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History and Geography Department: History Department Open Week Class Presentation

June 3, 2026

On May 27, the G10 History Teaching Team collaborated with a psychology teacher to present an interdisciplinary lecture for 10th-grade students titled: “ Echoes from the Trenches: The Evolution of Combat Trauma.” Building on the “Great World Wars” theme currently being studied in 10th-grade history, the lecture aimed to introduce a perspective focused on individual well-being. By moving beyond grand historical narratives, it helped students develop empathy and connect the subject to their daily lives, thereby addressing the central question: How have the psychological wounds of war been understood, documented, and treated across different historical eras? First, Mr. David O’Leary traced the origins of combat trauma back to ancient warfare, using descriptions from ancient Greek and Roman texts to illustrate the psychological state of soldiers. He then illustrated the development of understanding regarding psychological trauma through specific case studies from the Battle of Waterloo, the American Civil War, and the Franco-Prussian War; Second, Ms. Zhou Shen focused primarily on “shell shock” during World War I and “combat fatigue” during World War II. Using authentic historical photographs and war records, she presented several specific examples of soldiers—including stories of both survivors and those who died in battle—to illustrate the process of experiencing trauma and the strategies people employed to cope with it. The history of psychology has, in fact, evolved alongside the history of war; Finally, Ms. Yu Qinyue defined concepts such as trauma and stress from a professional psychological perspective, describing corresponding symptoms and treatment plans from a scientific standpoint, and provided psychological analysis based on the examples presented by the history teachers. This lecture guided students beyond the boundaries of the history discipline to explore the developmental trajectory of the human psyche, offering valuable insights.





On June 2, Mr. Daniel Smith’s open class focused on a specific historical figure: La Malinche. In response to the heated debate on social media labeling her a “traitor to her people,” students engaged in independent source analysis and group discussions, simulating the research methods of historians to address the central question: What role did La Malinche play in the conquest of Mexico? The student-centered class used historical sources to build a foundation for critical thinking, encouraging students to explore the value and limitations of the available materials in order to draw conclusions and complete written responses.




During this semester’s History Unit as part of Open Class Week, teachers in Grades 9 and 10 utilized a wealth of historical sources to help students better understand historical facts and expand their understanding appropriately. The skills taught in these classes—whether interdisciplinary thinking or critical thinking—will greatly benefit students in their daily lives.


(Written by Shen Zhou    Pictures by Shen Zhou, Yunuo Li    Reviewed by Qian Zuo)