Teaching Multiple Perspectives

Strategies for Social Studies Teachers

Cathryn van Kessel vankesse@ualberta.ca

Historical Significancethe past vs. history

whose voices are heard?

whose are not? why?

metanarratives

Alberta Program of Studies

Front Matter mandate

perspectives: FNMI, Francophone, and at least one other

“The” question

How might we live together and create a pluralistic society given the legacy of our past?

Dealing with “the Bear”

engaging with perspectives different from our own is intimidating!

“but I don’t know enough!”

empathy and honesty, not expertise

“but I feel awkward!”

socialization, worldview threat,& Terror Management Theory

The challenge: Meaningful engagement

avoid “Add & Stir”

engage with voices in context

bear in mind perspective AND point of view

FNMI perspectives… although a shared collective consciousness as indigenous and oppressed peoples, each group is unique

3 steps to engage more meaningfully with perspectives

create a classroom of care

recognize the dominant voice (which may vary depending on the context)

use a variety of means to engage other voices respectfully

Step 1: Classrooms of Caretalk about socialization, worldview threat and Terror Management Theory with your students

Privilege: grievances vs. oppression

privileges will manifest themselves at different times (e.g., I have white, middle-class, able-bodied, cisgendered, etc. privilege, but under some circumstances as a woman I am a victim of sexism and misogyny)

privilege doesn’t make you a bad person; willful ignorance of your privilege(s) does

Step 2: Recognize the Dominant Voice

discuss with your students that there are metanarratives in play, e.g., show “The danger of a single story” Ted Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

identify what metanarratives are operating in the context you are exploring

encourage students to critically think about sources

e.g., call textbook authors by name

Step 3: A Variety of Voices

bring in other voices directly

guest speakers, videos, primary sources

take on another voice—tricky, but can be done

avoid purely creative writing; proper research to understand context, perspective, and point of view

Design Lessons with 3“S” Understanding

subject matter: target the heart of the subject material self: consider how you are implicated in the subject society: relate the topic to society and how it is presently functioning (or not functioning, as the case may be)

ExamplesThe French Revolution (Gr. 11, near the end of the unit)

each group takes a different perspective (e.g., clergy, nobility, male peasants, female peasants, etc.): What do you think about the changes that are happening? Are there any tensions within your group? (e.g., does everyone agree, or are there disagreements?) What have you achieved and lost? What more do you want to happen?

they use primary and secondary sources to gather evidence for their position

then discuss as a class, drawing upon potential contemporary comparisons to the social dynamic

Humour can be effective“Spot the Africa” Trevor Noah on Jon Stewart

Bring in other voicesguest speakers, videos, primary sources that challenge misconceptions about FNMI peoples

Flipping the narrativeThought experiment: What happens when the roles are reversed? e.g., Babkiueria mockumentary, South Park and the Washington Redskins

Some Suggested ReadingAlberta Education. (2005). Program rationale and philosophy: Social studies kindergarten to grade 12 [Program of Studies]. [Edmonton], Canada: Alberta Education.

Apihtawikosisan (2013, August, 23). Aboriginal peoples need to flip the narrative [Web log post]. rabble.ca/blogs

den Heyer, K. (2009). Implicated and called upon: Challenging an educated position of self, others, knowledge and knowing as things to acquire. Critical Literacy: Theories and Practices, 3(1), 26-35.

Donald, D. (2013). Teachers, aboriginal perspectives and the logic of the fort. ATA Magazine, 93(4), n.p.

Fabello, M.A. (2013, October 25). Let’s talk about thin privilege [Web log post]. http://everydayfeminism.com.

Kumashiro, K. (2004). Against common sense: Teaching and learning toward social justice. New York: RoutledgeFalmer.

Liddle, B.J. (2007). The challenge of understanding LGBTQ lives and experiences. In V. Clarke & E. Peel (Eds.), Out in Psychology Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Perspectives (pp. 120-123). Chichester: Wiley & Sons.

Stanley, T. (2006). Whose public? Whose memory? Racisms, grand narratives and Canadian history. In R. Sandwell (Ed.), To the past: History education, public memory, and citizenship in Canada (pp. 32-49). Toronto, ON: UofT Press.

Thompson, L. (2012). Re-imagining home in Alberta’s Francophone communities. In Z. Bekerman & T. Geisen (Eds.), International Handbook of Migration, Minorities and Education. New York, NY: Springer Books.

Tupper, J. (2005). We interrupt this moment: Education and the teaching of history. Canadian Social Studies, 39(2)

Thank you!

Please feel free to contact me:

Cathryn van Kessel

vankesse@ualberta.ca