Megan

Can I suggest you leave your name and contact details with HTA office and we may be able to offer some help.

Also, keep an eye out for Ext History PD day which is likely to be held early next year.

Paul

I (like many others) am teaching History extension for the first time.  Help from anybody out there about anything whatsoever would be great.  This is my first year teaching, so I am obviously not experienced.  I was starting with the "What is History" section, and running it like a University tutorial (discussions/debates on set readings).  Does this sound okay?  Then I was going to move into the case study (not sure which one yet - the easiest I suppose).  Is there a textbook for extension?  Or is that a bit too hopeful?

Thanks,

Angela

Just to echo Paul's comment above, the HTA days are a great way to find your feet in what is a very challenging (but rewarding) course. And as Megan said, Ken Webb's text is a very clear introduction for both students and teachers. Well worth using as a course text.

You could also consider purchasing a copy of The Houses of History (Green and Troup). The Co-op Bookshop has limited stock available online for about $55.00. This gives a clear intro to each of the "schools" of history along with a sample chapter from an apropriate text. For example, after the detailed explanation of the Annales school, there's a sample from Braudel's "The Mediterranean...". It's good for identifying what it is in the historian's approach and methodology that overlaps with others or sets it apart. This is much more satisfactory than a chronological apporach.

A couple of other ideas: Use the BOS source book as a starting point, but move beyond this. Look in the introductions of history books in your library; look for old history posters in your bookroom; use newspapers... explore a range of areas beyond the source book. One of the best I used this year was the intro to Jonathon Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich". He clearly explains his background, aims and the selectivity he applies in his use of sources. It connects nicely to Evans and Irving for a more contemporary debate.

If you have a network of connections, it might also be valuable to spend a lesson or two with someone who has taught the course a few times. See if you can get some release time for what could be very productive professional development.

Greg Keith