Historical Cognition

Acquiring historical knowledge, how is this best accomplished in the classroom? A better question might be which classroom. The differences in teaching among the various classrooms in American schools are and will continue to be drastically different. This is not to say that they are independent alien entities existing on different plains of thought. From my perspective the middle classroom can be the most difficult. The students in the middle school classroom have it in their capabilities to be both intellectual scholars of sorts to elementary innocents who will are just as willing to critically analyze a primary source document as draw a picture.

So how is that teaching practices and cognition influence middle school students. In my readings and experience there are many differing practices that may work with students in their search for historical cognition. However, there are three that I feel offer the greatest gain in cognition over the rest. The first is experiential cognition. Though massive in preparation time for the teacher the practice does offer some rewarding results. When the student is allowed to discuss, process, and analyze information among a group with an attainable goal in mind students not only respond they excel. This exercise may come in the form of something as complicated as a day long simulation to simple two minute skit. The second of three is the use of critical analysis mixed with the comparison of similarities and differences is an extremely effective teaching tool as well as great cognitive skill. Given middle school students innate ability to disbelieve nearly anything an adult utters, give students their chance to critique their words and logically use it against them by picking apart speeches, letters, and other documents. Lastly, the Socratic seminar or to a lesser extent the simple open ended discussion, this method allows for a free exchange of ideas and thoughts among not only the teacher but the students. Taking some piece of history and openly discussing its finer points, though difficult to handle with middle school students, can be extremely rewarding. An example of this comes in the analysis of a historical picture, cartoon, or advertisement. Each of these teaching practices has been from my experience extremely effective in the assimilation of historical cognition. Upon reading the assigned text I find that these practices are not only valid, but they actually have research to back up their validity.