When I first began teaching in Australia in 2005, I knew I had a lot to learn about Australian history. In fact, coming from the United States and having studied early modern European history for my MA, I had to learn practically everything about Australian history.
Far from this scaring me, it was in some ways comforting. I knew that I knew very little, which meant that I would need to educate myself. I couldn’t stand in front of my Year 9s and say, ‘Sorry, we aren’t going to do any history today because I don’t know anything about ... [topic in the curriculum].’
I also knew that, knowing so little, I was bound to get things wrong at times. That was inevitable. But, I also knew that as long…
