Department+Philosophy+Statement

= **Philosophy of the Upper School History Department**  =

As Robert Penn Warren has written, “History can give us a fuller understanding of our selves, and out common humanity, so that we can better face the future.” The critical study of history is central to a liberal education and crucial to the construction of democratic social and political institutions. We believe that the primary purpose of education must remain a deliberate and wide-ranging cultivation of analytical skills—for centuries the foundation of any humanities curriculum. Our best students will be inquisitive, challenging, articulate, accountable, enthusiastic, and sensitive to the challenges facing humanity.

The Upper School history department at University School of Milwaukee is committed to preparing students for college-level academic work and active citizenship throughout their lives, providing them with a spiraling curriculum that imparts essential skills, content, and values, and enthusiasm for history and the social sciences. Teachers of each course offered by the department actively pursue ongoing professional development, keeping abreast of current scholarly literature within their fields of expertise. Together, they collaborate to best set objectives, select resources, choose teaching strategies, and determine methods of evaluation. Our curricular decisions are always guided by a shared commitment to the goals of University School and the standards of effective teaching practice.

Our specific goals for students enrolled in the History Department are: (1) critical thinking, (2) cultural literacy, and (3) the habit of consulting history to understand contemporary issues.


 * 1) Critical thinking means being able to draw conclusions, make arguments, infer, synthesize, analyze and evaluate. With such skills students should be able to read perceptively, write coherently, listen purposefully, study systematically, and adapt to changing technologies.
 * 2) Cultural literacy means acquiring basic knowledge and vocabulary in the disciplines of history and the social sciences. With such background students should have the context to understand articles written in the best books, best news sources, and best scholarly journals.
 * 3) Habit of consulting history to understand contemporary issues means that students will understand and appreciate the importance of history in shaping contemporary events. With such habits students will seek to learn more about their world by critically investigating past events and the tradition of scholarship informing today’s ideas.

The University School of Milwaukee Social Studies Department believes that the purpose of the social studies curriculum is to help young people develop the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to make informed and reasoned decisions as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world. Excellence in social studies is achieved through a developmentally appropriate and spiraling curriculum that provides engaging and challenging learning experiences.
 * CROSS-DIVISIONAL PHILOSOPHY (2012)**

In the Lower School … Students will … In the Middle School … Students will … In the Upper School … Students will …
 * acquire cultural literacy, i.e. : knowledge of history, geographical and economic impact, and contributions and perspectives of different cultural groups, including one's own and will grow as responsible citizens in the local and global community.
 * become literate in the various social sciences, including history, geography, political science, and economics; develop essential skills in critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and creation of products that demonstrate their learning; and become progressively independent in order to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
 * think critically, acquire cultural literacy, and cultivate the habit of consulting history to understand contemporary issues.