Careers in History: High School Education

Paul Bylsma

What did you do after Calvin, and what are you doing now?

I graduated from Calvin College in May of 2009, and I found a teaching job the month after graduation. After teaching for a while, I decided to go to graduate school because I love history and the academic challenge it presents. Even though I am not teaching right now, my love for history is sustained through continuing my own education, and better preparing me for what the Lord has in store. I am studying for an MA in History, specializing in Ethnohistory, which closely aligns with my social/cultural interests.

Upon graduation (which won't be for a couple of years yet), I hope to have a job that allows me to teach history at a higher level. Whether the Lord takes me to high school history or something else, I would still love to share my love for history with students. My life goal is to study toward a PhD and teach at the college level, but that is a long ways off.

What did you learned about teaching from watching your Calvin History professors?

Calvin academics aside, the amount I have taken away from watching our knowledgeable and experienced professors teach has helped me beyond measure. I have been influenced by the story-focused, amicable, and personable
teaching style of Prof. Schoone-Jongen, the laid back and discussion-oriented class management of Prof. Du Mez, the matter-of-factness and completeness of Prof. Katerberg, and the vivacity and intensity of Prof. Howard. In addition, the material that these professors have equipped me with as a teacher on my own has been a great addition to my classes. After only teaching for a month, I have used readings from Prof. Schoone-Jongen and Prof. Du Mez to stimulate class discussion and provide interesting material beyond what the textbook provides.

How did your study at Calvin prepared you to teach History?

Calvin has put plenty of ideas in my head about what history is and how it should be taught. In addition to the influences that have affected me, the debate over historiography, the different perspectives through which history has been written, and the different people who have written history have given me many different angles to approach my history classes. Because I have studied different kinds of histories at Calvin, I am able to approach different lessons in different ways, which benefit different learners in the classroom. For example, my United States history class recently approached the American Industrial Revolution through the lens of the Cult of Domesticity and the ways families were forced to cope with their situations. This allowed students to open their eyes to the "little people" in history and gauge the effects of factory work on the upper and lower classes, as I was exposed to the same kind of history at Calvin.

Any advice you would give students thinking of majoring in History, Secondary Ed?

To those studying History and Secondary Ed at Calvin right now, I can only say a few things: 1) Appreciate your time with Professor Schoone-Jongen. His advice is priceless. 2) Make sure that you take your Ed courses for what they are worth. I did not see their value until I actually had to put them in practice, and have since then realized their immeasurable worth. Finally, 3) Look forward to student teaching! Take it very seriously, and learn as much as you can about balancing your social life with your academic life (among everything else!). It is a difficult balance, but learning that is one of the many things that student teaching will teach you. Learn from your cooperating teacher, learn from your students, learn from your professor, and learn from your seminar. The experiences and advice all those people can give or share with you can only help you in the long run.

Although I miss life at Calvin dearly, I have seen the 'real world' and it is good. Teaching for a living is a real blessing and I am happy where I am in my new career. The lessons that Calvin has taught me have stuck with me, the skills I have developed at Calvin are being put to good use in my career, and the influences I have seen at Calvin have made me a better teacher.

 

 

 

Janelle (Aupperlee) Draayer

What kind of school are you teaching in now and what are you teaching?

I am currently teaching in a very small Christian school in Sunnyside, WA. This means that I AM the history department, which is really amazing. I get to pick what I choose to teach and get a lot of variety over the course of my day and year since I get to teach the whole span of the Social Studies courses (and some extras!). As a result, over the year I will teach World History, U.S. History (junior level and senior level), Current World Problems, Church History, Pacific Northwest History, Sociology, Psychology, and even Basic Geometry and P.E.!

What did you learned about teaching from watching your Calvin History professors?

My history professors at Calvin were passionate. They loved learning about their respective areas not only for the purpose of acquiring knowledge, but because they saw its relevance in the way that it shaped their beliefs and their world. This is the key element to all of teaching.

How did your study at Calvin prepared you to teach History?

Calvin not only taught me tips, tools, and strategies for teaching a variety of students, it also taught me how to provide students with life-long learning. At Calvin, I learned how to learn. I learned how to examine and question documents, artifacts, and ideas for the purpose of gleaning what I could from them. I also learned how to question that material in a way in which evidence could be considered and my beliefs or opinions on matters could be changed. This, in turn, is what I am trying to teach my students. My hope is that they use Christian tools of critical analysis to teach themselves about the wider world around them while allowing their beliefs to be shaped by their analysis.

Any advice you would give students thinking of majoring in History, Secondary Ed?

Definitely go for it! With history, you can learn a large variety of things. The scope of the material than can be studied is limitless, yet can be very specific, depending on your interests.

 

Anneke Branderhorst

What kind of school are you teaching in now and what are you teaching?

I recently graduated from Calvin College with a History major, English minor - through the Education program. To be honest, I was quite worried about finding a teaching job after graduating. Yet, thanks to the experience, skills, and support I gained at Calvin, I was blessed to find the perfect job. I am teaching at a small private school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, teaching Social Studies and Language Arts. This specific high school is an experiential type of school where student-led learning is promoted; the whole notion of "school" is different, and I am
quite excited about this. More so, this school has a real connection to discernment, community, and a call for social justice - all traits I developed and learned to appreciate at Calvin.

Through my many courses at Calvin, I have learned so much about History. I have learned not only about content but also about approach. I have learned to think critically about my role in history as a Christian, a woman, a Canadian, a North American, a child of God. I have learned to discern, to research, to evaluate, to compare, to initiate, to question, to wonder, to be amazed.

What did you learned about teaching from watching your Calvin History professors?

More so, I have learned how to teach through watching my History professors. My History professors reignited my love for the past, my
interest in the present, and my hope for the future. With their fine attention to detail, their interesting reading choices, their valuable questions, their difficult challenges for me, and their belief in each and every student, I grew as a student and as a teacher. One specific professor in the History department has shaped who I am, who I want to be, how I want to teach. I continuously rely on him for planning, content, and support.

How did your study at Calvin prepared you to teach History?

I have learned that teaching history is a true blessing, a great responsibility. I have learned that history must be studied and must be taught in a way that challenges the present to change the future. More so, my studies at Calvin also prepared me to teach History through curriculum support, lesson planning advice, honest conversations, intense
debates, and tough challenges. Through understanding my theoretical allegiances, to discussing the current struggles of history teachers, I was able to grow as a teacher.

Any advice you would give students thinking of majoring in History, Secondary Ed?

Teaching history can be a daunting task, and there is much pressure placed on these teachers; yet, I felt equipped, prepared, and able to teach History. I doubted who I was as a historian and as a future teacher during my time at Calvin. However, through the support, struggle, prayer, tears, laughter, debate, discussion, reading, writing - I made it. I would not have made it without a wonderful History program that was honest, intentional, educated,
intelligent, and God fearing. Looking back, I would not have had it any other way. I would encourage anyone to consider the History program at Calvin; it changed my life and the lives of my past, present, and future students. Maybe, it could change yours too.