Building critical thinking by exploring history using primary sources

This is the beginning of a journey to draw together historical accounts and ngaa korero o neheraa relating to the history of Cambridge Te Oko Horoi.     Why primary resources?

Primary resources invite aakonga (students) to become actively involved in the learning process. Teaching with primary sources promotes authentic student inquiry and builds students’ critical thinking skills. By providing a direct lens through which to view the past, a primary source gives students the opportunity to get curious about and connect to the person behind the first-hand account—and to study that person’s perspective and reasons for creating the account the way any scholar would.     The investigation of a primary source leads to an examination of the historical context in which it was created and a greater understanding of the topic of study.

Ultimately, these deeper interpretations of historical events and the people who played a role in them will help students form richer understandings of themselves and their roles in present-day events.