Why should your child study women's history?
What your kids won’t get from traditional history textbooks, and why encouraging your kids to explore women's history is crucial.
History is a core subject that children worldwide study from their adolescent years until the end of their schooling journey. Almost everyone agrees that learning history is important.
There's just one problem: A lot of history education tends to be one-sided.
You might remember your history class in school being a litany of dates, wars, and important historical figures. Do you remember many of the people you learned about? Chances are that the majority were (white) men. History textbooks have focused on the stories of men for centuries.
Why? It's largely because of sexism and inequality. Sexism has been a major force throughout history, and it affects whose stories are seen as important. Outschool history educator Tina Hugall recently sat down with our Community Guy, Fernando, to talk about why encouraging your kids to explore women's history is so important.
At Outschool, we're proud to support a diverse approach to history. We think that the stories of many different people matter. That's why Outschool educators offer a wide variety of women's history classes for children of all ages.
Here are some key takeaways from our conversation with Tina, including practical tips for inspiring your kids to love women's history. (You can also get the full recording here.)
Meet Tina Hugall
History buff and Outschool educator Tina Hugall has always loved learning about the past, but there were history lessons in school that even she found boring.
During our recent Outschool Live chat, Tina shared that she often thought about her childhood school experiences while preparing history lessons.
One of the key things Tina discovered as she reflected on her own experiences was that she really loves to learn the stories behind historical figures. She shared that she is constantly seeking out new and amazing women in history to learn about.
In turn, Tina asks her students to participate in classes by suggesting new people or topics they'd like to study.
Tina is one of Outschool's ACE Educators and has been teaching for most of her adult life. She holds both an MHA and MBA. She has attended an array of seminars and courses focused on history education.
Tina is proud to offer student-centric group and 1-on-1 classes exploring topics ranging from women's history to U.S. history to study skills.
Introducing your kids to Women's History
One of the first things that Tina shared with us is that there is no 'typical learner' when it comes to women's history classes on Outschool. Some kids want to take her courses because they love history.
Others take them because their parents want them to. Tina wants parents to know that all types of learners are welcome in her classes. Maybe you've thought about putting your child in a women's history class, but you're not sure how to pick one. Tina suggests considering two big factors.
What is your child interested in?
Maybe your kid loves science. Look for a class that highlights female scientists or inventors. Looking for classes based on your kid's interests is a great way to ensure that they'll be engaged.
What kind of history background does your child have?
If your learner is a younger child without much exposure to history, it's a good idea to start by looking for classes that cover broader historical events. For example, you might want to enroll your second grader in a world history class that provides a big-picture view of human history.
Why passion-based women's history lessons work
Tina shared tips for parents who want to embrace their children's interests and create customized lessons or unit studies. Maybe your child has already completed some online history classes.
You can ask them what fascinated them in those classes or what they'd like to learn more about.
You can bring women's history into classes in other academic and interest areas, too. Tina told us that students are more engaged when they share the passions of the people that they're studying. When you encourage your kids to explore their interests, they become invested in the educational process.
There are no limits when it comes to creating or finding classes that speak to your child's passion. Do your kids love literature? Check out classes about female authors. Do they always beg for more music classes?
Spend some time looking at the works of famous female singers or composers.
Addressing sexism and inequality with your kids through Women's History
One question many parents have about teaching women's history is how to address sexism with their children. Fernando asked Tina if she had any advice for talking about this difficult subject. She reminded us that sexism is a big part of the reason that women's voices have been ignored in history classes.
Teaching your kids about sexism is a great way to help them understand WHY learning about women's history is important.
It's also worth considering putting your kids in online classes about feminism, where they can develop a stronger understanding of why some people's stories are left out of history.
We know that these are big topics to tackle, and we encourage you to seek support from the Outschool Parent Community if you need advice or inspiration.
Celebrating women in history with Outschool
Tina told us that studying history is a combination of detective work and jigsaw puzzle skills. She encourages students to hunt down information about individual people and events in history. Then, she works with students to connect those stories and happenings so that a more complete picture of history emerges.
Exploring women's history is exciting—and important—work. Outschool educators can help turn Women's History Month or your full-year history program into a fun experience for your learners.
Explore Outschool's online social studies classes and help your children develop a life-long love of history.
