The History Teacher

The history teacher is considered as the most important factor in making the study of history successful. Inspire of the new trends of introduction of teaching machines, and arrival of child-centered education, the teacher occupies a pivotal position in helping the children, the teacher occupation a pivotal position in helping the children to develop historical knowledge. It is most certain that the function has become more difficult and most important. There was a time, when it was enough for a history teacher simply to narrate in the classroom situation, the facts he had collected from the history textbook and set questions to be answered by the students in the examination hall. But now the things have been put in the reverse gear. A modern history teacher has to frame his own lesson units and the basis of careful consideration from any factors; deep knowledge of the subject matter and deep insight into the methods of teaching history. Besides this, he has to provide ample opportunities for the participation of the students in the lesion he teachers, so that the students can learn through their own experience. Thus, narration in the modern classroom assumes the form of conversation. Besides the conversation lessons, the modern teacher has to teach other types of lessons like dramatized lessons, group discussion lesions, project lessons etc. if the history teacher is well educated and trained, intellectually alive and possesses required skills, then only the success of teaching history is ensured. If on the other hand he lacks training in the art of teaching and if he cannot put his heart into his job, the teaching of history is destined to fail.

Personal qualities of the history teachers

            Teaching is both a science and art. It is a science because careful planning of objective, methods, contents, experience and evaluation are required for good teaching. It is an art, because the teacher needs fine qualities such as sensitivity to the needs, interests and progress of the students, sympathetic personal relationship and skills in working with children and adults.                     

            It is perhaps needless to point out that the teacher’s personal quality and equipments are of utmost importance in this kind of teaching. The development of human character and social progress are fascinating topics. Unless the teacher has warm sympathies, a real enthusiasm for truth and high ideals coupled with an insight into human character and progress, his teaching will be arid and dull, leading to a deadening and not to an intensification of social thought in the younger generation. The teaching, therefore, has to be first-rate and should exercise the thought processes of the students. There is no room for dull, mechanical teaching at any stage; much less so, when a proper perspective of human progress or retrogression is to be imparted.    

Difference between the history teacher and other teachers

            If it is asked what differentiates the history teacher from any other teacher, it would ultimately reduce itself to the question of outlook and open-mindedness. It is a fundamental postulate that the history teacher is mainly concerned with truth. His other great task of interpretation of values is wholly vitiated unless he can view incidents and events without the colored spectacles of bias. He must be above sectarian, communal and even national narrowness. This is not to say that he must not show wrath or enthusiasm for characters or causes in history and must confine himself to a mere tepid narration of the casual relationship in human incidents.   

Role of the history teacher

            The history teacher must have knowledge of the subject matter. Besides having a good knowledge of his subject, a vivid imagination, a romantic sense of history and fair powers of sketching, he must be a good story-teller, especially in the initial stages, have a grip of methods, and that cultured catholicity of mind that comes from a proper study of history. But something more is needed to complete his mental makeup. As a stimulating teacher of history, he must have a refreshing outlook on life and should always have an open mind. There must be a happy blend of the romantic and the scientific temper in the history teacher.   

The History Teacher should keep an open mind

            What is needs foremost in the history teacher is his keeping an open mind. He must not be dogmatic or fanatical in his views nor must he be impervious to new facts and ideas as they are thrown up by modern research. He must keep abreast of recent scholarly contributions that have been well reviewed in the press, or, if that is not always found possible, at least he must get his headmaster to invest in standard books that embody the results of modern research. In short, he must not allow his mind to grow sterile but keep it vigorous and young, constantly fed on fresh material. In his presentation of history with regard to controversial topics, he should always cultivate the scientific or objective outlook laying bare the facts, both for and against, without giving any offense to anybody or hurting susceptibilities and making an appeal to the students understanding and reasoning, so that they might benefit from the mistake of the past in their attempts to build up a better future. Students should be asked also to discuss those topics occasionally, after adequate preparation, in an objective manner. If the history teacher is catholic enough, as he should be, to point out instances in his day-to-day teaching of how Hindus, Muhammadans, and Englishmen have all made mistakes in he long course of history that have cost posterity dear, just as much as they have left us a glorious heritage that makes up our civilization today, much of the bitterness and rancour of the history class will disappear and the germs of that sanity of outlook for which we are pleading in the teacher and student will surely be sprouting.

He should not violate historical truth          

            The history teacher will not certainly do violence to truth if he makes it clear that even in the darkest hours there have been strivings, however fitful or grouping, after a better way, a better ideal and a better world. After the shattering devastation of World War II, a new league of Nations has been set up in the UNO to heal the wounds of a badly damaged world and to prevent any such future catastrophe through promotion of peace, security and liberty. But success will depend on the measure it can bring into its activities of fearlessness, subordination of individual interests, steady pursuit of justice and freedom from bias.

He should possess the necessary skills in teaching

            The history teacher in modern times follow different techniques of teaching while teaching lessons in the classroom. The techniques include dramatized lessons, group discussion lessons, project lessons, etc., While teaching a dramatized the teacher should possess skill in dramatization. Besides this, he should have some skill in writing dramas and an insight into the dramatic process itself. While following the teaching techniques like project and group discussions, the teacher should have a good knowledge of planning and organization.

He should improvise teaching aids

            One of the additional responsibilities of the history teacher is the improvisation of teaching aids. Each and every history lesson is usually accompanied by different teaching aids. The teacher may not collect all teaching aids from outside. In order to make his lesson successful, he should possess the skill of improvising different teaching aids.

He should encourage student’s activity

            One of the additional responsibilities of the history teacher is the improvisation of teaching aids. Each and every history is usually accompanied by different teaching aids. The teacher may not collect all teaching aids from outside. In order to make his lesson successful, he should possess the skill of improvising different teaching aids.

He should encourage student’s activity

            A question that usually comes to our mind is what amount of talking is the history teacher to do. The answer to the question is that the history teacher will generally encourage the body and girls to do as much work as possible by themselves. He is to do as much talking as is necessary in fulfilling his fundamental duty of making things vivid, clear and kindling a love of the subject. To that extent, verbal illustrations, anecdotes, narratives and those small and precious details which bring history back to life are very important and the teacher must not fight shy of talking.

He himself should perform some important classroom activities

            The modern teacher in the classroom puts himself in the backgrounds and release the creative and through process of the young through suitable activities. Besides such activities he has to organize the history course, plan the assignments, check the students and his own graphs, be present all the time in the subject room and give whatever help is required, discuss common difficulties in the classroom, correct the assignment and the monthly test papers and be constantly on the watch. Further he should direct children’s activities and lead excursions and expeditions. But the history teacher even under the Dalton or any other laboratory plan is not absolved from the duty of doing that amount talking which is necessary in rousing a genuine love and enthusiasm for the subject.     

He should possess necessary skills in carrying out the evaluation

            Many classroom teachers do not take notice of the backward students. The role of a skilled teacher is to diagnose the backwardness of the backward students through a diagnostic test. After testing them he should help them in their progress in learning history.

            Form what has been discussed so far it is found that role of the history teacher has now become much more difficult than it was before. The modern history teacher should possess mastery of his subject and understanding of the aims for which the lesson is taught in a particular class. He should also specialize himself in the art of preparing lesson units and teach lessons with the help of suitable methods. The history teacher should have interest in the study of history and can develop professional competency as an artist of human affairs only when he (i) creates learning situations (ii) motivates the children to learn (iii) arranges for conditions whereby the growth of the child’s mind and body takes place (iv) utilizes the play and imitation urges of the children to encourage them to learn (v) turns the children into creative things (vi) inspires them with the nobility of thoughts, feelings and actions (vii) makes them self-reliant, and resourceful and (viii) helps them to be what they can be.