Social Justice in the Classroom

The Fuller Story of Jamestown with Mark Summers – The Teaching History Her Way Podcast

Send us Fan MailHistory teachers know about the English colonizing Jamestown in 1607 and that 1619 shows up in the curriculum as a date and a sentence, but how do we help students understand what actually happened, and whose story we’ve been telling?In this episode of Teaching History Her Way, I’m joined by Mark Summers, public historian at Jamestown Rediscovery. Historic Jamestowne is a place I bring my students every year, and Mark and I talk about the fuller story of what happened there. We explore what we really know about the first Africans who arrived at Point Comfort in 1619, the archaeological and documentary evidence that helps us understand their experience, and the misconceptions students (and teachers) often bring with them.We also talk about the Powhatan people, whose land this was (is), and how Jamestown works to center their perspective rather than treating them as a side note in the story of English settlement. Mark shares resources and artifacts teachers can use whether or not a field trip to Virginia is possible, and where to start if you only have 15 minutes.Listening to this episode will help you bring the fuller story of Jamestown into your classroom and you teach students more than only part of the history that happened.  Visit Jamestowne Rediscovery's website: http://www.historicjamestowne.orgLet's be friends and continue the conversation!Instagram: @teachinghistoryherwayX: http://www.twitter.com/historyherwayOn the Web/Blog: https://www.teachinghistoryherway.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/teachinghistoryherwayBlueSky: @historyherway.bsky.socialSupport the production of the Teaching History Her Way Podcast by purchasing some really great history tees.  Click here to shop now or go to www.teachinghistoryherway.com and click on "Merch."
  1. The Fuller Story of Jamestown with Mark Summers
  2. Retro Report: History Isn’t Over with Dave Olson
  3. Portrait of a Citizen: Rethinking Civic Education with Darcy Daniels & Denise Furlong
  4. Presidential Conspiracies 101 with Stephen Knott
  5. From Research to Exhibit: Letting Students Tell the Story of History

Lindsay defines social justice in the classroom as a foundational and cultural mindset of partnership between teacher and student in which students are talking and grappling with meaningful work that has eyes beyond the teacher and changes the community for the better in some way. Additionally, they are able to see mirrors of their own experiences and backgrounds of their identities as well as step into someone else’s experience through this work. To do the work, and fit it into our classes, she tells us to take a topic that students are talking about and then use our historical knowledge and pedagogical background to bring those issues into the class by designing our lessons from the present to the past. She recommends the Social Justice Framework from Learning for Justice as a way to guide you through making work developmentally appropriate.

Lindsay also makes the excellent point that you need to make your classroom a place where students are prepared and ready to talk about the issues at hand as well as be able to work through disagreements. She’s so generously given us a template for Circle Planning, which is a really great discussion method, for our students. Get your free Circle Planning Template here!

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