Thread by @apf102

A new year means 100s of history PGCE / ECT teachers starting prof. journeys.

Our current (& future) ITE system, means many get very limited subject specific input.

This year I’m using a @1972SHP lens to explore the core things I wish every new history teacher knew. 🧵/1

Before we get there I want to begin by thinking about how we learn as professionals, and new professionals especially. It really helps to ensure we are open to growth and less likely to run into potential barriers /2

The first thing to recognise is that professional teaching is a constant process of growth. The teacher we start out as will be substantially different to the one we develop into. Just like Ibn Battuta’s odyssey , it’s a long term journey where we need a curious & open mind /3

Second, we need to think about how that change will happen. Learning to teach, or learning anything, is not a simple process of input and change. We learn in social environments and the interactions between these shape our learning (and rejection) of new ideas and approaches /4

This is why active engagement in subject communities like @1972SHP @histassoc @BeBoldHistory matters so much. We define and refine our beliefs in community with others. It’s also why having open and diverse communities is so vital (a topic for another day) /4a

We all come to history teaching with ideas and beliefs about what teaching is and is for. These beliefs interact with external inputs from reading, mentors, colleagues, as well as out experiences in the classroom. The interplay of these shapes both beliefs and action. /5

The danger is we don’t use all of the domains open to us when growing professionally. Humans are really good at holding onto beliefs despite evidence to the contrary. Moving on means being open to challenge beliefs and engaging in and connecting multiple domains of learning. /6

Here’s a fun exercise to see what happens when we don’t learn through the interplay of the domains:

What do you think makes an excellent #historyteacher? Use the template here and jot down ideas. Put qualities inside and knowledge / skills outside. /7

Now chat to someone else about their view of the ideal history teacher. Then go back and amend yours.

What happens? You may add things you forgot but you’re very unlikely to change your views based on this conversation. You’ll probably nod and agree and internally reject. /8

Beliefs about what makes a great history teacher change through repeated, overlapping encounters with knowledge, people, children, and observed results. A shift like in the example here could not be “delivered” as a single encounter. It had to be learnt over time & in community.

Look at these expanded examples of professional growth. You can often see how “taught” knowledge is not embedded without those repeated encounters via literature, discussion, observation, and practise. These allow the unpicking and amending of existing beliefs /10

OK time for another exercise. New professionals occupy a liminal space. They find themselves being pulled by different sources of authority - often conflicting sources. Navigating this can be extremely tough. That’s where Legitimation Code Theory @LCTCentre can help. /11

This LCT knowledge-knower plane helps to locate your own ideas and beliefs about teaching. The vertical axis is the importance of specific knowledge; the horizontal axis the importance of particular knower characteristics. /12

Go back to your ideal history teacher from before. Where would it sit on this plane?

Now compare this to the view given in the Teachers’ Standards. Most people will see a clash almost straight away.

Other teachers, mentors etc will all sit in their own place on the plane /13

There’s a famous scene in “All Quiet on the Western Front” where the corporal has the men crawling under tables to pretend they are changing trains in Löhne. Learning to teach can feel this was too if we don’t understand why things are being done /14

If we can’t work out why someone is offering particular advice, we tend to reject it without thought. Understanding where someone sits on the plane can help make sense of their advice and it’s purposes. It allows us to contextualise advice in relation to our own beliefs /14

And of course, as we grow professionally, our beliefs about teaching, and we often shift around on the plane too. My place on that plane has definitely moved and shifted over the years, though in other ways it is still anchored by purposes (more in my next thread) /15

So what are my takeaways about a @1972SHP approach to learning to be a history teacher? Glad you asked:

1) Seek to be self aware and open to challenging your beliefs
2) Seek to understand advice and guidance on its own terms
3) Accept change is gradual

A new thread coming soon as we start to grapple with what it means to be a history teacher and how this looks in the SHP tradition. For now, thanks for reading and I’d love to hear your thoughts.