Educators

The reality is that children are growing up to become adults with a limited understanding of American History. A 50-state knowledge poll conducted by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation in 2019 revealed only 27 percent of adults under the age of 45 were able to demonstrate a basic understanding of American history. In the US Department of Education National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), scores are worst in U.S. History than any other subject. The 2022 NAEP results found that only 13 percent of 8th graders were proficient or above in U.S. History, meaning they could not explain major themes, events, people, ideas, and turning points in the country’s history.

These substandard results are largely because kids grow up thinking history is boring and useless. The American history curriculum focuses on memorizing names, events, and dates, which students fail to retain. To fix this we need, “A fundamental change in how American history is taught and learned to make it relevant to our students’ lives, to make it captivating and to make it inclusive,” said the late Lawrence Levine, noted history professor and author of The Opening of the American Mind. The Woodrow Wilson Foundation drew two conclusions about the best way to teach history. First, passive instruction, textbooks, lectures and memorization represent an ineffective approach. Second, best practice requires student engagement, application of problem-solving and critical thinking skills, interactive pedagogies, and making the subject relevant to learners. The AmeriTales approach supplements classroom instruction and introduces American history to young children in an entertaining way, putting human drama into our stories.

Educators universally agree that teaching history is important. Seventy-eight percent of teachers identify preparing students for citizenship as a core reason to teach history. Many experts in education like Natalie Wexler, author of The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—and How to Fix It, urge schools to start teaching history in elementary school. Judy Brodigan, former head of the elementary social studies curriculum for the Lewisville, Texas school district stated, “Elementary school students don’t get the background they need in history. When the foundation isn’t built in elementary school, students come to middle school lacking crucial skills.”

Learning history can and should be fun for elementary kids. History is full of enchanting tales, surprises, mysteries, and adventures. There is a treasure trove of stories about any topic kids might be interested in. AmeriTales presents history as much more than dates and facts—we create the imagery of real people and how they lived and what they fought for. Kids will see examples of teamwork and good trumping evil, helping them draw connections to the present. This enables them to see themselves in history, making it come alive for them. It’s a new approach to history education for America’s youngest students that will capture their imagination while cultivating their conscience.

Kids Learning from other Kids

Once upon a time all of America’s greatest leaders were children. Their origin stories, their rise to greatness, started with overcoming adversity in childhood. With examples set by other kids, AmeriTales gives children a relatable way to learn compassion, acceptance, gratitude and perseverance, attributes necessary to thrive in a multicultural world. Kids learn about the past while being inspired to create a better future. Our stories of children talking to children will help reinforce the seeds of character growth passed on to them by their parents.

AmeriTales Present Amelia Earhart and the Haunted Winds of Kansas
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