Dear 1972 Teacher

History teachers love time travel scenarios. Long after we’ve complained about banal textbooks, over-politicized curriculum standards and parents “who always wanted to be a history teacher”, we geek out and compare our top five time-travel destinations. Nazareth in 30 AD? Philadelphia in 1775? Paris in 1789?

Where would you go?

In my current mood, I wouldn’t hesitate to go to a faculty meeting in 1972. I know that sounds ridiculous, no one really wants to go to faculty meetings whenever they are. But in the ed tech world, there’s no other way to regain your perspective and replenish your spirit.

I have dozens of questions for 1972 history teachers.

I would ask them what would happen to their teaching if they had complete and open access to the collections of the world’s greatest libraries and art museums?

And how would homework change if their students had that same access?

I would ask them, “What sort of homework would you assign if your students could listen to an audio recording of John F. Kennedy on the phone, explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis to former President Eisenhower”?

Or read British intelligence reports regarding Stalin’s five year plans in the National Archives of the United Kingdom?

Or watch the recently discovered private “home movies” of Adolph Hitler, complimented with dialogue provided by actors reading a script written by professional lip-readers who have deciphered the conversations of the silent film?

Or read CIA investigation reports of the Vietnam Anti-War movement released under the Freedom of Information Act?

Or look at photographs of successive drafts of the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives?

Teachers in 1972 only had the textbook and perhaps a supplement or two and that’s it. If they had what we have, would they still rely upon the textbook?

Would they say that they don’t have the time to use anything other than the textbook?

Would they be content waiting for the school district to “train” them to find other resources?

Would their excitement be smothered by a fear of something new?

I would ask them, “How would the atmosphere of your classroom change if you had a data projector in your room”?

Of all the paintings ever made, which would they choose to show during class as part of a lesson?

Of all of the scenes in all the movies ever made, which would they use during class as part of a lesson?

Teachers in 1972 never had a chance to show films in class. Not unless they wanted to roll a machine the size of a Volkswagen into the room, only to have it clatter through grainy documentaries dull enough to put a coffee freak to sleep.

Teachers in 1972 could show pictures on ancient acetate transparencies that have long since faded or slide shows of their family vacations.

Would they trade ten minutes of “their time” to learn how to cut and paste images into a PowerPoint?

Would the unlimited access to the world’s museums and libraries inspire them enough to create slide shows for their students to watch as they walked into the room?

Would they let the chance that sometimes it “wouldn’t work” be enough to justify not trying it?

I would ask them, “How would the atmosphere of your classroom change if you could play music from any era you teach”?

Would they set the mood for a US History class by playing jazz music of the 1920s at the beginning of the period as the students walked into the room?

Or would they play Carson Robinson singing “We’re gonna have to slap that dirty little Jap” to demonstrate the racist temper of an America still stinging for the attack on Pearl Harbor?

Or create a World History lesson that examines the way complex ornamentation in Bach reflects the Baroque era as much as the raging emotion of Beethoven reflects the Romantic era?

Teachers in 1972 could play vinyl albums and cassettes, but they were limited by the inventory of the record stores within driving distance and their local public library.

Would they be able to make the jump from the understanding that 8-track cassettes can’t be played on turntables to the understanding that Real Audio files can’t be played with Microsoft’s Media Player or would they just say “it doesn’t work”?

Would the fear of being labeled an “entertainer” be enough to dissuade them from using music to teach history?

I would ask them, “How would your basic homework assignments change if you could have your students participate in online forums”?

Would they think it is worthwhile for students to “discuss” homework readings instead of writing the answers to simple fact-recall questions by copying the sentences around the blue words in the text?

Or think that the more quiet, reserved, students could excel in class discussions when given the chance in a more comfortable environment online?

Or recognize the benefit of increased student engagement when they create meaning through interaction with each other?

Teachers in 1972 had to rely on pens and paper because that is all they had.

Would they let these advantages pass because three students in class do not have access, or would they find a way to work around that?

Would they be content to rely on worksheets and end-of-the-section questions because they always worked before?

Would they ignore the revolution in student social networking, or harvest its benefits for their classes?

My favorite time travel scenario would include kidnapping 1972 teachers and bringing them them back with me so they could tour faculty meetings across the country. Today’s teachers, inured to the excitement of technology and relegating it to that “tech stuff that other teachers do”, need to hear the perspective of a 1972 teacher. The issues of training, professional development and time would melt as they realize the true potential of these tools.

Why would any history teacher pass up the chance to use the practically limitless media available to them? Why would any history teacher deny students the chance to communicate and collaborate more?

When the 1972 teacher asks those questions, how would their 21st century counterparts respond?