Teaching history for schoolchildren has been a heated topic constantly. There is a common belief that local history is more important to children than world history. However, I disagree with this belief.
I believe the notion that local history is more valuable than world history should be rejected. Some people may claim that the insights into the local historical values are completely enough for one to live. Their claim could be true a few decades ago when most interpersonal communications were between people of the same race and origin. However, this view is now outdated, as the world has become globalised, and international business and migrant workers have made any community a global village. In this context, an understanding of a foreign country’s history would enable future local workers to reinforce the relationship between them and the expatriates from that country. In addition, I am strongly convinced that children would benefit the most only when the learning of local history is placed parallel to that of world history. To understand a local historical event, children should put the regional and sometimes even world context in that historical era into consideration. For example, children should acknowledge that the event that Vietnam regained its independence after defeating the Japanese troops in Indochina in 1945 only happened after a series of relevant events in the World War II, one of which is the surrender of Japan to the Allies. In this way of learning, children would understand history more deeply and thoroughly.
All the existing data has provided a concrete foundation that the study of local history should always be parallel to that of world history. This practice would guarantee that children learn history more comprehensively and be able to tighten the bond with migrant workers in their country.
Teaching
history
for schoolchildren has been a heated topic
constantly
. There is a common belief that
local
history
is more
important
to
children
than
world
history
.
However
, I disagree with this belief.
I believe the notion that
local
history
is more valuable than
world
history
should
be rejected
.
Some
people
may claim that the insights into the
local
historical values are completely
enough
for one to
live
. Their claim could be true a few decades ago when most interpersonal communications were between
people
of the same race and origin.
However
, this view is
now
outdated, as the
world
has become
globalised
, and international business and migrant workers have made any community a global village. In this context, an understanding of a foreign country’s
history
would enable future
local
workers to reinforce the relationship between them and the expatriates from that country.
In addition
, I am
strongly
convinced that
children
would benefit the most
only
when the learning of
local
history
is placed
parallel to that of
world
history
. To understand a
local
historical
event
,
children
should put the regional and
sometimes
even
world
context in that historical era into consideration.
For example
,
children
should acknowledge that the
event
that Vietnam regained its independence after defeating the Japanese troops in Indochina in 1945
only
happened after a series of relevant
events
in the
World
War II, one of which is the surrender of Japan to the Allies. In this way of learning,
children
would understand
history
more
deeply
and
thoroughly
.
All the existing data has provided a concrete foundation that the study of
local
history
should always be parallel to that of
world
history
. This practice would guarantee that
children
learn
history
more
comprehensively
and be able to tighten the bond with migrant workers in their country.