Tempi duri per la storia. Il contributo della Public History of Education alla consapevolezza delle nostre complesse identità

In the educational training pathway, the history of education is usually present. From the moment of recruitment onwards, however, the interest in a historical approach disappears completely, and teachers tend to focus on the current challenges of their work. The connection between past and present has been explored by many studies, both historical, sociological, and psychological. From an individual point of view, our personal history affects behavior in the classroom, often in an unconscious way. From the point of view of the school community, the current challenges could be better understood if placed in a broader framework, which take into account the medium and long-term dynamics, in particular the understanding of the moments of discontinuity in history. Through the approach of Public History we can connect the current needs of teachers and pupils with historical knowledge, through topics chosen directly by schools. In a broader sense, we can use Public History as a well of social empowerment for the local community. The present proposal can provide intellectual tools, useful for facing the challenges of the present, no neglecting its multiple ties with the past.