Uncoverage: Toward a Signature Pedagogy for the History Survey

History professors say tbe darnedest tbings. Like tbe one wbo summed up bis teacbing pbilosopby declaring, If said it, tbat means tbey learned it! Or tbe colleague wbo scoffed at trendy educational reforms because, as sbe put it, You can't teacb students bow to tbink until you've taugbt tbem wbat to tbink. Tben tbere was tbe time an eminent bistorian rose to speak after my presentation on bow not to teacb tbe bistory survey. I may be it wrong, conceded tbis gifted, award-winning teacber, but am it in tbe and customary way.' Tbe professor's droll remark points to wbere we stand today in tbe teacbing of bistory surveys, perbaps especially tbe U.S. bistory survey. Generations of undergraduates can testify tbat introductory surveys are taugbt in a proper and customary way. First you listen to a lecture, tben you read a textbook, tben you take a test, is bow a student described ber survey to me, adding, significantly, It wasn't different, really, from my otber introductory courses. Here bistorians flirt witb calamity. Wben tbe only bistory course most people ever take from a professionally trained bistorian tempts students to believe tbere is little difference between bistory and sociology or bistory and biology except for tbe facts to be learned, it is not surprising tbat teacbers occasionally sense tbey migbt be doing it wrong.^