Rose Fine-Meyer, PhD ([email protected]) Kate
Zankowicz, PhD Candidate ([email protected])
Implementing Diversity in the Classroom: Challenging Collective
Memory The materials used in this presentation are for educational
purposes only and not for publication. All sources have been cited;
content is subject to approval for further use
Slide 2
Strategies for Implementing an Inclusive Lens Avoid tokenism:
authentic inclusion involves questioning the standard cultural lens
Avoid heroism: the lives of everyday individuals and
community-based achievement is historically significant Naming the
names: avoid categorizations of people Women, indigenous
communities, minority cultures are embedded in local and global
histories Starting a lesson with what is often a peripheral
narrative as your central beginning point is a holistic strategy
for inclusion Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 3
Viewing Racism/Sexism/Cultural /Ableist Biases of the Past
People were just stupid back then... Identifying false equity: were
all equal now Be critical of the progress myth [the present is
best] Allow people of the past their own equity conscience and
agency [they were all racist back then...] The distortion argument:
including diverse voices does not constitute a distortion of the
pastits honest history! Avoid victimization narratives: acknowledge
various empowerments Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 4
How to Connect to Historical Thinking Concepts in the New
Curriculum Establish historical significance Use primary source
evidence Identify continuity and change Analyze cause and
consequence Take historical perspectives Understand ethical
dimension of historical interpretation Source: Historical Thinking
Project (www.historicalthinking.ca) Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz,
2012
Slide 5
Pedagogical Steps to Take Seek out multicultural, multi-ethnic
narratives Materials that support multiple voices, values, gender,
culture, identity, belief systems Arts-based materials for history
classes [music, drawing, sculpture, architecture etc.] Teacher
knowledge and learning: learn those stories Local and global
perspectives about history should be integrated: move beyond the
standard Eurocentric or North American-centric framework Know the
missing voices: who gets left out of the historical account? Oral
testimony, artifacts: look beyond the written document [an embedded
cultural bias] Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 6
How? Community-based interviews, oral histories, first-person
Partnerships with public libraries, community centres, places of
worship, museums, archives, retail stores [culturally diverse
communities] Recognize the diversity of the students in the class
[diversity is already there] Use of technology [access cultural
sites] Encourage students to see themselves as diverse historical
subjects [self-curating exercises] Complicate the binary structure
of historical narratives [Us vs. Them, Good vs. Bad] challenging
notions of citizenship Provide deep historical context Fine-Meyer
and Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 7
Unidentified woman [1875 F 2076-16-4-5 Upper Canada History:
Archives of Ontario, I0028818,] How Do Historians Find Voices From
The Past? The Ethical Choices In Historical Interpretation
Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 8
Title page, Benjamin Drew, A North-Side view of slavery. The
Refugee: or the Narratives of the Fugitive Slaves in Canada,
Boston: John P. Jewett, 1856 Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz, 2012 Sophia
Burthen Pooley: First-person account of slavery in Upper Canada--
historian Adrienne Shadd www.herstoriescafe.ca Pooley says, There
were hardly any white people in Canada then nothing here but
Indians and wild beasts... I was a woman grown when the first
governor of Canada came from England: that was Gov. Simcoe.
Slide 9
Joseph Brant, (Thayendanegea) Chief of the Six Nations
Reference Code: S 2076 Archives of Ontario, I0013621 Digging Deeper
Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz, 2012 Celebrated Mohawk leader who allied
with the British during the War of 1812, American Revolutionary
War. Chief of Six Nations Alan Taylors The Civil War of 1812 Sophia
Burthen Pooleys master Teacher resources for War of 1812 see
approachingthepast.ca
Slide 10
History is Complicated Advertisement, Niagara Herald, 28
August, 1802Reference Code: N23 Archives of Ontario Fine-Meyer and
Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 11
Complicating the Great War Narrative World War I gave women the
opportunity to work in factories Women were nurses Men were
soldiers/ warriors All Canadians supported the war effort
Internment camps only happened in World War II Those who survived
are the lucky ones War is in the trenches Diverse communities
played a supportive role Women got the vote because of the war The
Roaring Twenties brings happiness to everyone Fine-Meyer and
Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 12
The Diversity of Womens Contributions to the War Effort [Lois
Allen Camp in Winona On 1918, NLA, MG 30-C173; Red Cross ambulance,
Toronto Archives Fonds 1244 item 885] Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz,
2012
Slide 13
Knowing the Unknown Hattie Rhue-Hatchett (1863-1958): The
Sacred Spot Marching Song Buxton National Historic Site and Museum:
From It Was Their War Too, Pat Staton Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz,
2012
Slide 14
Women in a Textile Plant 1908 Women in a Textile Plant, 1908,
City of Toronto Archives/James Collection: 137/SC244-37 Fine-Meyer
and Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 15
Gender-Specific Roles: The Sacrificing Female [Water Alwards
Mother Canada Statue at the Vimy Memorial in France] Fine-Meyer and
Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 16
Hidden War Histories: Internment Camps during World War I
[Women and Children in Sprit Lake Internment Camp Quebec, NLA, PA
170 620] Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz, 2012
Slide 17
Victory?: Human and Environmental Consequences-- Veterans in
Christie Street Hospital, Toronto [Canadas Nursing Sisters by GWL
Nicholson, Toronto, 1975] Fine-Meyer and Zankowicz, 2012
