Social Studies Research and Practice

http://www.socstrp.org

Student-Centered Teaching Methods in the History Classroom:

Ideas, Issues, and Insights for New Teachers

Robert W. Maloy
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Irene LaRoche
Amherst Regional Middle School
Amherst, Massachusetts

Using student-centered teaching methods presents a great challenge to many new middle and high school
history teachers. Having experienced mostly teacher-centered instructional approaches (such as lectures and
teacher-led discussions) in secondary school and college classes, they begin student teaching with few models
for how to teach using less traditional forms of instruction. This paper discusses “Ideas, Issues, and Insights,”
a strategy for prospective history teachers, as they explore the use of student-centered teaching methods with
middle and high school students. It analyzes written reflection papers where history teacher candidates identify
their ideas for three student-centered instructional methods — small group work, primary source analysis, and
historical role-plays and simulations — as well as issues that arise when these student-centered methods are
implemented in the classroom. As history teacher candidates respond to their ideas and issues, they generate
insights about how they can best use student-centered teaching methods in their future classrooms. The first-
person perspectives of history teacher candidates are highlighted to show how college students in one universi-
ty-based teacher preparation program think about their student teaching experiences and their choice of
instructional methods to use with students.

Key Words: Group Work, Instructional Methods, New Teacher Preparation, Primary Sources, Role Plays,
Simulations, Student-Centered Teaching

Introduction approaches, the familiar outweighs the new

(Britzman, 2003).

N ew teachers tend to teach as they have In middle and high school classrooms,
been taught, basing classroom lessons teaching history and social studies as one has
and instructional methods on the styles been taught typically featuring lectures by the
and strategies they have experienced in their teacher, whole class discussions, memorization
own schooling, or observed in the schools of facts, content drawn primarily from text-
where they are teaching (Lortie, 1975; books, an emphasis on the histories of the
McCann, Johannessen, Kahn, & Flanagan, majority White culture, and multiple-choice
2006; Smagorinsky & Whiting, 1995). Even tests (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hydge, 2005).
when college or university teacher education These methods reflect a more than a century-
courses present alternative instructional long tradition of teacher-centered instruction in
American education (Cuban, 1993, 2009;

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Evans, 2004), heightened by an education For college students preparing to become

reform movement in which “test-based ac- middle and high school teachers, these differ-
countability — not standards — became our ing emphases between teacher-centered and
national education policy” (Ravitch, 2010, p. student-centered instructional methods create
21). conflict and confusion. Most attended second-
Tight budgets, larger class sizes, and a ary schools and college history classes where
standards-based educational reform movement teacher-centered history instruction was the
that includes mandatory statewide competency primary mode of instruction. Their teacher
tests have further entrenched traditional modes preparation programs now urge them to
of teaching (Grant, 2003, 2007; Wiersma, employ student-centered teaching methods that
2008). Many history and social studies teach- are outside the norm of how they have seen
ers who might otherwise use student-centered history taught in schools. Teacher candidates
instructional practices now view teacher- find themselves “hugging the middle,” in
centered instruction as the best way to teach historian Larry Cuban’s (2009) succinct
students the large amounts of material needed phrase, between the promise of student-
for the test. centered and the reality of teacher-centered
At the same time, college teacher education instructional approaches.
programs (Doppen, 2007), professional organi- In this paper, we discuss a new teacher
zations including the National Council for the preparation strategy called “Ideas, Issues, and
Social Studies (1994), and social studies Insights” that asks history and social studies
educators (Cornbleth, 2002; Dunn, 2000) teacher candidates to thoughtfully consider the
strongly advocate the use of student-centered “hows” and “whys” of using student-centered
teaching methods such as interactive discus- instructional methods with middle and high
sions, small group work, cooperative learning, school students. “Ideas, Issues, and Insights” is
primary source analysis, creative writing, a central feature of the history/social studies
dramatic read alouds, children’s and adolescent teacher education program at the University of
literature, democratic dialog/debate about Massachusetts Amherst. To illustrate this
historical issues, civic participation/community approach, we present a summary of written
service learning, and performance-based reflections from teacher candidates about their
assessments. In this view, student-centered use of three prominent student-centered
methods prepare middle and high schoolers to teaching methods; small group work, primary
become critical thinkers and decision-makers source analysis, and role plays/simulations.
who can use the decisions and choices of Our analysis of these teacher reflections
people in the past to understand the issues of illustrates both the possibilities and complexi-
present and the future. ties of incorporating student-centered methods
into the instructional repertoires of new history
teachers.

Ideas, Issues, and Insights in a

Teaching methods are History Teaching Methods Course
what teachers make of
them. “Ideas,” “Issues,” and “Insights” encapsu-
late dynamics that occur whenever a teacher
uses a teaching method in the classroom.

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 Ideas are the academic gains and  Insights are the strategies that occur
learning accomplishments that teachers when teachers thoughtfully reflect
believe will result from using an in- about the “Ideas” and “Issues” of a
structional method with students. teaching method and make plans for
Teachers choose teaching methods be- how they will use that method diffe-
cause they believe that such methods rently in the future. By synthesizing
will promote student engagement, in- ideas and issues into insights, teachers
quiry learning, individual problem envision new ways to use a teaching
solving, thoughtful analysis, individual method, while discovering the essen-
decision-making, or some other skill or tial ingredients that must be in place
competency essential to successful his- for that method to succeed in class-
tory and social studies education. room settings. Insights generate future-
 Issues are the interpersonal dynamics focused strategies for improving how
and instructional complexities that ac- teaching and learning will happen in
company a teaching method when it is the future.
used in actual classroom settings. Real
world uses of teaching methods can We have used “Ideas, Issues, and Insights”
produce outcomes different from those with more than 250 new history/social studies
presented in teaching theory. Since no teacher candidates over the past ten years.
teaching approach is without potential These middle and high school level teacher
complications, teachers must be aware candidates, all enrolled in a history teaching
of what happens — positively and ne- methods and school-based pre-practicum
gatively — when using an instructional course, are required to teach five lessons in
method with students. Negative expe- schools using different student-centered history
riences, left unaddressed, may make teaching methods drawn from the list presented
new teachers reluctant to continue us- in Table 1. Candidates are then asked to obtain
ing various teaching methods with stu- student feedback about at least two of these
dents in the future. teaching methods when they use them again
during the student teaching component of their
program.

Teacher candidates find themselves “hugging the

middle,” in historian Larry Cuban’s (2009) succinct
phrase, between the promise of student-centered
and the reality of teacher-centered instructional
approaches.

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Table 1. Student-Centered History Teaching Methods

Group work or Cooperative Learning (includes Technology and Research (includes using primary,
students working in pairs, trios, and small groups; secondary, and Internet sources correctly to analyze
cooperative learning using a specific cooperative historical and contemporary events.
learning structure).
Multicultural Histories and Herstories (the expe- Primary Sources (using first person narratives,
riences of people of color, women, working classes, photographs, newspaper articles, speeches, artwork,
non-western societies and cultures, and others typical- or other documents as part of lessons).
ly excluded from the school curriculum).
Writing (incorporating students’ own creative writing Literature (children’s and adolescent fiction and
and self-expression). nonfiction, adult fiction and nonfiction, and poetry)
Civic Ideals and Community Sercice Learning Controversy, Dialog, Debate (focus on controversial
(involvement in social issues and community life, issues, current events, social problems, origins and
citizen involvement in politics) problems of democracy, resistance to oppression)
Art/Music (focus on student involvement through Drama, Role-Play, Simulation (engagement through
dramatic or artistic self-expression). historical re-creations, plays, and social simulations)

Note: All Student-Centered Teaching Methods are based on Active Learning includes strategies for
engaging students including large and small group discussions, active note taking, visuals, materials
other than the voice of the teacher, and other student involvement strategies.

After each teaching experience, our stu- share the “Ideas,” “Issues,” and “Insights” they
dents write a two to four page reflection paper have as they use different methods with their
focusing on the “Ideas,” “Issues,” and “In- students.
sights” raised by one of the methods, explain- “Ideas, Issues, and Insights” assume that no
ing: teaching method is automatically student-
centered or teacher-centered. Teaching methods
 Ideas gained about this teaching are what teachers make of them. Discussing the
method for promoting student learning. methods in Table 1, we emphasize that teachers
create student-centeredness by doing some or
 Issues that arose from the lesson. all of the following activities every time they
teach:
 Insights about future lessons that
resulted from using this method.  Creating opportunities for meaningful
interactions and conversations among
Although we require six reflection papers, teachers and students throughout a
we encourage teacher candidates to teach and class period.
reflect at least ten times during their school-
based prepracticum, and many more times  Using materials beyond one’s own
during student teaching. As a result, candidates voice as a teacher such as videos, pho-
are constantly thinking about the “Ideas,” tographs, audio recordings, primary
“Issues,” and “Insights” presented by student- and secondary sources, and interactive
centered teaching methods. In addition, we websites.
spend time in our methods classes on what are  Changing the mode of instructional
called “I-Team” presentations. Candidates delivery regularly during a class period

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so that there is small group and indi- tantive part of their daily work in the class-
vidual work time as well as large room.
group teacher presentations. We have seen history and social studies
teacher candidates grow as professionals as
 Incorporating student ideas and they thoughtfully consider what worked, what
suggestions about how classes are or- did not work, and what they might do different-
ganized and delivered as a way to ly when using student-centered teaching
promote greater student engagement methods. We share that growth in the following
and commitment to learning. summaries and analysis of candidate comments
about small group work, primary source
A focus on teaching and reflection differen- analysis, and role-plays and simulations.
tiates “Ideas, Issues, and Insights” as a teacher
preparation approach. Candidates must use Small Group Work
different teaching methods with students, even
methods they are not always comfortable with Small group work is the first student-
from past personal experiences. In so doing, centered teaching method we ask teacher
they become a teacher of students and a student candidates to explore in our history teaching
of teaching. They perform the role of teacher by methods course (Table 2). In theory, small
designing and delivering lessons to middle and group work reduces the size of the classroom
high school students. They learn about teaching for middle and high school students, making it
by analyzing the possible advantages and easier for individuals to express their ideas,
potential issues associated with every instruc- while becoming actively engaged in a topic of
tional method, and then formulating action study. It offers opportunities to share ideas and
plans for how they will use those methods in information, deepening everyone’s understand-
the future with students. History/social studies ing of historical content. Small group work
teacher preparation is thus defined as a process breaks the one-way flow of teacher lectures and
of continual growth and development where it promotes teamwork among students, many of
college students learn about different instruc- whom might not otherwise work and learn
tional methods and how to make them a subs- together (Cohen, 1994).

Table 2. Ideas, Issues, and Insights for Small Group Work

Student-Centered Ideas Issues Insights

Teaching Method (benefits and (complexities and tensions) (future plans and strategies)
accomplishments)
Small Groups gain the attention of Students refuse to participate, Groups need clearly focused
Group Work students and get them to start do not get along, or one person academic activities that can be
thinking about ideas, whereas does all the work for the group. finished in a reasonable
lecturing may lose their amount of time.
interest.

Group work activity can Teachers are unsure how to Make each member of the
ground abstract ideas in more assign students to groups, how group responsible for a portion
concrete terms that are easier long to let groups work of the group activity.
for students to understand. together, and how to let groups
share what they have done
with the rest of the class.

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Group work simulates the roles Students may be loud and Develop methods for moving
of citizens in a democratic animated and spend time students from large group to
society where collective action talking about unrelated topics, small groups and back to large
is essential to effective possibly distracting classmates groups.
government. (Build “down time” into
activities).

Standing in the front of the Assign grades to students for

room and urging students to group participation to focus
stay focused on group work is energy on their common
usually not sufficient to keep activity.
students on task.

Develop extension activities to

give to individuals or groups
who finish an activity before
others.

Our teacher candidates see multiple benefits thinking.” Another candidate noted how “some
to small group work. One high school student students who are normally shy and non-
teacher noted that, “not only can students participatory in class opened up and excelled
benefit from other students work, but . . . it is as group leaders,” although there were others
more fun to learn by talking and sharing ideas who “did not enjoy group work, felt uncomfort-
with other people.” A middle school candidate able and participated minimally.” Reading
found that group work increased student feedback from students after small groups
involvement as they analyzed the text of The completed a geography lesson on Southeast
Mayflower Compact: Asia, a middle school candidate was surprised
by the impact of group work on student atti-
I found these methods of teaching to be tudes. One of this teacher’s students wrote: “I
very helpful in gaining the attention of was so shy to work with people, but Mr. L.
the students and getting them to start helped me to talk to people and I made new
thinking about the ideas, whereas lec- friends.”
turing on a subject may lose the inter- Our teacher candidates also tell us that
est of many people. The activity small group work increases student understand-
grounded the abstract ideas that we ing of history. Historical events become seen as
were talking about in concrete and more nuanced and complex when small groups
current terms that are easy for stu- consider the perspectives and actions of differ-
dents to understand. ent societal groups. Students begin thinking
about the power of ideas as well as the choices
Teacher candidates commented how group that individuals and groups make in various
work changes the classroom experience for situations and circumstances.
students, sometimes in dramatic ways. One Initially, teacher candidates see group work
noted that group work, “helps to promote equity as a straightforward process; divide the class up
in the classroom, and allows all my students to into smaller units and conduct a planned
have an opportunity to learn because this activity. In practice, group work does not work
method teaches students to take control of the that way, as one high school candidate stated:
conversation, encourages respect of other “I thought that working in a group would be
opinions, and promotes debate and critical easy; what I learned was for some students it

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was quite difficult coming up with a consensus candidate, is to ask “students to write on paper
about classroom protocols with other students.” who they want to work with.” Taking into
Teacher candidates found they were unsure account student requests, the teacher tried to
how to assign students to groups, how many “form the groups based on who I think will
students to put together at one time, how long work best together.” Students could switch
students should spend in groups, and how to let groups once, but everyone received a daily
groups share their work with the class. Noted grade based on how they contributed to the
one middle school student teacher: success of group work.
Second, new teacher candidates recognize
I asked the students to break into they face regular decisions about how much to
groups of four, which I thought would let students engage in conversation and socia-
be an easy task. Some dragged their lizing during group time. Noted one teacher
feet while others were in groups of candidate:
four or five. I could have given them a
number or devised a different way to Students who were finished with the
get them into groups. spreadsheet began talking about unre-
lated topics, possibly distracting their
Another candidate observed that many times, classmates. Through this insight, I was
“when you allow students to choose their own able to further understand student diffe-
groups, students who are already marginalized rentiation and that it is alright for cer-
become even more marginalized and humiliated tain students to have a minute or two of
because no one wants to work with them.” “down time” if they have finished an
Once underway, group activities do not al- assignment early.
ways proceed smoothly or quietly. Students
often become quite animated and loud. They Third, comparing their students’ responses
spend group time talking about friends, fa- to small group activities versus whole class lec-
shion, and food rather than academic topics. tures, teacher candidates tell us that student
Some individuals do most of the assigned passivity, not student activity, is a significant
work, while others do little but free ride on the barrier to effective instruction. It is easier to re-
efforts of peers. Some groups finish ahead of focus students engaged in conversation and a
others and sit, awaiting instructions for what to learning activity than to try to motivate young-
do next. Some students refuse to participate, sters disengaged by lectures or teacher-led
creating a potential clash of authority between question/answer sessions. It is also essential to
the teacher and class members. have extension or independent activities ready
Reflecting on how to make group work suc- for student group members who finish first so
ceed, teacher candidates offer four main in- no one is sitting idly waiting for their peers to
sights. First, they recognize the importance of complete the assignment.
managing the flow of group activities, seam-
lessly moving students from a whole class to
small groups and back to a whole class. This
means that teachers need many different ways “Ideas,” “Issues,” and “In-
to group students, rather than relying on sights” encapsulate dynam-
students to choose groups on their own. “One ics that occur whenever a
way I have attempted to address this issue teacher uses a teaching me-
during larger projects that take more than one thod in the classroom.
or two days,” noted one high school teacher

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Finally, teacher candidates are struck by in our history teaching methods class (Table 3).
how important it is to give middle and high Written by real people dealing with complex
school students’ meaningful academic work to issues and problems of their times, primary
complete during small group time. Without sources have a unique capacity to engage stud-
activities that students find interesting and rele- ents in the study of the past (Schur, 2007;
vant, all the teacher-made rules, regulations, Veccia, 2003). Some sources are essential
and routines in the world are not likely to documents of American democracy such as the
produce learning results. One high school stud- Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence,
ent teacher created a 5-4-3-2-1 activity where Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of
small groups analyzed the distribution of Sentiments. Students gain an understanding of
wealth in the world. Students were asked to list the principles of our society by reading and dis-
five countries they deemed rich or poor, and cussing these materials. Other sources (Abra-
then place a sticky note on a large world map ham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” or Martin
for each one. Once all the group choices were Luther King’s “Letter From a Birmingham
displayed, the students were asked to generate Jail”) present history as it was lived, from a
four observations about the map and three first-person point of view that invites interpre-
questions about their observations. The stu- tation and analysis. As one history teacher can-
dents then had to offer two possible explana- didate concluded:
tions for one of the questions before deciding
on one explanation that best explained their ob- Teaching the „agreed upon‟ history pre-
servation. The students responded positively to sented by textbooks is boring and often
this activity, demonstrating for this teacher times unfaithful to history, whether deli-
candidate that students will do small group berate or not. Primary source documents
work that they consider purposeful and mea- allow us to give the students the sense of
ningful. „being there,‟ as well as to teach them
Primary Source Analysis that there are many different viewpoints
of history that must be taken into consid-
Primary source material is the second stu- eration.
dent-centered instructional method we discuss

…, comparing their students’ responses to

small group activities versus whole class lec-
tures, teacher candidates tell us that student
passivity, not student activity, is a significant
barrier to effective instruction.

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Table 3. Ideas, Issues, and Insights for Primary Sources

Student-Centered Ideas Issues Insights

Teaching Method (benefits & accomplishments) (complexities & tensions) (future plans & strategies)

Primary First-hand accounts give a Language in sources can be Provide primary source texts in
Sources more enriched understanding difficult for students to read; larger fonts with plenty of
of how life was lived in the students become bogged down space for students to write
past. They give students the and frustrated by not just comments and responses.
sense of “being there” as individual words, but syntax as
events happened well.
Primary sources teach students Students may not have Use stimulating openers to get
that there are many different developed their abilities to students engaged with sources;
viewpoints that must be taken draw conclusions, think for example, use the Peters
into consideration when critically, and carry on a Projection Map as a way to
analyzing events. conversation about what they start looking at historic maps.
are reading or watching.
(When students struggle with
terms in a reading, stop the
activity and engage in a class-
wide discussion).
Visual primary sources (maps, Have specific questions for
photos, political cartoons, art, students to answer while
drawings) engage the interest reading or after reading a
of many students. primary source.

Sources offer useful ways to Develop an ongoing vocabu-

connect modern day events to lary list of unfamiliar terms
historical ones; for example and concepts from sources.
Prohibition and marijuana
repeal or the wars in Vietnam
and Iraq.
As students read primary
sources more frequently, their
level of comfort increases, as
does their ability to interpret
the material and draw out
important information.
Preview sources before
handing them to the students as
a way to set the context for the
material and to identify
potentially confusing language
and concepts.
When students struggle with
primary source material, stop a
reading activity and discuss the
source as a whole class.
Invite students to create
modern everyday language
translations of sources.

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Repeatedly in their reflections, teacher can- class period for students to read one entirely.
didates described how primary sources make Candidates found themselves unsure how to
history meaningful for students. “Students do decide which parts of a document they should
not get the full impact of any event when they ask their students to read.
read history textbooks,” stated one candidate. Developing strategies for reading and ana-
“All they get are the facts. When a student lyzing primary sources proved to be a puzzling
reads the firsthand account of someone during issue for teacher candidates. Asking individual
any time period, they get a much more enrich- students to read dense text silently was general-
ing understanding of how life was during the ly ineffective. Students became bored and did
time being studied.” Primary sources also bring not finish the assignment. Having not read or
historical events alive in uniquely compelling understood the material, the students were
ways as one candidate found when she taught unable to discuss these documents, creating
about the Lowell Mill Girls during the early even more boredom and frustration. As one
industrial period in Massachusetts: candidate noted after having his students read
Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream”
Students can read the factual informa- Speech:
tion about a time period, but they can
also get the feelings that some people I expected students to understand the
had during the time. . . Students will material without any insight from me. I
learn that some women went to work in thought the document was easy to un-
order to get a male family member derstand, but I don‟t think that is rea-
through school. They get this fact, but sonable anymore. In the future, I will
they also get the feelings of the women. analyze each document so every stu-
dent has a good foundation and start-
Still, using primary source materials in class ing point.
raises significant issues for new teacher candi-
dates, and for their students as well. The Putting students in small groups to help each
language of primary source documents can be other interpret a document after it has been read
difficult to read, as one new teacher candidate aloud can also be problematic. Middle and high
recalled after asking his students to interpret school students often have not developed their
World War I propaganda posters. He found abilities to draw conclusions, think critically,
these documents “bold and exciting, much more and carry on a nuanced conversation about
colorful and emotional than text reading,” but what they are reading. Groups become stymied
some students found “the language of images, by the task of interpretation and efforts to
symbols, etc. on the posters challenging to the discuss the material and may end up in argu-
point of frustration.” Another candidate put her ments about personal opinions or beliefs.
students in groups of three to read and explain Despite problems, teacher candidates of-
the first five paragraphs from Thomas Jeffer- fered the following insights about using prima-
son’s First Inaugural Address: “I discovered ry sources in the classroom. First, continued
that the students got caught up too much in the exposure to primary source material generates
language and became bogged down and improvements in students’ analytical and
frustrated by not just the individual words, but interpretive skills. Noted one high school
by the syntax the address was written in.” student teacher, as “students read primary
Other candidates noted that many important sources more frequently, their level of comfort
primary sources are lengthy documents so there and their ability to interpret and draw out
is never enough time in a 45- or even 90-minute important information will increase.”

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Second, middle and high school stu- them above the text on the board for everyone
dents need specific questions to answer as they to see. The result was lively class participation
read primary documents. One teacher candidate and a broadened understanding of the document
had his class, “keep a running vocabulary list by the students.
so the next time they read a source they will be Finally, students respond when teachers use
familiar with the words.” Another suggested, primary sources that are not just text-based
“when students are struggling, stop the reading documents, as one candidate after:
activity and begin a class-wide interpretation of
the source.” A third teacher used group work Musical lyrics and artistic images are
and a real-world scenario to focus on historical great ways to foster critical thinking.
comprehension and understanding of primary When listening to music and looking at
sources related to Prohibition: images, the information is not always
there for the taking, you have to dig a
I explained to the students that it was little deeper to really understand it. By
1925 and they are going to have a looking closely at each line and asking,
meeting with their Congressional rep- „Why do you think this one was written?‟
resentatives to try to influence their „What is behind it?‟ „What do they mean
vote for or against the following prop- when they sing this?‟ It forces the stu-
osition: „Should the production, sale, dents to look in-depth and make an in-
and consumption of alcohol continue terpretation. Just like when I spoke
to be prohibited under the law?‟ I split about having to listen and dissect what
the room so that half of the students an artist is singing, the same is true
were on the pro side of prohibition and when having to create a political car-
half of the students were on the con toon or political poster.
side of prohibition. I selected five stu-
dents to be our Congressional repre- Another candidate saw the importance of
sentatives. I then gave the students a combining multiple primary sources as part of a
selection of primary source readings lesson on the Vietnam War:
that I complied along with a document
analysis sheet and told them to take After reviewing counter-culture and
time to read through and mine the mainstream movements, the students had
documents for three stellar points they to interpret them and demonstrate their
could use for their debate to emphasize interpretations by creating “hawk/silent
their position. majority” or “dove/hippie” political
cartoons or political posters. . . We read
Third, middle and high school students en- an excerpt from [President Richard M.]
joy creating everyday language translations of Nixon‟s Silent Majority speech, looked
primary sources. When students re-state key at cartoons from a counter-cultural
terms and ideas in their own words, they gain a perspective, and listened and read the
greater sense of ownership of the material. One lyrics of protest song.
middle school teacher candidate displayed a
copy of the Declaration of Independence on an Role Plays and Simulations
interactive whiteboard in the front of the
classroom. As his students discussed the Role-plays and simulations are a third stu-
document and proposed everyday words as dent-centered teaching method highlighted in
synonyms for 18th century language, he added our history instructional methods class (Table

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4). As a teaching strategy, role-plays and cases). Such activities can be highly engaging
simulations encompass a wide range of activi- instructional methods in history classrooms.
ties from dramatizing pivotal moments (Consti- Many students like to perform in front of an
tutional Convention of 1787), to re-enacting audience and the opportunity of playing a role
key events (1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott), to produces greater involvement and discussion
conducting mock trials (famous Supreme Court than when teachers lecture and ask questions.

Table 4. Issues, Insights, and Ideas for Role Plays & Simulations

Student-Centered Ideas Issues Insights

Teaching Method (benefits and (complexities and tensions) (future plans and strategies)
accomplishments)
Role Plays & Role-Plays and simulations Some students are shy or Give students sources and
Simulations provide fun-filled and informa- experience stage fright in front information about people and
tive ways to illustrate the of the class. events so everyone has
multiple perspectives that are information on which to base
part of any historical event. their roles.
Use role-plays to recreate Students may overact their Go over rules for appropriate
historical situations (for example, parts, or become silly or behavior and conduct before
factory labor for children in disruptive, and the role-play beginning a role-play or
English factories can be de- thus presents a classroom simulation activity.
fended or opposed as part of the management problem.
study of the Factory Act).
Students become invested in Students find it difficult to Assess preparation as well as
what they are learning since it is role-play a famous historical performance in giving grades
from the point of view of figure. for students. Some students
historical individuals or groups. may have understood their
roles, but not performed them
well in class.
Use role-plays to teach otherwise Give roles to groups, not just
abstract ideas or concepts (for individuals, to broaden the
example, having students create activity.
skits and songs about the
economic and taxation policies
that contributed to the start of the
Revolutionary War).
Debrief after a role-play to
restate key points and clarify
any historical misunderstand-
ings or misinformation.
Establish more concrete way of
evaluating role-plays than
asking one person to speak on
behalf of the group, such as a
combination of oral and
written responses by all
members of the group.
Use short (one to five minute
long) role-plays and simula-
tions to illustrate a particular
concept or event.

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Teacher candidates find that role-plays and Role-plays and simulations make abstract
simulations bring historical moments alive for ideas real to students. As a middle school
students. As one high school candidate stated, student teacher noted, “I taught „no taxation
“as a student I preferred lectures and reading without representation‟ by having the students
to more interactive methods. However, using create skits or songs to illustrate the economic
the role-play methods showed me how much and taxation policies that contributed to the
students want to interact with the content when start of the Revolutionary War.” The students
the content allows students to express them- were then able to explain the concepts of
selves creatively. A middle school teacher taxation and the government’s role in individu-
asked his students for their feedback after a al lives. Another middle school candidate
role-play activity and found he “was encour- created a geography-based role-play lesson, and
aged by responses that said they enjoyed being said
part of the history. More than one student liked
role playing because they could „visualize what by putting the students in the shoes of
happened back then‟.” countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and
Names, dates, facts, and places are made Ecuador, I had them think about what
memorable by theater-like experiences, staying they would need and what they would try
in for students’ memories longer because they to take advantage of in order to create
are personally attached to the activity. More the most successful economy possible.
importantly, the factors and forces that motivate
historical people to take certain actions are At the same time, role-plays and simula-
rendered more understandable. Participating in tions are complex instructional methods for
a role-play or simulation, students connect teacher candidates. Students sometimes overact
immediately and emotionally to historical their parts, resulting in everyone losing focus
situations, asking, for example, why Rosa Parks on historical information and themes. In other
refused to give up her seat on a segregated city cases, students have not learned enough about
bus, why Abraham Lincoln issued the Emanci- their historical roles, resulting in inaccuracies
pation Proclamation, or why President Truman and misrepresentations that take additional
chose to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. class time to explain and correct. Some middle
and high school students, despite sincere effort,
are not able to step outside their modern-day
frame of reference to imagine what an historical
person might say or do and why. Noted one
student teacher: “I have found it challenging to
…, middle and high get students to interact with material where
they are truly stepping into a different perspec-
school students tive than their own, when there is not a drawn
need specific ques- out activity to encourage thinking from an
alternative frame of reference.”
tions to answer as After reflection, teacher candidates offer the
they read primary following insights about using role-plays and
documents. simulations. First, role-plays and simulations do
not have to be lengthy, time-consuming activi-
ties. When one high school student teacher
taught the political and economic events
leading to the American Revolution, he pre-

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 Social Studies Research and Practice
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tended to arrest a student for not having a stamp Multiple ways for students to discuss and
on a piece of paper (to illustrate the Stamp process a role-play or simulation was a third
Act), and then asked the students in the last two insight of our teacher candidates. Role-plays
rows in the room to stand during part of the are not ends in themselves, but ways to engage
class (to illustrate the Quartering Act). His students more deeply in questioning historical
short (less than 30 seconds-long) role-plays material. One candidate remarked that in the
memorably established the impact of the Stamp future he would ask his students to comment
Act and the Quartering Act in the minds of directly about what motivated different histori-
students. cal figures to act as they did, noting that
Second, teacher candidates understood the “simulations provide the space for learning to
importance of giving students sufficient infor- take on a more first-person perspective with the
mation about the individuals or groups they will material, rather than seeing the information
play in a role-play or simulation. As one from a „birds-eye‟ view.”
candidate observed, “It should be customary to
consider the multiple perspectives that are a Conclusion
part of understanding any historical
event/person, and simulations make taking on For a decade in our teaching methods
that role fun and informative.” Other candi- classes, we have asked history and social
dates remarked about the usefulness of letting studies teacher candidates to use student-
student role-players base their performances on centered teaching methods with middle and
primary source material. One student teacher high school students, and then identify specific
used oral histories from the book Voices of “Ideas, Issues, and Insights” based on their
Freedom (Hampton, Fayer, & Flynn, 1991) to experiences. Analyzing their written reflec-
recreate the Montgomery Bus Boycott in her tions, we found important professional learning
class. happening in two key areas of teaching prac-
tice. First, the reality of designing and teaching
classes to include student-centered teaching
methods pushes teacher candidates outside their
comfort levels, asking them, in most cases, to
…, teacher candi- venture beyond the familiar experiences of how
dates understood they were taught. Such journeys are not easy,
the importance of and our candidates report that they feel consi-
derable anxiety, especially before using stu-
giving students dent-centered methods with their classes. Yet,
sufficient informa- when student-centered methods succeed, and
middle and high school students become
tion about the indi- actively and thoughtfully engaged in academic
viduals or groups work, future teachers see new possibilities for
they will play in a using these methods to promote learning in
history and social studies classes.
role-play or simula- Second, the opportunity to reflect and write
tion. about teaching experiences, framed by the
“Ideas, Issues, and Insights” assignment,
becomes particularly revealing for these
aspiring teachers. Putting feeling and thoughts
on paper helped reveal the surprises and

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impressions that happen when teaching history expanding, and improving their practice in the
and social studies for the first time. Over and history and social studies classroom.
over again, candidates use the word “surprise”
in their written reflections; “one thing that
surprised me” or “what surprised me most”
appeared often as they grappled with how the
realities of teaching differed from their begin- References
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Ravitch, D. (2010). The death and life of the great Veccia, S. A. (2003). Uncovering our history: Teaching
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About the Author

Robert W. Maloy is coordinator of the history and political science teacher education programs in the School of
Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research focuses on student learning and school improvement.
His most recent book is Transforming Learning with New Technologies (Allyn & Bacon, 2010). He can be reached at
[email protected].

Irene LaRoche is a social studies teacher at Amherst Middle School in Amherst, Massachusetts. A graduate of
Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts, Irene has taught in public schools for 12 years, and received a
Fulbright-Hayes Fellowship to study in South Africa in 2008.

Citation for this Article

Maloy, R. W., & LaRoche, I. (2010). Student-centered teaching methods in the history classroom: Ideas, issues, and
insights for new teachers. Social Studies Research & Practice, 5(3), 46-61.

Volume 5 Number 2 61 Summer 2010