School Board Ponders Policy Change

In High School History Curriculum

By Larissa Lytwyn

In an effort to streamline Newtown High School’s history curriculum, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Alice Jackson introduced the school board to a policy-changing proposal that would combine the ninth grade’s required Modern Europe course with Ancient and Medieval history during the board’s last meeting on January 4.

Modern Europe is a required course for graduation. Its consolidation with medieval history, now taught at the sophomore level, Ms Jackson explained, would translate into an increase of six to seven history credits for a student to successfully graduate.

Currently, sophomores take Ancient History after taking Modern Europe as freshmen.

Ms Jackson said it would make more chronological sense for students to take ancient history as a foundation for modern Western studies.

In addition, the shift would have the freshmen stay with the same history teacher all year.

Currently, the freshmen switch teachers midyear.

“This switch is not something that they are accustomed to,” said Ms Jackson. “Continuity can be important for ninth graders making the transition into high school.”

Further, Newtown High School Principal Patricia Llodra explained, freshmen having one history teacher all year long could help the school’s current efforts in teaming high school history and English teachers to better coordinate curriculum.

History Department Chairman Candace Dietter echoed Ms Jackson’s and Ms Llodra’s sentiments.

“From talking to students, it is clear that many wished that they had taken the Ancient and Medieval history course before they had taken Modern Europe,” she said. “They said the Modern Europe course would then have made more sense.”

Though supportive of the curriculum shift, board members David Nanavaty and Tom Gissen expressed concern over the district’s emphasis on American and European history.

Mr Nanavaty remarked that American history is currently offered intensively at Newtown Middle School.

Added Mr Gissen, “It’s important for students to become exposed to history from a more global perspective.”

China, he continued, is projected to become a massive economic superpower in the years ahead.

Further, he said, the war-torn Middle East and international policies in Africa are becoming increasingly scrutinized.

Both Mr Nanavaty and Mr Gissen said they were worried that the combination of Modern Europe and Ancient and Medieval history could reduce the number of sections offering elective Area Studies in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

While, Ms Llodra explained, a considerable number of American history credits is required throughout K–12 curriculum statewide, there is also an increasingly progressive educational shift in exposing students to non-Western history.

In addition, while 88 percent or more of high school students currently take more than the required number of social studies classes, board Chairman Elaine McClure expressed concern over the remaining 12 percent.

Ms Dietter explained that of that 12 percent, close to 8 percent were special education students, many of whom were enrolled in special education history classes that fall outside the school’s regular history curriculum.

Of the additional percentage, she said, all had room for additional courses in their academic schedules.

Though the Western studies course shift would not require additional staffing for the 2005-06 school year, it would require the addition of two social studies sections to accommodate the increased number of sophomores taking social studies in the following academic year.

At the end of the meeting, parent Sarah Beier said that while she was supportive of curriculum changes made to best serve students, she was concerned that the curricular needs of grade-school students were being met.

“Having a wider variety of enrichment courses and offerings at the lower grade-levels can help those students achieve [better] later on,” she said. “I haven’t heard the board talk much about this issue, and I think it’s one that deserves to be considered and discussed.”

The board will likely act on the modified Western studies curriculum at its next meeting January 18.