I have been asked to think about the following quote: "If the textbook contains the answers, then what are the questions?"
When I was in school, my social studies teachers had us read the chapters and then answer the questions at the end of the chapter. I do remember my teacher saying, "The answers are within the chapter". If I had just read the answers, then what are the questions?
Students need to be asked questions about big ideas so that they can transfer information they know about one topic and relate it to other topics. This can be accomplished by asking students essential questions. Essential questions are those that make students look at the big picture. The goal of essential questions is to think about it and discuss it instead of finding the one right answer, since they typically have no resolution. These questions are generally covered throughout several subject areas and help students make connections to the real-world. They are thought provoking and fun to discuss. So, instead of having teachers ask their students to answer the questions at the end of the chapter, ask them why studying this particular topic is important and how it connects to the real-world and to other subjects. Asking them these essential questions will allow students to make these connections.
So, my question for you is, why does learning about history really matter?
Alright, I'm up for your challenge question: Learning about history really matters to me because it influences who I am today and where I am headed in the future. My history is very different than your history, but together we can begin to discover our common history. I also think that history repeats itself more often than not and through the bad experiences, we can learn, grow, develop, and prepare for when it may reoccur.
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