By Glen Ess (The Cascade) – Email
Did you ever wonder what your teachers were getting up to during professional development (Pro-D) days? This past Friday, UFV’s history department, in conjunction with the teacher education program (TEP), hosted an event structured around recent changes made to the K-12 social studies curriculum here in BC.
UFV’s professors decided to extend an invitation to over 110 history and social studies teachers from Surrey, Maple Ridge, Aldergrove, Mission, Chilliwack, and Abbotsford. Over the course of the day, these educators took part in several workshops alongside UFV professors.
According to UFV history instructor Robin Anderson, the event was designed to allow teachers from across BC the time to discuss their teaching methods, as well as the pros and pitfalls of the changes to the curriculum. As Anderson said, referencing the concepts underpinning the new material, “This is an opportunity to talk about historical thinking, about teaching history, how to think about history, and to share ideas about teaching.”
The event was a comprehensive guide in how to teach social studies. Workshop topics ranged from a basic discussion of what historians do and the methods they use, to brainstorming ways to get students to connect with the topic on multiple levels, such as through the use of historical fiction and newer forms of media.
When asked how the day went, Anderson said, “This has been an enormous success today, and we’re already thinking about doing another down the road.”
So don’t be surprised to run into your old high school history teacher here at UFV the next time a Pro-D day rolls around.
