Lessons inspired by the Iran Protests

The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different. – Aldous Huxley

Following the protests in Iran as we approach Independence Day has me thinking about the consistency of progress. More than 200 years ago, a revolution took place that brought us to our current moment in history, one in which we’re still, little by little, achieving the idealized equality and freedom declared by Thomas Jefferson and company. The women-led protests in Iran force us to recognize that people are eternally struggling against those that treat them unjustly and take away their freedom.

Experts liken the current movement more to civil rights movements, ones that seek justice within their current system rather than establishing a new government.

Drawing connections between the past and the present makes history seem less static and decided – not like something printed in a text book with dates and facts to be recited on a test. With current events, students see the struggle, the human component of these conflicts and have more freedom to consider all sides and make up their own mind about what’s going on.

What a teachable moment in the making.

Read more and find lessons for K-12 students at the official TeachHUB blog.