MACMILLAN The Arts and the Teaching of History: Historical F(r)ictions

This book closely examines the pedagogical possibilities of integrating the arts into history curriculum at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Students encounter expressions of history every day in the form of fiction, paintings, and commemorative art, as well as other art forms. Research demonstrates it is often these more informal encounters with history that define students’ knowledge and understandings rather than the official accounts present in school curricula. This volume will provide educators with tools to bring together these parallel tracks of history education to help enrich students’ understandings and as a mechanism for students to present their own emerging historical perspectives. Review “This book is essential reading for academics, professionals, and others. Diverse and dynamic, coherent and focused, Sears and Clark raise fascinating issues about how art is created and what it can tell us about ourselves and others in the past and present.” (Ian Davies, Professor, Department of Education, University of York, UK) “Every history teacher will want to read this book, which is without question the most thoughtful and complex treatment of the arts in teaching history. Numerous compelling and in-depth examples show how fiction and the visual arts can develop sophisticated understandings of the nature of historical interpretation. The authors’ attention to Indigenous perspectives, marginalized voices, and collective memory further enhances the reach and significance of this indispensable contribution to history education.” (Keith C. Barton, Professor, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, and Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in Curriculum Studies, Indiana University, USA) “This book offers critical insights into the field of history education. Against the backdrop of five interrelated scholarly conversations, the authors wrestle with the complexities of historical consciousness, including how individual and collective memories of the past are constituted and how they shape our engagements in the present. In considering the influence of the arts on historical understandings, the book advances the imperative for more meaningful, empathetic understanding of others. A timely and important read!” (Jennifer Tupper, Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Canada) From the Back Cover “This book is essential reading for academics, professionals, and others. Diverse and dynamic, coherent and focused, Sears and Clark raise fascinating issues about how art is created and what it can tell us about ourselves and others in the past and present.” ―Ian Davies, Professor, Department of Education, University of York, UK “Every history teacher will want to read this book, which is without question the most thoughtful and complex treatment of the arts in teaching history. Numerous compelling and in-depth examples show how fiction and the visual arts can develop sophisticated understandings of the nature of historical interpretation. The authors’ attention to Indigenous perspectives, marginalized voices, and collective memory further enhances the reach and significance of this indispensable contribution to history education.” ―Keith C. Barton, Professor, Department of Curriculum & Instruction and Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in Curriculum Studies, Indiana University, USA This book closely examines the pedagogical possibilities of integrating the arts into history curriculum at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Students encounter expressions of history every day in the form of fiction, paintings, and commemorative art, as well as other art forms. Research demonstrates it is often these more informal encounters with history that define students’ knowledge and understandings rather than the official accounts present in school curricula. This volume will provide educators with tools to bring together these parallel tracks of history education to help enrich students’ understanding