‘History Has Never Not Been Important’ by Stephanie Meek

Stephanie Meek is the 2025 Alaska James Madison Fellow

History has never not been important. Today is no exception. Students need history to understand the present as much as they need it to understand the past. The skills taught in history, specifically what we like to call “thinking like a historian,” teaches students to not just think critically, but it teaches them the purpose and importance of doing so. Learning history teaches students about contextualization, analyzing sources, continuity and change over time, cause/effect, how to make comparisons, and how to effectively develop an argument. All these skills transcend the discipline and are essential to all other areas of studies/subject matter. Today, students have more access to unverified resources than at any point in history and history classes provide students the skills needed to evaluate information (consider origin, purpose, content) and come to evidence-based conclusions. History reminds us that we are all connected and because of that fact, there is an intrinsic value in looking at multiple perspectives. All these components of learning history are why it is important for students to learn it.

My approach to teaching U.S. history and government starts with this impassioned sentiment about history. It is not boring. It is not about memorizing useless facts so you can do well on Triva Night. And above all else, it is not irrelevant. I love teaching history because it embodies everything the humanities are about. It celebrates culture (music, art, language, literature), it requires active participation (reading content alone doesn’t teach history, you must interact with it), and it connects people (from looking at varying perspectives and experiences, to the empathy elicited from shared human experiences). History is now and when students understand that they connect with it. History’s inevitability is the ultimate lesson in the dangers of apathy. It exposes students to all the messiness that comes with being human and teaches them to evaluate it on their terms. That’s when the real learning happens.

Education is the cornerstone of any healthy, well-functioning democracy. An informed citizenry is best able to participate in society and shape government that is for the people, by the people. I also believe that education is what connects us to one another. It is my ongoing goal to engage students with their country’s history and help them develop into contributing, participating citizens.

So how does that engagement happen? In teaching students to think like historians, you give them the tools needed to engage with history in a productive and consequential way. Part of thinking like a historian is engaging with different perspectives. It is through this engagement that students can make connections with the various actors in history, and furthermore, see themselves as part of that history. What about the “boring” parts of history? That’s where practical life skills come into play. Not everything in history is going to move and shake you, just like you’re your daily life – and that’s ok. In fact, it’s necessary. The mundane carries as much value as the flashy, and in learning to engage with both (and the intrinsic value in that engagement), students come out with a greater understanding and appreciation for history.

Methods I use in my teaching vary. I have found project-based learning to be particularly engaging, because it gives topics the time needed to dive deep into the content. Topic autonomy also helps. I give students choices, where possible, to increase ownership and buy in for what they are learning. I don’t shy away from lecturing. Listening is an invaluable skill, and a lot of my students go onto post-secondary education, where listening to lectures is an inevitability. I try to find a balance with technology use but still provide paper-based resources to students so they can touch and write on them. Engaging the brain in a variety of ways helps with retention. Lastly, I have high expectations for my students. I don’t limit the activities we do or the readings we engage with because they might be “too difficult.”

The goal for my students, whether they are in my general education U.S. History course or one of my International Baccalaureate history courses, is to walk away having developed the skills to think for themselves, and to have a greater understanding for the world they live in and their place in it. Making connections and engaging with history keeps students grounded in the present. It helps them feel that they are part of the story that is unfolding before them. And it gives them confidence that maybe they can impact the future in a positive way.