History and the world
ONE interesting topic in social science is history. In Philippine high school, we teach students with Philippine history, and the world history. Philippines has a very rich and colorful history of its own. The colonizing years have shaped Philippine history in a way that students of today and even the future generations must never forget. It has reached a greater height and to some extent that present and future generation must thank our ancestors for. A nation’s history like the Philippines is what makes world history.
The connections and the developments among countries of the world can be highly attributed to each of the country’s personal experiences, failures and triumphs that make up its history. World Connections takes a global approach to the study of world history by exploring the inter-regional connections and global themes that connect our world today. Just as a filmmaker uses multiple lenses to tell a story, world connection would be an interesting topic for students to begin with a wide-angle view to examine eras in world history and then zoom in to understand the development of events and interactions among the world’s people and cultures today.
Globalization and inter-connectedness are the more popular term of today’s world connections. Both stemmed from nations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union, The Group of Eight or the G8, the United Nations (UN) and others to work on a common goal – peace, prosperity, good relations, solidarity, unity, etc - for the greater welfare of the society. History is to society what memory is to individual. History provides people with a sense of identity – to help us make sense of the world (e.g. Why North Korea hates America?) and provides lesson in right and wrong (e.g. Chernobyl genocide).
It is therefore important to consider carefully what the nature of the surviving evidence is. Do you notice that when there is people power or public discontent and they brought it out to street, you will see historians on TV being interviewed? People Power from 1986 defines the historical movement against government since then. It is part of history that initially brought change in our society. Such changes are what Filipinos or other peoples of the world would want for their own country.
People of the world that has the same experience as the Philippines would come together in unity to fight for a much better life. Learning history in high school is a must. Students will come to understand why at a wrong move of government today, people will march in the street for protest or millenials will find another way to show disappointment. Students of other countries can also relate. It is in this way we keep history alive.
Some history repeats itself, but some history we make ourselves. It is because we want always to become better. It may seem like Philippines has no hope but if we teachers will continue to inculcate among our students that rich history from where we stemmed, then our students will always have that thirst to change to something so much better for our world. Then together, students of different nations, make a world of better connections. (Paid article)