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History and Geography Department: PD Days

August 26, 2021

August 20th and 21st were the two days when High School History teachers met in room 111 of Zhentao Building for professional development. This meeting was mainly organized by Ms. Li Yunuo, the head of the History and Geography department. Many topics were discussed such as Middle School and High School Curriculum Mapping, Reflections on 2020-2021 Semester Projects, Introduction to Historiography, and Public History.

The new teachers were warmly welcomed by the returning teachers. The first day’s meeting started with introducing each other. Then, the representatives of the Middle School History and Geography teachers showed their curriculum to High School teachers in order to clarify the contents and skills required in the Middle School, which will help the High School teachers do a better job of cohesion and expansion. Ms. Li introduced the curriculum of the High School subject of History and relevant tasks and tools. Later, teachers did some reflection on the semester projects from the last semester and year. New teachers also provided some novel and feasible ideas. New teachers and returning teachers then spent some time discussing and investigating various requirements and contents of their courses in groups.

During the second day, Mr. Joshua Pickart, the deputy of the History and Geography department, gave a wonderful introduction of historical academic writing and brought about a brainstorming session on a series of questions: How do we help students deal with the written tasks like short answers, long answers, document-based questions, and challenging projects such as research papers. Mr. Pickart then listed guidelines for each task based on his experience and interactions with the new and returning teachers. Writing skills is an essential part of high-school History learning and this discussion provided some clues for both old and new teachers to prepare for a new semester plan. Mr. Pickart also introduced Process Portfolio as a new project for all G9 and G10 students. They will be encouraged to collect, select, connect, and reflect what they have learned and finished to well organize their knowledge and achievements. In the afternoon, Mr. Sean Cordes, Ms. Li Yunuo, and Mr. Joshua Pickart led the teachers to explore the aspects of Historiography, Public History, and Odd History. The teachers discussed how to utilize them in class. History is everywhere. History teachers not only should teach in class, but also try their best to inspire their students through various ways such as reading books, watching videos, and visiting museums, all of which may help increase their interest in history.

(Written by: Shen Zhou Pictures by: Shen Zhou Reviewed by Qian Zuo)