John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
A pilot course at Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) is exploring California's educational history, beginning with Indigenous traditions and progressing through European colonization. Assistant Professor Michael Hines, who led the course last summer through the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP), emphasized the importance of understanding this history for teachers in California.
"Teaching is a deeply historical act," Hines stated. "Whenever teachers come into a classroom they carry historical narratives with them."
The course was funded by a STEP mini-grant aimed at encouraging innovative projects in teacher education. Hines collaborated with GSE doctoral students Ayan Ali and Abigail Kahn to develop the curriculum. Ali described it as an opportunity to create an engaging syllabus that considers the needs of future California educators.
"We spent a lot of time doing background readings on histories of education in California," Ali explained.
Kahn contributed by leading discussions on schools in internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II, using letters from students at Minidoka concentration camp as teaching materials. She noted, "School has a big hand in history, and in teaching students about race."
The course was not mandatory; STEP students volunteered to participate between their summer and fall placements. Emilio Luna, one such student from San Diego, found value in learning about various social movements that influenced education.
"I learned more about the Chicano movement...it helped me understand more about myself," Luna shared.
De’Jshon Maxwell-Garcia highlighted local efforts like Mothers for Equal Education's work creating Nairobi Day Schools as particularly impactful.
"It surprised me how deeply rooted my efforts today are to things people have done in the past," Maxwell said.
Feedback from participating students will inform potential updates to the course for future offerings. GSE Professor Ira Lit remarked on its significance: "This course rests on an important idea that practicing teachers need to know and understand important aspects of the history of education."
The instructional team conducted interviews with participants to assess what they learned and how it might be applied in their teaching practices. The GSE leadership is considering next steps based on these insights.
"This story was originally published by Stanford Graduate School of Education."
Alerts Sign-up