Outlines and notes

I felt that the notes on the sources was a little extensive to have to do the talk points, notes, and then outlining them. I did however notice that it is useful to do the notes then the outline. I would not have done them that way usually but I feel it might have helped. I also normally do not create outlines like we did for this class. My other teachers had told me to not write complete sentences and to only list the sources used and main information. I do think this way might be a little easier provided my second one is better. I also feel that my paper is almost completely wrote now. I do feel it was a little troubling to write two outlines it was also was a little complicated at first since I feel like I did not really know what to do at first. I hope the outline is great and also hope that my essay comes out well.
I like a lot of the ideas that Steph and Mary came up with. I really am thinking that I might like to do something about Eleanor Roosevelt and the groups that she helped and the reaction that got from society. If not I was thinking of looking at what happened when the groups Roosevelt created ended. What happened to the people who were working, as well as the things they were working on.

Textbook perspective

This week we have examined interpretation in textbooks and made a first foray into 'reading' or interpreting primary sources. Texts do not clearly state their goal or perspective but as we discovered in class the perspective or interpretation can be found in the selection of material and its arrangement in the text. What was striking to you about this exercise? What did you learn? Should textbooks come with a warning about 'hidden perspective'? Do we need to teach students how to 'read' these texts? To me this exercise is like reading or listening to the news - I don't typically question the truthfulness of the news but am aware that perspective and interpretation is often evident - in the choice and presentation of stories, the selection of material and in the emphasis. 


        I always had a notion that text books were not telling us everything that happened. I looked at it as the lack of room to fit the whole history would be a lot. I did not realize that it was more a slanted perspective. I also did not realize that there were some had a much different perspective of the same events. This activity in class opened my eyes to the change in perspective. I feel that this has taught me that I need to read the textbooks more carefully and look to see what other perspectives there are about the same events.
       I do not know if textbooks should come with a warning about the hidden perspective since I feel it is the teacher's job to try and find books that do not have a really hard perspective and if possible more primary sources or even more secondary sources instead of third hand sources. I do feel that we should try to inform students that all textbooks have a slant to them. I feel that we do have to teach students how to understand if not a little on how to read.
       I think that Yana had a great idea about doing an exercise like we did in class with high school students. I think that like Yana said it is most important in High school not so much to elementary students since they do not really use textbooks as much as high school students. I think this was very interesting to read other people's ideas on the textbook issue as well as thinking back to when we were students in high school and the difference in perspective.

Prespective in History

I was originally confused about what Oakeshott was talking about when we was talking about "hunt the thimble" I understand now how can we going into history looking for something when we have no idea what we are looking for. As in the game you can not find something you do not know what it is. I feel this helps shape history since we have to look for things in history that are essential to our topic. And we can not look if we don't know where to start.
This also leads to how we look at history. As Steph used as her quote from Oakeshott we look at all pieces of history through the eyes of the present. As she also pointed out we use the events of 9/11 we will look at history from now on.
From now on we will all be trying to find the thimble through the eyes of 9/11.

First Post

My name is Darlene Hill. I am in the Elementary Education with a concentration in Social Studies. So far my semester is going really well. It seems like it is going to be a difficult semester but I am up for the challenge. I am in the class because it is a requirement for the social studies concentration as well as I feel this class will be great way to increase my knowledge in The New Deal as well as reading and writing. I feel there are some areas that I am not a hundred percent on such as the full ability to find the key points in stories as well as able to write essays well. I am hoping in this class I will be able to gain some of these important skills. I am enjoying my college experience so far, it is stressful at times but I am getting through it. There is a lot I am hoping to accomplish this semester in hopes of growing to be a more educated as well as a better student and historian.