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"Why Won't You Just Tell Us the Answer?": Teaching Historical Thinking in Grades 7-12
Every major measure of students' historical understanding since 1917 has demonstrated that students do not retain, understand, or enjoy their school experiences with history. Bruce Lesh believes that this is due to the way we teach historylecture and memorization. Over the last fifteen years, Bruce has refined a method of teaching history that mirrors the process used by historians, where students are taught to ask questions of evidence and develop historical explanations. And now in his new book 'Why Won't You Just Tell Us the Answer? he shows teachers how to successfully implement his methods in the classroom. Students may think they want to be given the answer. Yet, when they are actively engaged in investigating the pastthe way professional historians dothey find that history class is not about the boring memorization of names, dates, and facts. Instead, it's challenging fun. Historical study that centers on a question, where students gather a variety of historical sources and then develop and defend their answers to that question, allows students to become actual historians immersed in an interpretive study of the past. Each chapter focuses on a key concept in understanding history and then offers a sample unit on how the concept can be taught. Readers will learn about the Exploring Text, Subtext, and President Theodore Roosevelt and the Panama Canal, Chronological Thinking and The Rail Strike of 1877, Multiple The Bonus March of 1932, Continuity and Change Over Custer's Last Stand, Historical The Civil Rights Movement, Historical The Truman-MacArthur Debate By the end of the book, teachers will have learned how to teach history via a lens of interpretive questions and interrogative evidence that allows both student and teacher to develop evidence-based answers to history's greatest questions.
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2011
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228 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 7, 2014
Another of those books that partly makes me despair at being a dreadful teacher, and partly inspires me to bloody-minded determination to be a better teacher and instil historical thinking skills in my students whether they like it or not, dammit.
Unlike other books along these lines that I've read recently, Lesh is writing directly about his own teaching experience - and he does something that made me love my Dip Ed history tutor: "when I tried this last year..." and "I did this, but it didn't work, so here's how I changed it...". That sort of real-world honesty is just gold for me to read, and reassures me that I'm not a hopeless case. Probably. Mostly.
Like Reading Like a Historian, this book is heavily directed towards an American audience. An American history teacher would be able to directly lift lesson plans from this book on Nat Turner, the Korean War, or Roosevelt and the Panama Canal. For an Australian there's an additional layer of thinking necessary because I have to take the ideas and concepts and figure out how to apply them - in my case, to the French or Russian Revolutions, or the suffrage movement or Weimar Germany or whatever else. But that's ok: it's a good project to have, and even an American teacher is going to have to apply it to some topic not covered here.
I like that Lesh is using a lot of the same theorists I've been reading over the last year or so - Wineburg and Levesque and VanSledright. It could be seen as a self-perpetuating thing I guess, with all of us in a closed, reinforcing, loop - but since I think the ideas are worth perpetuating, and there seems to be research to support their use in the classroom, I'm pretty happy up here on the bandwagon... or perhaps running behind the bandwagon desperately trying to jump on. (I'm a bit depressed about my teaching at the moment!) And I really like that Lesh shows how historical thinking skills can be used in the classroom. Additionally, Lesh is not suggesting that absolutely every unit be taught along his lines - or at least, not right from when a teacher gets into it; it's reassuring to read someone who is practical and pragmatic.
Also? I'd never heard of Nat Turner or the 1932 Bonus March, and knew nothing about the issues around Custer and his last stand, so I've got a few more dabs of American history in my brain now.
If you're a history teacher, you should read this.
Unlike other books along these lines that I've read recently, Lesh is writing directly about his own teaching experience - and he does something that made me love my Dip Ed history tutor: "when I tried this last year..." and "I did this, but it didn't work, so here's how I changed it...". That sort of real-world honesty is just gold for me to read, and reassures me that I'm not a hopeless case. Probably. Mostly.
Like Reading Like a Historian, this book is heavily directed towards an American audience. An American history teacher would be able to directly lift lesson plans from this book on Nat Turner, the Korean War, or Roosevelt and the Panama Canal. For an Australian there's an additional layer of thinking necessary because I have to take the ideas and concepts and figure out how to apply them - in my case, to the French or Russian Revolutions, or the suffrage movement or Weimar Germany or whatever else. But that's ok: it's a good project to have, and even an American teacher is going to have to apply it to some topic not covered here.
I like that Lesh is using a lot of the same theorists I've been reading over the last year or so - Wineburg and Levesque and VanSledright. It could be seen as a self-perpetuating thing I guess, with all of us in a closed, reinforcing, loop - but since I think the ideas are worth perpetuating, and there seems to be research to support their use in the classroom, I'm pretty happy up here on the bandwagon... or perhaps running behind the bandwagon desperately trying to jump on. (I'm a bit depressed about my teaching at the moment!) And I really like that Lesh shows how historical thinking skills can be used in the classroom. Additionally, Lesh is not suggesting that absolutely every unit be taught along his lines - or at least, not right from when a teacher gets into it; it's reassuring to read someone who is practical and pragmatic.
Also? I'd never heard of Nat Turner or the 1932 Bonus March, and knew nothing about the issues around Custer and his last stand, so I've got a few more dabs of American history in my brain now.
If you're a history teacher, you should read this.
December 21, 2023
Finally!! Another longstanding book on my physical TBR gets read. I originally started this book back in 2020 for a college course. I read half of it and then proceeded to forget about its existence but I am so glad I finished it now.
I really love the concept of moving away from memorization history to historical thinking. In my opinion historical thinking is what drives history learning for a multitude of reasons. I think that this book has great ideas and resources for teachers to use in the classroom. It is definitely focused on US history but his methods could be applied to world history at large. The writing and the structure of this book are both done super well and are engaging.
I will definitely come back to this book!!
"History does not pivot on the provability of theories. Instead, history is about the debate between competing interpretations of events, individuals, and ideas of the past based on the utilization of historical evidence." (pg. 4)
"History is about posing questions that drive the study of the past and then using information to answer those questions." (pg. 14)
I really love the concept of moving away from memorization history to historical thinking. In my opinion historical thinking is what drives history learning for a multitude of reasons. I think that this book has great ideas and resources for teachers to use in the classroom. It is definitely focused on US history but his methods could be applied to world history at large. The writing and the structure of this book are both done super well and are engaging.
I will definitely come back to this book!!
"History does not pivot on the provability of theories. Instead, history is about the debate between competing interpretations of events, individuals, and ideas of the past based on the utilization of historical evidence." (pg. 4)
"History is about posing questions that drive the study of the past and then using information to answer those questions." (pg. 14)
April 22, 2015
Very useful book. I have used it several times this year with my redesigned APUSH class. Which it was perfect for! The only draw back is that the chapters were not as user friendly as they could be. A summary or a lesson plan layout for each chapter would have been nice. The lessons (all nine) are good but you must hunt and peck around to get all the pieces so you can teach the lesson. I have taught most of them and they all are quality. If you have the time to read a thirty page chapter to get ready for a lesson this is for you, but if you need a quick lesson this will only be for speed readers.
This book would be a great book to read over the summer and then come back to it during the school year.
This book would be a great book to read over the summer and then come back to it during the school year.
November 24, 2017
Mr. Lesh has done a wonderful job of blending the content of U.S. history with the doing of history! I learned how to be a much better history teacher and student of history from reading his book. My only regret is that I had not found out about it when it was first published.
Bruce has done a great service to all history teachers by sharing his ideas with the world. Doing the work of historians for tenth and eleventh grade students gives them practice in critical thinking skills that are oftentimes lacking in high school history classrooms. Most people look at history as a quick march through the past, a heavy textbook, and memorizing facts, names, dates, and events. Not so for teachers who read Bruce’s book and their students.
Reading this book should change the way a teacher looks at the past and the vocation of teaching. Bruce shares how analyzing primary and secondary sources and putting them into context as well as understanding the subtext is a skill that everyone can benefit from. His idea of creating history labs (much like science labs but in the history classroom) has been a smashing success with my students. I see my kids thinking at an entirely new level, asking higher level questions, and becoming much more curious than they ever have been. The study of history has come alive in my classroom and I owe it all to Bruce.
If you teach history or are contemplating becoming a history teacher, then you have to drop everything right now and make time to read this book! You and your students will become better historians because of it. This book can change the world.
Bruce has done a great service to all history teachers by sharing his ideas with the world. Doing the work of historians for tenth and eleventh grade students gives them practice in critical thinking skills that are oftentimes lacking in high school history classrooms. Most people look at history as a quick march through the past, a heavy textbook, and memorizing facts, names, dates, and events. Not so for teachers who read Bruce’s book and their students.
Reading this book should change the way a teacher looks at the past and the vocation of teaching. Bruce shares how analyzing primary and secondary sources and putting them into context as well as understanding the subtext is a skill that everyone can benefit from. His idea of creating history labs (much like science labs but in the history classroom) has been a smashing success with my students. I see my kids thinking at an entirely new level, asking higher level questions, and becoming much more curious than they ever have been. The study of history has come alive in my classroom and I owe it all to Bruce.
If you teach history or are contemplating becoming a history teacher, then you have to drop everything right now and make time to read this book! You and your students will become better historians because of it. This book can change the world.
March 7, 2021
For anyone who teaches social studies in middle or high school, "Why Won't You Just Tell Us the Answer?" is a must read. Bruce Lesh's focus is on moving beyond memorization of facts, to getting students to do history. He presents students with sources of information (usually primary sources), and then asks the students to do something with them. For instance in one activity, he gives students sources about the Battle of Little Bighorn, and asks students to decide on the best name for the national park that exists there. Through the documents students are forced to consider different points of view. Lesh's argues that this method of teaching will result in students who are more engaged in the subject matter, and who will be equipped with skills they can take beyond the classroom - and who may even remember the facts better.
One of the best aspects of the book is that it is highly practical. Despite its potential to revolutionize history teaching, the book offers specific ideas for lessons, the key components for success of the method, and small steps to get from traditional lessons to the type of lessons he advocates. Lesh is also realistic about what can be accomplished and the challenges involved. I highly recommend the book to social studies teachers.
One of the best aspects of the book is that it is highly practical. Despite its potential to revolutionize history teaching, the book offers specific ideas for lessons, the key components for success of the method, and small steps to get from traditional lessons to the type of lessons he advocates. Lesh is also realistic about what can be accomplished and the challenges involved. I highly recommend the book to social studies teachers.
July 30, 2022
This book offers some great food for thought. It details some specific lessons based around the idea of creating lessons in which students engage in historical investigation. After reading this, though, I still feel like I’m missing some significant portions necessary to fully make the leap to this model of teaching. For example, if I’m building my own lessons, how can I find & choose the right primary sources when there are literally thousands available for each topic? There’s still plenty of good info here, but I couldn’t help feeling frustrated at the end. I know I should make changes, but I’m still not sure how to do that.
As a caveat, I’m the kind of person who’s hesitant to changing my teaching methods until I can fully wrap my brain around the process. I may just be stubborn & scared. On the other hand, I picked up this book because I want to make changes and I still finished it not quite knowing what steps to take next. Valuable, but incomplete.
As a caveat, I’m the kind of person who’s hesitant to changing my teaching methods until I can fully wrap my brain around the process. I may just be stubborn & scared. On the other hand, I picked up this book because I want to make changes and I still finished it not quite knowing what steps to take next. Valuable, but incomplete.
November 27, 2021
I was expecting to love this but found it very disappointing. I'm totally on-board with the concept, but it added nothing beyond what I'd already picked up from Wineburg and Loewen, and missed a lot that they did add to the conversation.
The "lessons" were very vague in terms of what his sources were and how he presented them and how he fostered the discussions that are supposed to be the meat of this whole approach. He listed several great categories into which his lessons fall and which he recommended be covered, but he didn't provide any actual lessons for them, and didn't even list topics that he's found work well for those categories. I get that not all books are going to provide all your resources for you and be open and go, but he also didn't really go into how one builds the lessons from scratch either.
The "lessons" were very vague in terms of what his sources were and how he presented them and how he fostered the discussions that are supposed to be the meat of this whole approach. He listed several great categories into which his lessons fall and which he recommended be covered, but he didn't provide any actual lessons for them, and didn't even list topics that he's found work well for those categories. I get that not all books are going to provide all your resources for you and be open and go, but he also didn't really go into how one builds the lessons from scratch either.
July 5, 2019
I was fortunate enough to attend Mr. Lesh’s seminar and found it intriguing. As he proclaimed, shifting away from “memory history” would be difficult. Now that I have finished the book and worked some of the kinks out of the history lab process, I am very excited to apply more historical thinking next year, and years to come. This change also comes at an opportune time because our state standards are shifting to include the C3 model for Social Studies.
April 3, 2025
This book was for my Hist 222 class, but I did enjoy the book. Lesh's words were insightful and impactful. As a starting teacher, I found this to be a good look into how not to be worried about how to be the best. Lesh clarified that the best teacher constantly changes, and you won't always be the best. Thats ok. I would recommend this book to any history teacher looking for a new outlook on teaching.
November 12, 2023
If you’re not a teacher of the Humanities, this is not the book for you. As an English teacher trying to weave some global studies into my curriculum, it’s been helpful. I’ve been incorporating some of his strategies.
July 20, 2019
Insightful and well written! Love Leah’s sense of humor and strong word choice.
February 8, 2023
Good description of how to teach history and some great lesson plan examples
January 23, 2015
If you teach American History this is one methodology book I would recommend. The education classes I had to take to get certified were some of the least enjoyable classes and the books were a large part of it. This book is different. Lesh is a veteran teacher who shares several lessons he developed to teach students not only the material but how to think "historically." He explains the lessons, the objectives, and is free to admit that the lessons don't always work the way he expected.
April 22, 2015
This came in a required bundle, along with texts by Wineburg and Drake and Nelson. I favored this over the other two, because it is written by a teacher who shares his knowledge, experience and findings. This is a text about application, rather than theory. If you are looking for ideas on how to teach an excellent social studies class, with the appropriate undestanding of the hows and whys, get this book.
July 30, 2013
Excellent book - more application than theory - as to how one might actually teach the highly ephemeral historical skills. Great examples of lessons as well as discussions of pitfalls and condundrums actually faced by teachers.
March 16, 2015
This is the best book that I have read on history education. It discusses in detail how to conduct history investigations using historical documents. The background is solid and there are several example lessons that the author uses in his own classes. This is a must-have for history educators.
July 19, 2011
So far I am finding this book interesting and useful. It is a theoretically grounded, yet very practical guide to "uncovering" history in HS US history class.
July 20, 2011
Ok-wish there were examples beyond American history. Still some unique thoughts on writing such as birth certificates and historical markers.
September 16, 2012
Why wasn't I taught this in college? This book has given me solutions to problems I had just begun to notice.
March 3, 2016
This will be my teaching textbook for years to come! If you want to know what's coming to History classrooms and what the Common Core standards are really about - this is your book!
March 13, 2016
Full of great ideas and an easy to use approach. One of the better books out there about using historical thinking in the classroom.
September 8, 2016
A great book on the craft.
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October 16, 2017My go to book to teach historical thinking skills.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews