A glimpse inside Hillsdale College's network of classical schools across the country.
When we study the framing of the Constitution in 4th grade, I highlight with my students how important it is that they understand the function of our government. Indeed, we discuss how, sadly, many Americans have not been equipped to really know the system outlined in this foundational document. Understanding the Constitution is an important conversation to have. Even at the simpler level in which we discuss it in my 4th grade classroom, it can be difficult for the students to grasp.…
The education of citizens is an education in love. This assertion may strike some as strange, unless what is meant by the word “citizen” is properly understood. To be a citizen of a particular place is to say that place is your own and that you belong to that place. And if we agree with Aristotle’s understanding of human beings as “political animals”, then there cannot be a nation with a citizenry of one.…
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. So goes the ancient proverb. The longer I teach, the more I know it is true. I want so many good things for my students. Principally among them is a complete immersion in formative content. But how do I make sure they can take in everything I teach? I teach in little, tiny, bite-sized amounts.…
History class is supposed to be the place where we hear the story of the past, in all of its fascinating detail, and then draw conclusions from the evidence. Much of that evidence is available to us today, and so students should be taught to read it and think about it before drawing conclusions.…
Recognizing the critical moment in which we live, and in response to what Prof. Wilfred S. McClay calls “the weaponization of history,” Hillsdale College’s K-12 Education department has published a comprehensive K-12 American history and government curriculum for students, parents, and teachers.
The curriculum is available now via free download at k12.hillsdale.edu.
The curriculum, nearly 2,400 pages long, gives educators across the country the tools they need to teach American history thoroughly and well, with lesson plans, sample tests and quizzes, Hillsdale-vetted books, primary sources ready for students, timelines, key terms, geography, and “Keys to the Lesson,” which help teachers think through each lesson during their prep time.…