History Education is More Important Than Ever

Canada’s past is a fascinating place. It’s also a complicated one. The stories of the people and events that have shaped our country help us understand each other and build a better future. 

That understanding is especially critical for our young people. When students absorb and reflect on Canada’s diverse, nuanced history, they start to see themselves in our country’s story. The result is informed citizens who recognize that the past directly affects our shared present, even as our understanding of that past deepens with new information and interpretation. Students gain the skills they need to navigate the flood of misinformation and even disinformation that has surged in recent years and shows no signs of receding.

“People studying history deserve our support,” said Natasha Pashak, chair of the board of Canada’s History Society. “At a time when technology so often separates us, history is a discipline that strengthens connections. All of our individual histories make up Canada’s history.”

Canada’s History Society is here to help, providing social studies and history teachers with classroom material and professional development so they can feel confident engaging their students in meaningful discussions about the past. The Virtual Historical Thinking Institute equips teachers with practical guidance for the classroom. The Heritage Fairs program encourages young learners to dive into a subject they’re passionate about and create a display that celebrates it. Teachers can order copies of our student-friendly publication What’s the Story? / Quelle Histoire! to give students as they embark on a historical inquiry project of their own.

Younger students find all kinds of intriguing ways into the stories of Canada through Kayak, Canada’s history magazine for kids. Each issue explores a historical theme, from the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to Black history, fall fairs, elections, and even garbage. Kayak is available in English and French, in both hard copy and digitally. Better still: It’s free for teachers to order, and we provide lesson plans and other classroom material — often created by award-winning teachers — to go with each issue. 

Teenagers can turn to Canada’s History magazine, another source of intriguing stories of our past, as well as its online archive featuring more than a century’s worth of stories from The Beaver, Canada’s History, and Kayak.

Tracey Salamondra received a Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2022, and she’s a fan of the resources we provide for both teachers and students.  “When kids know their community, they know themselves. The students see that they are valued. Their voice matters. Their history matters. They are building these skills, but it’s more than that.”

The Stories Campaign provides a way for donors to make multi-year pledges in support of the history education mission of Canada’s History Society. Your gifts and pledges are an investment in history education and student learning. They are an investment in connections through history, and in Canada’s future. To make a pledge, or for more information, please contact Diane Boyle at dboyle@canadashistory.ca.