Why Teaching Our History is so Important for Vital Citizenship

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This article presents a case for (1)  the teaching of our history to all students; (2)  for the teaching of the history of science and maths within science and maths (and other) degrees, and (3) for the inclusion of relevant histories as part of non-history courses in general.

For many years now NZ's secondary  education has been drifting  towards teaching "practical" skills useful in business and the service economy, to the neglect of the broad-based education of English, History, Geography, Science and Maths that once prevailed. As one English teacher said, "Schoolchildren will only learn history if we stop denigrating the humanities and try to end the ingrained apathy to their past."

The same has been happening in tertiary education where once a  sound education in Arts .was equated with a broad base in years 1 and 2, leaving specialism to year 3,  a post-graduate diploma, honours or masters.  Subjects like Philosophy and logic, Religious Studies, and even Psychology became less "relevant" as more of our young people studied business and IT. 


As a consequence, the pool of graduates with citizenship skills has diminished. Too few know anything about civics and government, public speaking, debating, geopolitics, other languages and cultures, and fewer still know anything about our history, particularly the history of Maori-Pakeha relations and what it means —or should mean— today.  The recent push to teach history in our schools is therefore most welcome. Click the links below to see what some have said. 

 But first listen to this excellent 3-minute TED video Why study History?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFAXzmUYxzE

Push to teach history is desperate
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/04/push-to-teach-new-zealand-history-in-schools-becomes-more-desperate.html

Not just any history, but balanced, accurate history 
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/100607099/push-to-teach-accurate-history

Te Takanga O Te Wa or Māori History in Schools, being launched today in Rotorua, will teach students of all ages about Aotearoa's colonial history.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/339531/it-s-more-than-timely-it-s-more-than-right

Dr Pita Sharples thinks Maori history should be compulsory (video)
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/02/dr-pita-sharples-maori-history-education-should-be-compulsory.html

Maori think the Land Wars should be taught
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/102488733/new-zealand-land-wars-should-be-taught-in-high-school-says-waikato-history-teacher

But the Ministry of Education refuses to include the Land Wars in the History curriculum, saying it is up to individual schools what they teach.  I disagree.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/78386446/ministry-of-education-refuse-to-include-new-zealand-land-wars-in-curriculum

Teaching History in Non-History Subjects
Teaching  the subject History is not the total answer.  Those who do not study history as such should also  have more historical knowledge, of the history of the subjects they are studying, and  of  segments of NZ history where it is applicable..

This is what a scientist said about teaching the history of science within a science course, "Neglecting the rich history of science when teaching it is a missed opportunity to connect the subject to the world around us"
https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/mar/25/lesson-science-history-engage-students

And a Maths professor had much the same to say on teaching the history of Maths within Maths courses.
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-they-teach-history-of-math-in-colleges-Math-by-itself-seems-sufficient-enough

As for the inclusion of Maori language, culture and history in non-history subjects, there are many opportunities: Think of place names that describe geology and landscapes, and the adaptations to NZ's temperate climate (the terraces above the frost line and the stone walls to make microclimates for the growing of kumara, and the rua for its storage), and of the rahui to protect resources, for inclusion in biological and environmental studies.  Think of the adaptation of the pa to adjust to musket warfare and the artificial islands in lakes such as Lake Horowhenua for inclusion in technology and engineering courses; and of Maori knowledge of  astronomy, plants and medicines for inclusion in biology, chemistry, medical courses.  Or the thriving trade with Australia in the 1850s and more recent Maori trusts for inclusion in economics courses.  And I'm just scratching the surface...

Think further about the inclusion of other cultures, the Indians, Chinese, and others who now make up our multi-cultural society.  Our non-History curricula — and New Zealand— would also be enriched by their inclusion.

---ACW