1 of 2

Write now Article Tools

Primary sources always excite children, even adults. Have you ever been to a museum and seen a real mummy in an open display case? I am sure you did not sleep for days after that. Imagine how much excitement bringing the real thing into your classroom to teach your children about Egyptians and their practices.

It is often said that a picture speaks a thousand words. A photograph of the real item, even if it is a photograph of the real picture drawn on the wall of a cave, or a handwritten journal, will intrigue us more than a second person's account of what he has witnessed. It is in this respect that primary sources catch the attention of students more than the articulate and detailed lecture a teacher can ever deliver in school.

What is a primary source? A primary source is also known as the original source. It can be a picture or an artifact. Historians first coined the phrase to distinguish an original piece of writing to a copy of it, known as a secondary source. The reason is clear enough, for secondary sources may contain interpretations that are not intended by the originator. The ancient scrolls which contain the original Pentateuch are primary sources. The translated versions in English and other languages are secondary sources as actual meanings may be lost by translators who cannot find exact words to represent the flavor of original words in another language.

Primary sources are vital in History in schools as it is important that students hear from the horse's mouth and experience history for themselves instead of hearing comments from another person. How do we hear from someone who has passed on millions of years ago or view something that has since disintegrated? This is especially so in the subject of History. It is thus important that school teachers allow students to view for themselves artifacts or at least pictures of them culled from the Internet's vast resources.

A visit to the Killing Fields in Cambodia, the Crying Wall in Palestine or an Egyptian tomb in a pyramid is not what the majority can afford. Digital photographs of these places are plentiful on the World Wide Web, and by comparing sources from different websites, students will receive the same impact as if they were there for themselves. Students who actually hail from these countries can become important primary sources themselves and become an important resource who can provide actual photographs, artifacts and accounts of the events that they might have personally encountered.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Teaching tips: Guide to using primary sources effectively in schools?
We want to hear your view. Write now!