Teaching
History Online
Number
2: January, 2001
The Yalding Project
Chris
Trueman
Sackville Community College
A number
of years ago, John Simkin, editor of Teaching
History Online, became a colleague of mine at Sackville
Community College, East Grinstead. We had a number of polite and academic
arguments as to teaching styles. John was very much into active learning
whereas I was a supporter of books, chalk and talk. John produced
a historical simulation exercise called the "Yalding Project"
which all members of the History Department had to do as part of the
Year 7 curriculum. It was my experience of teaching this which brought
me around to active learning. I would thoroughly recommend the Yalding
Project to any History colleague who might be reading this but teaching
it is no soft option.
I have been
very impressed with the way Year 7 pupils use IT as a learning tool.
I am now inclined to think that as secondary school teachers we knock
the love of learning out of teenagers. I visited in my capacity as
Head of Year most of Sackville's feeder schools last June and July.
I was highly impressed with the attitude pupils had towards work.
National statistics do indicate that this enthusiasm starts to tale
off in Year 8. By freeing them from the shackles of "The Teacher"
I hope that their enthusiasm for History will continue beyond Year
8. Many of my IT lessons - once they have been set-up which is a lot
of work in itself - have left me redundant as a teacher as the pupils
themselves have supported one another, discussed issues etc. Other
than as an observer, there have been times during a lesson when any
input from me would have interrupted their concentration on the work
in hand.
I have found
that girls are far better at concentrating on the work in hand but
that the boys are more willing to discuss issues raised in a worksheet
though less willing to put pen to paper !! Girls working with boys
is a useful experiment though not popular with either person iinvolved.
I have also got far more work out of the less able and less willing
when using IT as opposed to text books.
However,
I have also found that all lessons must be thoroughly prepared. A
"look at this website and make notes on....." lesson can
have the potential to be a disaster - I've done it myself. Likewise,
the less able must have differentiated worksheets for them to access
the work. All hard work for the teacher but very rewarding when it
comes off. If any colleagues want worksheets specific for Key Stage
3 History please feel free to contact me on ctrueman@sackville.w-sussex.sch.uk
as I am getting quite a store of them. And any feedback as to their
use would be great for me -especially the value of the differentiated
ones. Likewise, my website History
Learning Site is designed for specific age ranges.
Chris Trueman,
History Department, Sackville Community College, East
Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3TY.
