Introducing Our Newest Podcast: “Pandemics and the Liberal Arts”

Last week I was chatting with my Bethel colleague Amy Poppinga. As we compared notes on how classes are going now that we’ve moved online, we both realized the wide variety of ways we’re using history to help students think about COVID-19. In fact, this pandemic has left both of us feeling even more confident … More Introducing Our Newest Podcast: “Pandemics and the Liberal Arts”

That Was The Week That Was

This week I paid tribute to my boss, reflected on Charles Lindbergh’s interest in primitive societies, and talked about college basketball and athletic labor. Elsewhere: • David Brooks offered one of the rarest spectacles in 21st century American political discourse: a pundit who was convinced by others’ arguments to change his mind on a controversial … More That Was The Week That Was

5 Things I’ve Learned about Teaching History to 5-Year Olds

While my job is to teach people about history, my vocation as a parent has made me realize that I know next to nothing about how to teach young children about history. But with our five-year old twins entering kindergarten this fall, I decided to spend this summer trying to understand how children might best learn about the past. Please take the … More 5 Things I’ve Learned about Teaching History to 5-Year Olds

Past and Presence: Fields within History

On this week’s episode of Past & Presence, my colleagues Diana Magnuson (social history, women’s history) and Amy Poppinga (religious and environmental history) join me for a conversation about fields in history. Plus… we spotlight the Oregon Extension and AnneMarie Kooistra’s course on History of Sexuality in the United States, we find History alumni doing everything from web services … More Past and Presence: Fields within History