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Do you prefer history teachers who have strong opinions in terms or “attitude” that they give off when teaching, or do you prefer those who leave you wondering exactly what their “real” thoughts on the matter are?
I like those who teach so you can form your own opinion from the facts presented. In a similar vein, do you find it easier to know their "real" thoughts when it comes to religious bias or unbias (as opposed to whether or not the teacher is a Marxist or Socialist)?
My humble $0.02 worth… I am a bitter, clinger (more bitter than clinger; lapsed Druid, eh?) and let my students know at least that much… otherwise I play it rather up the middle (at least as much as Will Cuppy).Life is the bunks and then you die; kids need to know the skinny as straight as possible... the standards aren't relevant to real life! So there you have it... I pray each night that I can make it to retirement before they catch me actually teaching the children something that matters. 😮
Biased or not, I'd rather have one who was passionate (and accurate) about the subject rather than just plowing through. Passion can be contagious.
Biased or not, I'd rather have one who was passionate (and accurate) about the subject rather than just plowing through. Passion can be contagious.
Yes, I also like to learn from a teacher who enjoys the topic being taught. I currently have a professor who seems to be a bit sarcastic about the material, which is kind of a turn off.
I think that anyone who teaches any subject should enjoy the subject they are teaching. Specifically in history i think teachers should not seek to impart any bias they should indeed let the facts speak for themselves.
A History major, I was a Social Studies Dept. Chair at a high school in Los Angeles for 15 years. The great problem for students at the grade school level is this: All teachers of History must be credentialed as Social Studies majors or minor. Very few are History majors and types who read history books in their spare time. The worst thing a teacher could say to me when they were new or we received a new textbook was, "Do you have a teacher's manual for me?" One teacher, a coach too, and popular, after more than 20 years of teaching U.S. History expressed surprise that the French were there at Yorktown. He gave U's to several students who challended him when he said that Queen Victoria was a perfect example of an absolut monarch.
A History major, I was a Social Studies Dept. Chair at a high school in Los Angeles for 15 years. The great problem for students at the grade school level is this: All teachers of History must be credentialed as Social Studies majors or minor. Very few are History majors and types who read history books in their spare time. The worst thing a teacher could say to me when they were new or we received a new textbook was, "Do you have a teacher's manual for me?" One teacher, a coach too, and popular, after more than 20 years of teaching U.S. History expressed surprise that the French were there at Yorktown. He gave U's to several students who challended him when he said that Queen Victoria was a perfect example of an absolut monarch.
I like your style. 🙂
I think there should be passion on the subject, expertise and personal opinion in certain areas, but REALLY turns me off and makes me just shut my brain down and do the minimum to get by in the class is a teacher who pushes his religious and political agendas on me without any consideration that I probably have a totally different perspective on both and his job is NOT to tel lme that my political/religious views are wrong and thus makes my history knowledge irrelevant, but is supposed to make me see how those two subjects, from multiple points of view, shaped history and my values are equally as relevant as his.
I think there should be passion on the subject, expertise and personal opinion in certain areas, but REALLY turns me off and makes me just shut my brain down and do the minimum to get by in the class is a teacher who pushes his religious and political agendas on me without any consideration that I probably have a totally different perspective on both and his job is NOT to tel lme that my political/religious views are wrong and thus makes my history knowledge irrelevant, but is supposed to make me see how those two subjects, from multiple points of view, shaped history and my values are equally as relevant as his.
I agree that passion for one's subject is a good trait in one's field. One thing I don't like is when professors have a seemingly negative view of what they're presenting. I don't mind hearing things that are "bad" about people in history, but I can make up my own mind about what is bad and what is not. Further, just about anything in history can be framed in terms which are really bad if we don't consider context. Context is king.
I think there should be passion on the subject, expertise and personal opinion in certain areas, but REALLY turns me off and makes me just shut my brain down and do the minimum to get by in the class is a teacher who pushes his religious and political agendas on me without any consideration that I probably have a totally different perspective on both and his job is NOT to tel lme that my political/religious views are wrong and thus makes my history knowledge irrelevant, but is supposed to make me see how those two subjects, from multiple points of view, shaped history and my values are equally as relevant as his.
Sounds like to me you've had a bad experience along the way.
