While textbooks are useful as reference material, they should be used in addition to other sources in order to gain a more accurate idea of a concept. Textbooks present the necessary information with the narrative already written for the students and “consciously or not... secondary-source authors infuse the books they create with their publishers’ required attitudes, views, and cultural stances” (Daniels and Zemelman). Students can definitely gain knowledge from textbooks, but they should be encouraged to look beyond the materials they are given to get to the primary source of an idea. This is a useful skill, not only in classrooms, but in the real world. Students should be encouraged to think critically about the information placed in front of them.
As Beeghley discusses bringing up the
different perspectives of the reporters who covered the hanging of the Lincoln
assassination conspirators, the students should think about why there are
different opinions. James Beeghley has pulled his students into the world of
the primary sources. By starting at the basic facts of a document, such as the
observations his students make about a picture, he allows them to build their
own opinions and beliefs based on what we know is true. His students see a
group on the gallows and can choose to believe whether that group is guilty or
not, or whether they deserve to be hanged or not. The students are given the opportunity
to interpret the facts for themselves before having someone in a textbook do
the interpreting for them. By forming their own interpretations and "narratives," students are
pushed to think more critically about the subject rather than being handed the
information as a piece of literature. They realize that history isn’t “a bunch
of old dead guys” (Beeghley). Though in this particular lesson, it is.
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I believe if a student is not interested then they are probably not learning. It is difficult to get students to read any book. Let alone a dry boring textbooks. I mean who are we kidding. We are two years away from teaching, and we still complain about our own textbooks. How can we get students excited if we aren't, and what better way to get excited than a complimentary text that is fine, unique, and interesting to the students. (79)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog this week, Maddie. Love the embedded podcast!
ReplyDeleteAnd you and Levi are right: if we want students to learn the material we want/need them to, capturing their interest is a must. An authentically motivated learner is what we should be after.