History Doesn’t Have to be Boring
How to Make it Memorable
History is one of the most fascinating subjects out there, and a really popular choice for studying at all ages up to degree level and beyond. Unfortunately, an excessive focus on memorising dates can shut off this fantastic subject for so many students, who see it as boring. Here are some ways to ignite a passion for history in your child or student.
Have Fun with Primary Sources
Primary source analysis might not initially sound like the most engaging activity but the possibilities for fun discussion are endless. Wacky newspaper headlines from across the 20th Century, cartoons from the 1700s designed to tear down a pompous politician, or even sections from the famous (and occasionally rude) Bayeux tapestry can be amazing ways to grab a student’s attention and start an interest in a topic.
Debate
Teachers, tutors and parents have far from all the answers when it comes to history, and there are even still a few unsolved cases and truly debatable issues that come up on the curriculum!
If it takes trying to figure out who Jack the Ripper really was to establish an interest in the Victorian era, or trying to argue the case for or against a Salem ‘witch’ to get your student into colonial America then that is no bad thing.
Trips
History is always all around us, and nothing brings a topic to life like getting a sense of it with your own eyes. Fortunately, no matter where you live, there are always nearby trips you can do to show students some almost-living history. It doesn’t have to be a trip to the Parthenon to be worthwhile!
National and local museums, former colonial buildings and old temples are all within reach if you live in Hong Kong or Singapore; and a trip to one of these sites may just liven up a discussion about local history. If a trip further afield is possible, then it can often be the catalyst for a lifetime’s history obsession.
Make it Relevant to Today
One of the most common things that history teachers or history tutors hear from students yet to find a passion for the subject is that the study of history is pointless and irrelevant because it is all in the past. Obviously, we know that this is not the case, but how does one convince the adamant student?
The best way is to draw parallels between events of the past and events that the student will be familiar with. If the student is old enough to have a vivid recollection of the Covid-19 pandemic, then this could be a great place to start to draw parallels with Spanish Flu or even the Black Death.
There are plenty more examples to look for - as Mark Twain said: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”
By Matthew