Full Description
In the case studies that make up the bulk of this book, middle and high school history teachers describe the decisions and plans and the problems and possibilities they encountered as they ratcheted up their instruction through the use of big ideas. Framing a teaching unit around a question such as "Why don't we know anything about Africa?" offers both teacher and students opportunities to explore historical actors, ideas, and events in ways both rich and engaging. Such an approach exemplifies the construct of ambitious teaching, whereby teachers demonstrate their ability to marry their deep knowledge of subject matter, students, and the school context in ways that fundamentally challenge the claim that history is "boring."
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 The Evolution of a Big Idea: Why Don't We Know Anything About Africa?
Chapter 3 Defining Success with Big Ideas: A New Teacher's Growth and Challenges
Chapter 4 From the Holocaust to Darfur: A Recipe for Genocide
Chapter 5 How I Learned To Stop Worrying about the Test and to Love Teaching Students to Write Well
Chapter 6 Big Expectations: Big Ideas in Honors and Inclusion
Chapter 7 Big Ideas: A Methodology to Engage Students
Chapter 8 Reconstructing Reconstruction and History
Chapter 9 Big Ideas and Ambitious Teaching: A Cross-Case Analysis
Chapter 10 Implications
