May I know your views on how history can be taught more effectively... thanks..

[life]

Hello! I am currently working on a research on how social studies particularly history could be taught more effectively. Obviously the subject is faced with two serious issues-- that of the overwhelming or seemingly unending coverage and the other of the strategies to employ to make it really relevant . there has been much literature on this but i would like to know your own impressions and insights. please feel free to comment on/answer any of the questions below:
1.If there is one word to describe history as a subject, what would that be? why?
2. Do you think that the lessons you've learned in this subject are really useful? why?
3. What can u say about the strategies being employed by your teachers? Would you say they were effective? if not, what strategies could you suggest?
4. In ur own opinion, do we really need to study history? why?
Thank you so much and I gladly appreciate the time you've spared answering the above questions.

[FireyRei]

1. 'History', because it's the word used in English to describe the study of the past.
2. Not particularly useful, but intersting nonetheless.
3. Long time ago, hardly remember my classes.
4. Yes we should study it to know our past - where we came from; what we did. And to plan for the future, learn from experiences to build a better future.

[Mycernius]

1. I think the best word to descibe history is history. Sums it up really.
2. Some of them I have found very useful, especially in the history of myths and religion. It has also been useful in seeing how society has evolved to its present place and how it might continue.
3. It depends on what sort of age group you are aiming the teaching at. For young children they don't really care for dates and accurate data for specific events. They are more interested in action and battles rather than social and ecomomic history. As they get older they might become interested in history or not. If they don't then you have really lost them. If they are you must make it interesting, even the boring bits. Children of any age have a tendency to glaze over when faced with a reading of facts and dates. The best way is to get themto activily seek out the answers for themselves and engaged their curiosity in the subject.
4. I find histroy a very important subject to teach. They always say to look to the past to avoid making the same mistakes. Unfortuantly this doesn't always work. See the holocaust and then the repeat in Burundi, Rwanda and Bosnia. But knowing of these past mistakes may help some people see what could ahppen and avoid them for future generations.
Hope this has been some help to you

[life]

thanks a lot for ur insightful answers! they would be of much help i'm sure.