Every year I design a Women's History Month bulletin board for the bulletin board in the hall right outside my classroom. I wanted to encourage more students to interact with the bulletin board this year so I asked some of my teacher friends on Instagram for ideas. I knew I wanted to implement a school-wide contest, I just wasn't sure what to offer as a prize. Someone suggested a gift card to a movie theater or bookstore. Great idea! So, one night after school I went to our local bookstore and bought a gift card. The very next day, I had a winner! A student (not even one of my own) correctly identified all the women profiled in my Women's History Month bulletin board.
This weekend, after reading a thread on twitter shared by the Zinn Education Project regarding one teacher's attempt to infuse women's history into the curriculum, I started to think more deeply about my bulletin board and other techniques and resources I use with students in my attempt to infuse women's history into the curriculum. I came to the harsh conclusion that I need to do a much better job. My bulletin board contest only sparked minimal interest (and only from young women) and another activity I recently implemented in my Social Studies class "flopped." The activity "flopped" in part due to an abysmal lack of prior knowledge regarding women's history for my students to draw upon. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Every year at the beginning of the year, as an experiment I ask my students to brainstorm as many historical figures as they can in 2 minutes. Their lists are often lengthy (and usually include mostly white men). I do the same thing for women and people of color. These lists are short, sometimes shockingly so. I've had students who can not list a single Asian-American, Latino, or Native American figure in history. Student lists of women usually include Rosa Parks, Sacajawea, and maybe a couple First Ladies.
What does this mean? For me, it means I need to make Women's History a priority. My bulletin board and other activities I currently use are great, but not enough. Inspired by the thread I read this weekend on twitter, I'm making it my personal mission to infuse prominent women into my curriculum every day for the remainder of the year.
This weekend, after reading a thread on twitter shared by the Zinn Education Project regarding one teacher's attempt to infuse women's history into the curriculum, I started to think more deeply about my bulletin board and other techniques and resources I use with students in my attempt to infuse women's history into the curriculum. I came to the harsh conclusion that I need to do a much better job. My bulletin board contest only sparked minimal interest (and only from young women) and another activity I recently implemented in my Social Studies class "flopped." The activity "flopped" in part due to an abysmal lack of prior knowledge regarding women's history for my students to draw upon. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Every year at the beginning of the year, as an experiment I ask my students to brainstorm as many historical figures as they can in 2 minutes. Their lists are often lengthy (and usually include mostly white men). I do the same thing for women and people of color. These lists are short, sometimes shockingly so. I've had students who can not list a single Asian-American, Latino, or Native American figure in history. Student lists of women usually include Rosa Parks, Sacajawea, and maybe a couple First Ladies.
What does this mean? For me, it means I need to make Women's History a priority. My bulletin board and other activities I currently use are great, but not enough. Inspired by the thread I read this weekend on twitter, I'm making it my personal mission to infuse prominent women into my curriculum every day for the remainder of the year.
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