Good Book Review About History

Method in History for Teachers and Students

Personal Opinion
Personally, I have never had a positive attitude towards history as a subject. However, after reading the book, “Method in History for Teachers and Student” by William H. Mace I drastically changed this point of view. The book is truly informative, and its simplification of the booklet me like with Mace’s idea. The systematic arrangement of the book is breathtaking and makes it easy for use in the learning of history. The true nature of history is well cultivated in the first chapter of the book. The chapter simplifies the hierarchy of history through giving the directive subtopics. For instance, the ‘essential elements of history’ categorically talks history from a general point of view yet so informative.
When Mace explains ‘the general character of the problem’, he says “The explanation of how historical facts become mind, and how mind becomes history, is the explanation of the learning of history”. The fact is clearly based on the transforming: agents, materials and mind to be facts of history. The implication of the history element to teacher and student is very basic in learning of history. Through the understanding of the general character of the history, problem is well articulated here. Systematically, the first chapter of the book talks more about the possible ways to understand the history in general in simple way.
The logic method that explains two phases: the inductive and the deductive those are effective and vital in the learning of history. Personally, both methods are basic in understanding the nature and basis in history. This logic view essential for any teacher be either the in: primary, secondary or even university level. “thought of the subject the university professor must build into the mind of the student and the primary teacher must hold it in the view as a goal the teacher is preparing the student” On the psychological method, it acknowledges the immature mind in the learning process as a process of development. The psychological method tries to adjustments of the available historical materials.
On the erroneous history of view, Mace notes clearly that common error in history is the recording error. He says, “The ‘record’ idea of history is a conception both superficial and harmful” this is the best way to understand the history. Mace goes an extra mile in discussing the ‘ideas of form and content’ in making the learning history. Both students and teachers can be used to making the study of history easy and effective. The book does history justice in discussing the ‘historical and pedagogical inferences’ in a wider scope. The physical and the pictured with mental and perceived inferences and their implications in history are well illustrated in the chapter, in general. In the summation of the chapter, the rhetorical questions posed: why history grows. How history grows? With their answers: due to differences and conflict in the content and laws of continuity and differentiations wraps up the chapter in a manner that personally enjoy the book fully.
Consecutively, the proceeding chapter such as organization of the phases of America, the elementary phases of history teaching and finally, history in the high school. In the organization of the phases of America history starting from not a coordinate phase of institutional life, true connection and rank and non-American History. The subtopics emphasize on the American history of a simple classification with that of the European to foster its learning. “The extent to which they influence our history is true measure of their value” in the section of ‘the period as a whole’ mace defines into clarity what constitutes a period , nature of this period, organizing idea at work as well as phases of the period. This enhances coherence of the study of history as it is only based on the period of specific events. In the study of history noting time or period is one of the fundamental tools that a teacher or student in history should have. Mace‘s explanation on ‘the diffusion rights and privileges’ on why the new differentiation is made and organizing principle in the concrete is vital in the history. The fact of Mace his explanation reality in the history especially inciting on the England history with its principle is realistic. “In 1632 the settlers of Watertown refused to pay taxes levied by the assistants. This led, in 1634, to the establishment of representative government in Massachusetts”. Mace explains the fact of the principle in England history to articulate the study of American history in relation to that of England. It makes the book more informative as it clearly shows the follow up of the American history and the major facts that of the history, in general. The chapter takes a close view of the American history incorporating with the England history principles. The general theme of the chapter is to show relevancy of the both American history, as well as the England history.
Chapter three of the book, ‘elementary phases of History teaching’ Mace takes us on a tour on the ‘sense phase of history.’ It is with simplicity of the explanation Mace gives on the: general problem and changes of the problem. On its articulation on the picture painting the phase of history it is well explained in details in the proceeding subtopics. The topics that I found with much relevance in the book from the chapter include: patriotic anniversaries, myth, legend, folklore, transitional story, the real hero, and Indian story are vital in the chapter. Through this subtopic, a number of virtues can be extracted from the chapter. Such virtue may include: understanding better, patriotism and informative for both the students and teachers. Due to this the book is well arranged, and it makes a lot of senses and easy to grasp the main points of the history as a subject. This aspect gives the teachers as well as the students a deeper understanding of history.
As the book wraps up the ideal way Mace decides to articulate his, “history in the high school” is truly important as much as history seems hectic and a boring subject one should be able to it interesting in the Mace his book. It is with much optimistic that as much as both students and teachers assert efforts in learning history the “method in History for teachers and students” is the actual remedy. It is simple to understand, and the author his decision of to systematically arranging the book makes it simple to understand all concepts of history. Critically, in the view of history teaching and learning is possible and easy as compared to previous studies of history.
“Method in History” favorably have been acknowledged and received by teachers of all level grades of the schoolwork. Citing from the experiences of these teachers after using the Mace’s book effectively they have declared and testified that the book has given them a deeper meaning and a fresh impulse in history teaching.

Biography

William H. Mace commonly known as ‘Bill’ as his nickname was born in 1950 13th March in Miami-Florida as William Hall Mace Jr. Mace in his early life grew in Maryland and Georgia while in Maryland Mace attended “Allegany High School” where he graduated from the school in 1968. Later Mace did ‘veterinary medicine’ in West Virginia at ‘Bethany College’. Mace later transferred to ‘Goddard College’ where he first becomes involved with theater.
In the professional life, Mace moved to Chicago where he worked as ‘bartender’ after graduating from Goddard. Mace championed and pioneered the foundation of ‘S. Nicholas Theater Co. Mace has moved from one state to another such as California, Los Angeles and New York, New York City for professional matters. Mace has also had a number of professional TV roles such as: ‘The Unit’ guest appearance acting as the “United States of America President. Mace’s professional life he has experience success such as Mace won the two ‘Emmy Awards’ back in 2003 as starring in the lead role and a co-writer respectively. Notably from the book, “Method in History for teachers and student” it is clearly vital to add the book as one of the professionalism of Mace. The book that has already been received warmly as well as its impact on teaching history has been deepened by the book for teachers and students.