The recent opening of Fort Al Mirani to the public has created much interest in the rich history of Muttrah and Muscat and the successive groups of traders who have visited, worked and formed part of the rich tapestry of the land. Teaching this history through personal tours of historical sites has many proven benefits, including developing critical thinking skills among young learners.
Research on the teaching of history suggests that it helps in training students to use primary sources like manuscripts and other documents like letters, treaties and other written material in the original.
It also helps to cultivate historical inquiry. This can be done by asking questions like why, how, and even exploring alternative histories.
History teaches empathy. We understand the pressures of people in the past, the challenges they faced and the various inventive ways in which they solved the challenges of their times.
In fact, history ticks all the boxes of education. It engages the students, makes them curious about the past and provides opportunities to apply their learning on aspects of the future.
Writer and philosopher George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. This of course applies to nations as well as individuals. Learning about the past is the best way to future-proof ourselves.
Unfortunately, the study of history is facing many challenges: in a world of rapid changes and fleeting attention span, as it is seen as an unnecessary discipline that does not lead to good careers. It is also seen as nothing more than a combination of dates and place names that are difficult to memorise – that is the stuff of all our school memories.
The biggest culprit here is the traditional way in which history is taught across the world. A combination of big names and a few years means nothing to a schoolchild who is already busy memorising other material. History should be made interactive, collaborative, more enjoyable for students to be engrossed in it.
School field trips are the answer to many of these challenges. There is no doubt that a visit to Al Mirani Fort, for example, will make the history of the place come alive with imaginary people, markets, their interactions in local and foreign languages. It will re-kindle the imagination of youngsters with what the place along the Fort would have looked like, what the people would have worn, and even what animals could be seen in the market and nearby. All this could be re-enforced with readings to make learning pleasurable and informative.
Today, when rote learning is a thing of the past, there is no reason why history should remain locked in the pages of old books. There are a number of other sources: maps, old instruments of navigation, oral stories and songs, even dresses and weapons that can be used to share stories of the past with children for whom history has become a subject to be avoided.
Vising historical places adds another layer of learning that will help students to visualize the glory of the past and imagine their future.
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