Caring about the Past: Engaging with Historical Empathy

The 16th Canada’s History Forum
Hosted by Canada’s History Society — Posted March 7, 2024

Why did the people in the past think and behave the way they did? How did people feel when faced with adversity, injustice, or other struggles? Can we ever really know?

Building historical empathy and attempting to understand the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of people in the past is a challenging and worthwhile endeavour. Historical empathy encourages us to consider context and evidence, practice taking a historical perspective, and can shed light on the experiences of traditionally marginalized people. It can also help build empathy in the present, promoting a greater understanding of other peoples’ experiences and creating caring, engaged citizens.

This event brought together educators, historians, museum professionals, and researchers to explore innovative ways of engaging with history that promote empathy, understanding, and a deeper connection to the past.

This event featured presentations from:

Watch the presentations

Historical Empathy for Teaching and Learning History

Sara Karn’s presentation offers a framework of historical empathy for teaching and learning history.

Commemorating Fallen Soldiers of the Algonquin Regiment

In this presentation, Anna Pearson discusses experiential learning through battlefield study tours.

Journey to the Heart of the Huron-Wendat Way of Life

This presentation demonstrates how the Huron-Wendat Museum encourages empathy through its mission and values.

Creating Empathy for Living Better Together

This presentation focuses on how the Musée de la civilisation team established a new permanent exhibition to include the words of people who are often under-represented in this type of exhibition.

Witness Blanket: Bringing Voices of Residential School Survivors to the Classroom

This presentation introduces participants to WitnessBlanket.ca and offers ways for educators to walk alongside their students on their pathways of reconciliation.

Landscapes of Injustice: Internment and Dispossession of Japanese Canadians

Greg Miyanaga talks about how he develops a sense of historical empathy with students by using hands-on, minds-on, and hearts-on learning.

RECOMMENDED READING & RESOURCES

Reading

Barton, K. C., & Levstik, L. S. (2004). Teaching history for the common good. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Karn, S. (2024). Walking in their footsteps: Historical empathy and experiential learning on battlefield study tours. Historical Encounters, 11(1), 30-42. https://doi.org/10.52289/hej11.103 

Karn, S. (2023). Historical empathy: A cognitive-affective theory for history education in Canada. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue Canadienne de l’éducation, 46(1), 80-110. https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.5483 

Lévesque, S. (2008). Thinking historically: Educating students for the 21st century. University of Toronto Press.

Classroom Resources

Historical empathy: A primer for history and social studies educators (Sara Karn) 

Historical empathy: A collection of resources for teachers (Sara Karn)

Pedagogical Triangle (Facing History & Ourselves)

Lesson Plan: Preparing for Difficult Conversations (Jacqueline Cleave, Canada’s History)

Lesson Plan: Paying Attention to Emotions When Learning (TC2)

Lesson Plan: Come Walk Awhile in Our Shoes (Peter Kear, Historica Canada)

Museums

Canadian Museum for Human Rights 

Musée de la civilisation 

Musée Huron-Wendat 

Websites

Landscapes of Injustice 

The Witness Blanket 

Know a teacher who made a difference?

Nominate them today for the Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching!

 

But please note: the nomination is just a first step; once nominated, nominees usually finish the application themselves and require a reasonable amount of time to respond to questions and collect supporting documents.

 

The deadline for this year’s award is April 10.

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