A Teaching Model of Character, Content, and Pedagogy

Abstract

This chapter presents performance pedagogy as an interdisciplinary construct and potential bridge between history-based performance and classroom teaching. This chapter proposes Living History in the Classroom: Performance and Pedagogy's central theme: that storytelling and historical interpretation are effective teaching tools. These techniques are integral at many public history settings for on-site and outreach education; Freeman Tilden's foundational 1957 interpretive guidelines for America's national parks paired engagement with education and still influence the public history field. Yet, a review of related literature suggests that limited attention has been paid to translating these techniques for educators' use, whether as performers, as mentors for their students, or in collaborating with historic sites. The pedagogy inherent in storytelling and interpretive performance aligns with their potential instructional value, as has been documented for educator's performance pedagogy in the arts. Similarly, the continuing need to engage current and new audiences impacts how these organizations conduct educational programs and visitor attractions. In the same respect, PK-16 educators and administrators consistently seek best practices for engaging today's Generation Z students (born between 1997 and 2012) and the generation that follows, termed Generation Alpha (McCrindle, 2020). This chapter features a performance pedagogy model that combines historical and instructional objectives that draw from research and observation of first-person interpreters performing in teacher professional development workshops and the author's personal instructional and interpretive experience. This chapter contains a related interview with a noted historian-performer and for educators' use, a worksheet with guiding questions to create or analyze a historical character, educational content, related pedagogy, and key aspects of a performance.

Citation

Heuvel, L.L. (2020), "A Teaching Model of Character, Content, and Pedagogy", Heuvel, L.L. (Ed.) Living History in the Classroom, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 131-152. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78973-595-620201010