As a 6th grade history teacher, there are times
when I feel like the history I teach is incomplete and I look to spice the
curriculum up a bit. I did that a couple of year ago when studying
slavery. I came across what I thought
was cool information about the use of quilt patterns as a form of covert
communication between enslaved people. I found quilt patterns and
explanations of the meanings of the patterns and the kids thought it was
unique. For years I shared this
information with my students. Then recently
I came across another source that said this was a far-fetched idea. To
think that enslaved people would have had the supplies to create such a thing
and for the ideas/patterns to be widely dispersed to be used as part of the
Underground Railroad was too good to be true.
So I immediately stopped sharing those slides that I had
created.
Looking back on that experience, I know that I
never investigated the truth behind either side of the story. I either
took each for truth when I read them, or didn’t bother to question and research
more to figure out the truth. (Again, who has the time?) But I know that I need to start. I need to be
the promoter of what is true to my students or I’m just as bad as those
continuing to teach that Columbus found the new world. Of course it is
never my intent to perpetuate what is incorrect. My intent needs to be directed more to
questioning the validity of the information and source.
But I need the skills to do this! (And I
need FCPS to get off their tushies and add pertinent information to our
resources representing other perspectives!) Page 78 of The Information Diet says, “it means a moral
choice for information consumption.” I can easily get behind this
idea. I like the idea of the truth --
most people do. I like the idea that one is making a moral choice to
pursue this information. There is honor
in that and teaching students to make that moral choice as well. I have
to start by leading by example.
I just had this exact conversation with a colleague on Monday. I was looking at the possibility of code lessons and linking how codes changes history...enigma, Navajo Code Talkers, Freedom quilt designs...even step dancing. My colleague shared that was recently hearing that the quilts are myth and that I shouldn't pursue this until we talk more. I would be very interested in what you found. Like you, I need to question sources more often and also sharpen my skills by reading multiple points of view.
ReplyDeleteTHere is a book called "Sweet Clara and The Freedom Quilt." I have not fact checked the book. I read this to my fourth graders and then during Colonial Days each class made quilt pieces and one of the parents sewed them together. They were hanging for many years in our stairway until that was considered a fire hazard. I would be interested in your findings, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic example of what we think is truth but then.... it really isn'!! I think that we take a face value that if enough people has believed it and we hear it then it should be true. I too am not intrigued to find out more about the quilt. I did not know that it was a myth! I do believe it is also a time commitment to find out the truth. But what a great thing for you to discover - and I think as teachers we need to not only find the truth but help our students learn how to critically think about finding truth. In history especially because there are so many stories that were not told or their perspective is not given.
ReplyDeleteThe moral choice is ours, and the time is now. It is necessary to ensure that we are going to use material that has been vetted and approved not by others, but by us, we have to feel that the material carries with it the weight necessary to create knowledge, because it is a sad legacy to leave our student with something that is based on myths, half-truths or misconceptions.
ReplyDeleteBrandi, I truly appreciate your honesty about finding information and using it without triple checking its accuracy. I find myself doing this quite often and then kick myself in the butt later when what I have used or explained isn't quite correct. I try my best to find information that is accurate, but I am still working on determining the reliability of my sources. Teachers are supposed to know everything right?!
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