Article Review - "Thematic Stories"

In his article, “Thinking across time,” Ian Dawson argues we should teach history in a way that examines events through “thematic stories”. Dawson suggests that there is little value in simply memorizing various people and events in chronological order. This approach is boring and discourages students from learning.

On the other hand, a thematic story offers a framework in which to contextualize information, helping students see the “big picture”. Dawson uses “Power and Democracy” as an example of a thematic story in which students can draw comparisons between struggles and revolutions from different societies. This method, also builds an avenue to explore connections between the past and present, which is one the primary objectives of history.

I agree with Dawson. History is not a collection of facts to be listed in chronological order but rather a socially constructed narrative. By using “thematic stories”, we are helping our students to recognize this fluidity, and allowing them to see the vast potential for new and original historical narratives. This will also help students recognize that bias exists in all of us and within all our texts and that thematic stories could be used in both a positive and negative way. An anti-Semitic teacher, for example, could inject opinion and frame facts in a manner which attempts to disguise or deny the Holocaust. Yet, the discipline of history also presents an opportunity to make a progressive contribution.

I hope that my students will gain the skills to bridge connections between historical events, explore areas that interest them, and develop their own thematic stories – interpreting the world as they see it.