Hidden Interpretation: This week we have examined interpretation in textbooks and made a first foray into 'reading' or interpreting primary sources. Texts do not clearly state their goal or perspective but as we discovered in class the perspective or interpretation can be found in the selection of material and its arrangement in the text. What was striking to you about this exercise? What did you learn? Should textbooks come with a warning about 'hidden perspective'? Do we need to teach students how to 'read' these texts? To me this exercise is like reading or listening to the news - I don't typically question the truthfulness of the news but am aware that perspective and interpretation is often evident - in the choice and presentation of stories, the selection of material and in the emphasis.

Response to Prompt: Throughout my learning about the studying and teaching of history I have learned that as teachers we must teachers our students how to read and write within our content area.  In Social Studies teachers use a DR-TA which Directed Reading-Thinking Activity for students to read there texts. Within this strategy students are monitoring their understanding through questioning. Each content area has its own set of vocabulary,   Teachers review the organization of history texts and how they are structured in order to frame an idea. By discussing articles and showing students newspapers and their portrayal of cause and effect. Students are then connecting their ideas to details and becomming critical thinkers. In making connections and inquiry interaction students question the authors thinking. Therefore I think it is important to teach students about interpretation and perspectives in order for them to become critical thinkers. Within our excerise what was striking to me was that as a class we had never been taught about textbook perspectives that we strictly would read them and take them as truth. This relates to the ideas that Zinn has about how teachers need to risks within the instruction of history. Students need to be able to understand and grasp the concepts that exist and in order to do so they must have the opportunity to engage in critical thinking by challenging the thoughts of others, their views and opinions, becoming involved and experiencing events first hand and to analyze all the perspectives within the study. Jessica's view on reading between the lines is most important students need to be taught how, when and in which way to do this.