Teaching Historical Empathy

Teaching Historical Empathy: Bridging the Past and Present outlines instructional resources, curricular standards, and sample lesson plans for secondary teachers to promote historical empathy in their classrooms. Interdisciplinary connections between social studies and English language arts curricular design and instruction are explored through the application of literary analysis, digital media, music, films and documentaries, photographs, and place-based opportunities.

"Teaching Historical Empathy: Bridging the Past and Present offers educators at all levels actionable steps to weave empathy into the larger patterns of history, through local history, and rich storytelling, then widening the lens to embrace all of our stories, via place-based learning and digital humanities tools and resources that allow students to see themselves in the story of US." - Annie Evans, Director of Education & Outreach, New American History at the University of Richmond

Dr. Katherine Perrotta earned her B.S. in Adolescence Education and Social Studies from the State University of New York at Oneonta, M.A. in History from the City University of New York College of Staten Island, and Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning with a Social Studies Concentration from Georgia State University. Dr. Perrotta began her career as a middle grades social studies teacher in the New York City Department of Education. She is currently an Associate Professor of Middle and Secondary Education with a Social Studies emphasis at Mercer University Tift College of Education.

Dr. Jennifer Curl has a bachelor’s degree in English from Agnes Scott College, an M.A.T. in Secondary English and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Mercer University Atlanta. She taught high school English for 15 years and now teaches as a Clinical Professor of English Education at the University of West Georgia.