Agora 2023-1 Teaching Primary History

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Teaching Primary History | Agora vol. 58 no. 1 (2023)

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REFLECTION/EDITORIAL
	Reflection Ashley Keith Pratt Editorial Guy Nolch
THEMA Reflections on the theme
	Creating a Knowledge-Rich Curriculum at Primary Level Dan Oliver and Brad Nguyen, Docklands Primary School A knowledge-rich approach to the primary curriculum maps out the specific knowledge to be taught in a structured, cumulative way that allows students to make connections and develop an understanding of historical concepts.
	What Primary School Teachers Want Secondary School Teachers to Know about Teaching Humanities Claire Ferguson, Dandenong Primary School As the primary school curriculum varies not only across the states but within schools, children are entering the high school education system with varying depths of knowledge.
	Visible Thinking in Primary History Education David Boon, Albuera Street Primary School and Department for Education, Children and Young People Visible thinking routines help students actively process information and documents that thinking across a range of learning areas.
	Historical Concepts and Skills in the Primary Curriculum Greta Caruso, Bialik College While Integrated units of work in the primary school connect disciplines, the Victorian Curriculum’s Historical Concepts and Skills can be weakened or neglected.
	Cultivating Historical Understanding through Place Clarice Lisle, Independent researcher The local community offers places that help students make meaningful connections to curriculum content.
	Graduate Teacher Perspectives on Authentically Implementing History within the Primary Classroom Ari Gurr and Estelle Major, Department of Education Two graduate teachers describe the challenges and successes of their first three years teaching primary History, and identify areas for further professional development.
	Teaching the Stolen Generations in the Primary Classroom Al Fricker, Dja Dja Wurrung, Nikeri Institute, Deakin University Concerns about tokenism, cultural appropriation and trauma associated with teaching the Stolen Generations can be minimised by paying attention to consistency and authenticity.
INTERVIEW Talking about teaching
	The Power of Inquiry to Teach History in Primary Schools Educational consultant Kath Murdoch discusses inquiry-based approaches to teaching History in primary school with HTAV’s Executive Officer Deb Hull.
PRAKTIKOS Teaching ideas
	Primary Teaching Strategies from Pre-service Practice Selena Prior, Federation University Pre-service teachers provide twelve strategies that provide engaging and authentic learning experiences, and encourage primary students to think like historians.
	A Relatable History: Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Education Act 1872 in Victoria Robyn Floyd, Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, and Jo Clyne, History Teachers’ Association of Victoria The history of your primary school is a topic enabling students to interrogate their local history while addressing the requirements of the Victorian Curriculum for History in levels F–6.
	High Engagement History in the Upper Primary Classroom Nick Adeney, Tintern Grammar Strategies to teach an engaging History curriculum in the upper primary years include role-playing activities and thinking beyond the model of ‘one topic per term’.
	Teaching Primary Students about Ancient Australia and the Dreaming Diana Millar, Author and former teacher Primary students can have a deeper understanding of Australia’s ancient history by making connections between Dreamtime stories and archaeological evidence.
	Ladies in the House: Exploring Historic Trailblazing Women Kelly Chase, Educator and creator of the History Detective podcast, and Stephanie Smith, Learning Manager, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House A podcast aligned to Victoria’s primary curriculum prompts students to explore the impacts of some extraordinary women throughout Australia’s political history.
	Minecraft Brings History to Life in the Primary Curriculum Bron Stuckey and Stephen Brown, Department of Education, State of Victoria A ‘Mini Melbourne’ module and an archaeological exploration of the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel are just two ways students can use the Minecraft: Education Edition to explore Melbourne’s history.
SUNGRAPHO Research and analysis
	Archaeological Thinking in Victorian Primary History Programs Aisling Beale, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, and Georgia Stannard, National Trust of Australia (Victoria) A recent study has examined how Victorian primary teachers can be better supported to access archaeological content as a multidisciplinary teaching tool.

KRITIKOS Reviews	Reviews available online Junior Atlas of Indigenous Australia By Macquarie Dictionary Reviewed by Kara Taylor, Irymple Secondary College The World: A Family History By Simon Sebag Montefiore Reviewed by Margaret Simkin, The Hamilton and Alexandra College Pharaohs of the Sun: How Egypt’s Despots and Dreamers Drove the Rise and Fall of Tutankhamun’s Dynasty By Guy de la Bédoyére Reviewed by Jack Norris, Lincoln College, University of Oxford Gudyarra: The First Wiradyuri War of Resistance—The Bathurst War, 1822–1824 By Stephen Gapps Reviewed by Selena Prior, Federation University Lessons from History Edited by Carolyn Holbrook, Lyndon Megarrity and David Lowe Review by Matthew Allanby, Xavier College Symbols of Australia: Imagining a Nation Edited by Melissa Harper and Richard White Reviewed by Kara Taylor, Irymple Secondary College Knowing History in Schools Edited by Arthur Chapman Reviewed by Phillip O’Brien, McKinnon Secondary College The Twelve Caesars By Mary Beard Reviewed by George Puckering, Bacchus Marsh Grammar