Emotional rules in two history classrooms

Abstract

Drawing on feminist and sociocultural theories of emotion that focus on the social, political, and dynamic nature of emotions in history teachers’ pedagogical decision-making, this article presents findings from the analysis of interviews with two white teachers on the role of emotions in their teaching of history in comprehensive, urban high schools. While the teachers perceived that students’ emotional connection to historical content was a necessary step in learning history, each teacher negotiated different emotional rules in their classrooms, creating unique learning experiences for their students. This study demonstrates the significance of emotions in history teaching, providing examples of the complexity of how teachers navigate dominant discourses about students and education and their own personal goals when it comes to teaching about the past.

Feeling the Threat of Race in Education: Exploring the Cultural Politics of Emotions in CRT-Ban Political Discourses

“…Historically, however, such emotional dynamics have not been a prime focus in education policy studies. Whereas recent studies have examined how emotion is employed in the language of proposed and enacted legislation, newspaper reporting, and online commentary (Sheppard, 2023), how educators emotionally navigate social and political issues (Grosland & Matias, 2023), and how faculty experience and respond to the emotionally charged policy environment in the classroom (Liou & Alvara, 2021), the current study focuses on racialized emotion within public debates among policy makers. A focus on emotions helps us to understand the invisible dynamics shaping policy creation and how racialized emotions undergird actors' sentiments about race-conscious policy.…”

¿Cómo abordar las historias difíciles para fortalecer la democracia?: Un modelo didáctico

“…Considerando la problemática mencionada, la presente propuesta comprende que en los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje sobre las historias difíciles no es posible separar lo cognitivo de lo afectivo (McCully et al, 2021;Sheppard, 2023). Por ello, se plantea utilizar el concepto de afectación de forma genérica para englobar a la afectación misma, a las emociones y los sentimientos (Cvetkovich, 2012).…”

Tensions in teaching balanced controversial history: Competing voices within a student teacher in Northern Ireland

“…Attention to emotions and identity in history education research has increased (Sheppard, 2023). Studies on teachers' exclusion, control, reframing and containing of students' emotions during classroom discussions, and the ways these interactions play out, are particularly instructive (Pace, 2015;Bekerman & Zembylas, 2011;Garrett, 2020).…”