By Dr. Matthew Wilkinson
15 June 2015. Dr. Matthew Wilkinson addressed and led a workshop for PGCE History teacher-trainees on the course convened by Alison Kitson at the UCL Institute of Education.
The title of the session was History Education and Muslim Youth:promoting success by removing absence . It showed how the engagement of young Muslims with school History can be improved by removal of the ‘absent curriculum’ and by the natural incorporation of the Muslim contribution to humanity’s progress at appropriate curricular moments. It also suggested that this absenting of the absent curriculum will be conducive to greater ontological and epistemological wholeness for young people in History classrooms and improve the quality and adequacy of historical knowledge for all.
The 50 trainees were unanimous in their feedback that the session will be of great theoretical and practical utility for their teaching practice. It is a great privilege for us to serve the next generation of our country’s History teachers.