Teaching History thematically and non-chronologically: An experiment

Abstract

This Note is a description and discussion of the results of three years of teaching history by theme, focusing on 20^th-century history, at a secondary school in Montreal. Students chose the topics they studied, selected their exam question, and did so democratically. This approach enhances students’ autonomy and makes it possible to address topics that are more current and more relevant to them, but it does not necessarily improve academic motivation, at least among students at risk of dropping out. On the other hand, it requires the teacher to be more attentive to students, avoid falling into routine, and continually renew their approach.