Allyn Parham, who teaches African American history at Jamestown High School, sets a goal every year. Two years ago she started incorporating project-based learning, and last year she tried to incorporate place-based learning, which she said “demonstrates an emphasis on physical space in history.” expressing.
This year, the Virginia Department of Humanities will support Parham’s latest goal. It’s about showing students how Reconstruction and the Jim Crow era led to a new black reform movement.
Parham is one of seven recipients of Virginia Humanities’ 2024 K-12 Educator Fellowship. The fellowship is designed to assist educators in developing her two lesson plans that meet the Virginia Learning Standards and will be accessible to other educators on the Virginia Humanities Education website.
“Having this opportunity will not only help me as a historian, but also as a teacher,” Parham said. Parham will spend the next nine months putting these lesson plans together. “Because this allows us to provide a learning experience to other teachers across the state.”
Parham explained that students are often taught about the failures of the Reconstruction era, but not about the resulting efforts for equality by black American activists like Ida B. Wells. As an educator fellow, Parham aims to create lesson plans that highlight historical Black figures in the movement, particularly in Virginia and neighboring states.
In addition, Parham and her students explored the location by examining the Green Book, a travel guide for black people that was popular in the Jim Crow South and identified places in Virginia where back Americans could safely travel. We plan to continue working on learning based on this.
“There’s so much history in our country and especially in our state,” Parham said. “There’s only so much that is textbook-compliant and approved, so we hope to be able to fill that gap.”
This summer, she plans to create an “inquiry design module” for a unit on recovery. This module allows for a more interactive experience where students lead their own learning. Her second lesson plan is project-based. Students create story maps based on the Green Book and draw connections to the historical context of specific locations.
Parham will receive a stipend from the Virginia Humanities Association, as well as funding for equipment and research. He will also gain professional development experience working with other teaching fellows.
Parham has taught social studies including world history, world geography and African American history at Jamestown High School for six years. Additionally, she is the Junior Varsity Scholastic Bowl team coach and a co-sponsor of the African American Heritage 365 Scholastic Bowl.
Mr. Parham previously served as president of the Williamsburg-James City Education Association for three years and currently serves as district president of the Virginia Education Association Board of Directors.
“I’ve always had a natural connection to history,” Parham says. He graduated from Virginia State University with a degree in history, earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from William & Mary, and became a student teacher at Hornsby Middle School.
Parham’s interest in history dates back to fourth grade. Then a friend of his mother’s, a museum curator, showed Parham some Egyptian artifacts.
From then on, Parham became eager to absorb as much historical knowledge as possible, from European to American to Native American and African American history, and his interest continued to grow.
“Education is a very strong foundation in my family,” said Parham, whose parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were all educators.
Despite coming from a family of educators, Parham said she first discovered her love for teaching in eighth grade when she had the opportunity to lead a review class. Her experience solidified becoming a teacher as her career path, and the rest is history.
Now, at Jamestown High School, Parham is working with students to think about why historical events happened and challenge them to think about how the past influences the future. This approach is part of her desire to promote a “holistic understanding” of history.
Parham said there is never a dull moment in the classroom as students are always asking questions that deepen their knowledge and open up broader discussions.
“If students are open and honest with me and feel like they want to share their opinions, I’m open to hearing other opinions,” Parham said. As an educator, your main goal is to provide a safe space for your students. Learn about and participate in civil discussion.
When asked what excites students about learning about history, Parham cited field trips that allow students to be active participants in the content they are learning. With her classes, she visits Monroe and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture at Ft.
Parham also credits her blunt honesty, passion, and compassion for why her students want to learn about history.
Molly Sandling, head social studies teacher at Jamestown High School, cited Parham’s “energy” and “enthusiasm,” and said, “Her love of content rubs off on her students.”
As another testament to the bond he shares with his students, Parham said he is excited about the Advanced Placement African-American studies class he will be teaching for the first time next fall semester.
“This really shows how much I’ve grown as a teacher,” she said. “It shows how much my students trust me with their learning and how much they have faith in me to take this course.”
Williamsburg-James City County Schools first began teaching African American history in the 2021-22 school year and African American literature in the 2023-24 school year, but will begin offering AP African American studies next fall. For the first time, American research will be available to all WJCCs. high school. The course was offered at 700 schools in 40 states this year as part of a pilot program.
Evelyn Davidson, ejwdavidson@gmail.com
