How Capitol riots brought high school history curricula to life
Tim McCoskey was just weeks into his first job at Neuqua Valley High School on Sept. 11, 2001, so he's used to seeing history play out before his and his students' very eyes.
But since that time, the history teacher said he hasn't gotten as much reaction - or questions - from students as he did Thursday, when the Capitol riot was the main topic of conversation in all of his classes.
"There hasn't been a time where kids just asked more questions, from the 25th Amendment to 'Why is that guy wearing a buffalo head?'" said McCoskey, referring to one of the Trump supporters pictured inside the Capitol Wednesday.
McCoskey and other social studies teachers throughout the suburbs Thursday found themselves quickly trying to contextualize the events of the day before as they developed lesson plans for what is, for many of them, still online learning - and even as the educators themselves were trying to process what occurred.
Just days after returning from winter break, McCoskey's Advanced Placement World History class at Neuqua Valley in Naperville already has touched on the Enlightenment and separation of powers. In his World Geography classes, they had just finished talking about the Tiananmen Square protests.
To start off all his classes Thursday - held remotely for now - McCoskey posted images of the Capitol violence for his students to view and react to, from a group of legislators huddled together, to the man bearing a Confederate flag through the halls of Congress.
"It was interesting the conversations that happened," he said. "Honestly, in geography class, I got more conversation about race, especially from freshmen who said, 'Why wasn't it stopped, because I've seen other protests stopped.' I try to straddle the line - they don't need to know my politics. But I think it's really important we establish norms and have not a debate, but a discussion, and understand each others' lived experiences and points of view."
In Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211, social studies department chair Heather Schroeder said teachers across the district were able to connect the events of Wednesday into specific pieces of the curriculum - particularly for government and history classes.
Major events in the news are regularly part of classroom lessons and discussion, said Schroeder, who teaches at Fremd High School in Palatine.
The core of any social studies class, she says, is an emphasis on being an informed person, helping students find their own voice, integrate new ideas, respond respectfully, and navigate differences.
"It's natural for all social studies to incorporate current events," Schroeder said. "This event brought our curriculum to life."