Approaching the Past: A Series Connecting People Teaching History

On Wednesday, June 16th graduate students in History and Education, academic historians, history teachers, and public history professionals will gather at Black Creek Pioneer Village for an evening of discussion around the theme of “teaching history by doing history.”

The event is part of a new series called Approaching the Past: A Series Connecting People Teaching History, sponsored by The History Education Network/Histoire et Éducation en Réseau and Active History, and conducted with support from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Toronto Culture.

The idea behind the series is to bring together educators working in middle and high schools, universities, and museums to discuss teaching history in a variety of contexts. Through workshops on diverse themes related to history education, the series aims to create and strengthen ties between historians, history teachers, and public history professionals across the Greater Toronto Area.  Workshops offer the opportunity to connect with colleagues, meet people teaching history in unique and engaging ways, and be challenged to teach history in ways that connect more deeply with our students.

Professor and THEN/HiER board member Ruth Sandwell will lead our inaugural workshop June 16th with a presentation titled “History is a Verb: Using Historical Sources to Teach Canadian Rural History.” The evening will include a tour of selected historic buildings at Black Creek by museum staff, and group discussions on the subject of teaching history with material objects.

The next event in the series is scheduled to take place at Montgomery’s Inn Community Museum Thursday September 30th. We aim to take advantage of the site’s history as a nineteenth-century tavern and roadside inn by picking up the theme of “teaching history with food.”

We welcome suggestions for future workshop topics, speakers and venues. To contribute ideas, follow our activities and for word about our upcoming events, visit Approaching the Past or contact us at approachingthepast@gmail.com.

Jennifer Bonnell
Program Coordinator
The History Education Network/Histoire et Éducation en Réseau

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