing History to Life Loewen suggests using a variety of resource materials that will be more engaging than your average textbook: for example, “literature selections, primary documents, technology, audio visuals, guest speakers, etc.” (2010, p. 29). When used together, these materials present your students with a more balanced and more comprehensive view – a mosaic, if you will – of various historical events and will also teach them perspective.

Scaffolding Opportunities Many history or social studies students read a standard, classroom textbook and write papers, a process that gives students few opportunities to learn and express their knowledge by any other means. Loewen notes, “a range of activities provides different ways to learn and different ways to shine” (2010, p. 29). He suggests “a debate, a mock trial, interview, term paper, small group project,…[or] a graphic portrayal” as creative and engaging alternatives that allow students to express their ideas and their grasp of the material, simultaneously learning and having fun.

Getting Students Involved Loewen suggests: Asking for student feedback about the 30-50 trees, allowing them to give suggestions for things that should be added or removed Having students teach! Get them to present topics to their classmates in order to get them more involved in their own learning. Loewen cites the quote, “I read, I forget. I see, I remember. I teach, I understand” (2010, p. 209) – so have students teach to let them express their understanding of historical events (so well that they can pass on that knowledge to their classmates). This also teaches research methods, and how to cite evidence, and making connections.