Teacher Guidelines for Linking Students to the Vietnam Era
Curriculum | Linking | Speakers | Resources | Bridges
"The Community-in-the-Classroom approach is very effective. Having people come in and tell us about history and how they were or are a part of it makes it much more interesting and easier to learn. Instead of reading a textbook and having a teacher lecture 'at you', people come in and speak to students about a certain part of history. You can ask them questions that the textbook did not answer. By seeing these people and speaking with them, you realize they are 'living history', and you gain a respect and understanding of history and how it affects us today."
- Catherine W.
Millbrook HS Student
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For the past four years, I have made extensive use of community members in teaching a popular high school elective in the Wake County (NC) Public School System (WCPSS) called the Lessons of Vietnam (LOV). The goal of this special project is to develop a new curriculum guide that can be downloaded off the WCPSS website that clearly shows how to make the most of community resources in teaching the Vietnam era. These curriculum guidelines can strengthen existing courses in U.S. History, American Foreign Policy, and International Relations. Social studies teachers who are interested in offering a Lessons of Vietnam elective course to high school juniors and seniors can also benefit from these teaching guidelines.
Bringing well-informed guest speakers from the community into the classroom provides a number of benefits for students. Engaging classroom speakers can motivate students to think more critically, ask inquiring questions and develop a broader knowledge of this difficult era in our nation's history. Teachers and schools can affirm the importance of good character and good citizenship by inviting exemplary citizens from the community into the classroom. There are many enduring lessons of character that can be learned from the Vietnam era. In Vietnam era units, students are exposed to positive role models in the community and are also encouraged to get involved in the world around them. A number of students will become motivated to participate more fully in school and community activities (e.g. Kids Voting, Pages in the State Legislature, Veterans Day and Memorial Day activities).
Students participate in the Raleigh Veterans Day Parade.
Teachers also benefit from exposure to this "living history" model. Teaming with community members can make a positive contribution to social studies and character education programs in our public schools. Also, teachers will experience improved student participation in classroom discussions. The Vietnam era is a bad memory for many Americans, but there are important lessons to be learned. A study of the era can encourage students to reflect on their own convictions and become more aware of the political and moral dimensions of foreign policy.
Dr. Jim
Clark, Director of NCSU's Humanities Extension and Publications
Program, and WCPSS Superintendent Bill McNeal (right) discuss
the lessons of Vietnam with guest speaker, General George
B. Price (center).