The Question That Deserves a Serious Answer
One of the many questions I get asked in schools is “how old are you?” I have a number of smart answers to this, but another common question is “How do you know all this stuff about Vikings/Saxons/Romans/Greeks?” And that question deserves a serious answer.
When people ask me my field of history, they are usually surprised when I reply Historiography. This is the study of how and why we create history. It looks at what distinguishes a historical narrative from a fictional narrative or even historical fiction. The big question is whether people can trust and rely on my words when I talk to them about history.
Building a Picture From Incomplete Data
One of the key moments of my workshop is explaining that I am a historian and everything I say is factual. From these facts, I create a narrative that is true as far as I can attempt to be. I will not be lying, but my narrative is based on incomplete data from fields such as Archaeology, where the picture is constantly evolving as new data becomes available.
So how do I get this knowledge? The first answer is that at school I paid attention to my teachers, and that’s what the pupils should do too. Teachers usually respond well to this point!
The Best Resources for Curious Minds
The second point is that I read books and articles about the periods that I study. In any school library, there are usually appropriate non-fiction and historical fiction books that children can access to develop their knowledge. An excellent series is the Horrible Histories books and TV show, which Dan Shadrake worked on.
Articles in academic journals are useful to me but probably beyond Key Stage 4 children. However, magazines from the BBC and others are exciting ways for children of all abilities to gain extra knowledge. For teachers looking to build their own subject knowledge, these are useful sources of information—and as a special hint, try audiobooks. I love audiobooks; they transform every journey into a learning experience.
Staying Curious and Learning From Others
I also undertake significant Continuing professional development (CPD) in the form of courses and lectures. For this, I can be omnivorous and curious. I take full advantage of my membership in the Historical Association, which has excellent opportunities. I have also joined various UK and overseas historical clubs where I can access lectures from experts in the fields I deliver workshops in, alongside formal academic study.
All that being said, I think the most fun source of historical knowledge is meeting people and having conversations. As a team at Portals to the Past, we all meet up every year to talk about best practices, developed knowledge, and new workshop ideas.
Why History is a Social Discipline
History is a social discipline in many different ways. It is one of interpretation and facts, discussion and debate—an exciting mix of human experience that we love to bring to the classroom and present to our audiences.