Alistair Dickins
@alistairdickins.bsky.social
Part time professional History teacher, full time amateur dad. Once wrote PhD on Russian Revolution, now writing the Istorik teaching blog: https://istorikteach.blogspot.com/ and https://m.facebook.com/groups/1324219541631600/
Thoughts/comments my own
Thoughts/comments my own
Last year #HMDT refused to recognise mass killing in #Gaza, #Israel in commemorating genocide since 1945 for #HolocaustMemorialDay.
This contravenes mission of HMDT. It must not happen again.
I have written to #HMDT and urge educators do same. Letter and template follow 👇
#historyteacher #EduSky
This contravenes mission of HMDT. It must not happen again.
I have written to #HMDT and urge educators do same. Letter and template follow 👇
#historyteacher #EduSky
September 28, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Last year #HMDT refused to recognise mass killing in #Gaza, #Israel in commemorating genocide since 1945 for #HolocaustMemorialDay.
This contravenes mission of HMDT. It must not happen again.
I have written to #HMDT and urge educators do same. Letter and template follow 👇
#historyteacher #EduSky
This contravenes mission of HMDT. It must not happen again.
I have written to #HMDT and urge educators do same. Letter and template follow 👇
#historyteacher #EduSky
Really excited to read this from @citoyenneclaire.bsky.social and @jcarrollhistory.bsky.social! A really important question being asked - what can the role of storytelling be in #history teaching?
September 25, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Really excited to read this from @citoyenneclaire.bsky.social and @jcarrollhistory.bsky.social! A really important question being asked - what can the role of storytelling be in #history teaching?
Thanks for this observation! Yes, this is something I've found too. Take e.g. this analysis of a Russian Civil War pogrom in 1921, which identifies its cause in cont. trend of wartime violence comb. w. established antisemitism
Full extract and analysis 👇
istorikteach.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...
Full extract and analysis 👇
istorikteach.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...
August 19, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Thanks for this observation! Yes, this is something I've found too. Take e.g. this analysis of a Russian Civil War pogrom in 1921, which identifies its cause in cont. trend of wartime violence comb. w. established antisemitism
Full extract and analysis 👇
istorikteach.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...
Full extract and analysis 👇
istorikteach.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...
3/ Students will be instructed to consider which metaphorical area works best for the particular historical event/development they've just studied, then identify appropriate language before constructing analytical sentences as in-class writing practice. For example, 1881-84 pogroms...
June 9, 2025 at 12:16 PM
3/ Students will be instructed to consider which metaphorical area works best for the particular historical event/development they've just studied, then identify appropriate language before constructing analytical sentences as in-class writing practice. For example, 1881-84 pogroms...
2/ I'm planning to focus on several metaphorical areas which historians of our area of teaching (Tsarist and Communist Russia) have often used to liken historical events/developments to
June 9, 2025 at 12:14 PM
2/ I'm planning to focus on several metaphorical areas which historians of our area of teaching (Tsarist and Communist Russia) have often used to liken historical events/developments to
1/ List of targeted vocabulary, including both generic verbs for causation and those to be explicitly linked to historians' metaphorical language use
June 9, 2025 at 12:12 PM
1/ List of targeted vocabulary, including both generic verbs for causation and those to be explicitly linked to historians' metaphorical language use
I've spent years encouraging students to use causal verbs alongside conjunctions. But this can lead to confused language/mixed metaphors.
Inspired by @jcarrollhistory.bsky.social, I'm planning to explicitly integrate metaphors into KS5 using targeted vocab
🧵
#historyteacher #historyeducation
Inspired by @jcarrollhistory.bsky.social, I'm planning to explicitly integrate metaphors into KS5 using targeted vocab
🧵
#historyteacher #historyeducation
June 9, 2025 at 12:11 PM
I've spent years encouraging students to use causal verbs alongside conjunctions. But this can lead to confused language/mixed metaphors.
Inspired by @jcarrollhistory.bsky.social, I'm planning to explicitly integrate metaphors into KS5 using targeted vocab
🧵
#historyteacher #historyeducation
Inspired by @jcarrollhistory.bsky.social, I'm planning to explicitly integrate metaphors into KS5 using targeted vocab
🧵
#historyteacher #historyeducation
It's well established govt policy to have no position of principle on anything, so this 👇 might not be any surprise. But attempting to lead without giving leadership has left Labour in ideological no-man's land. What exactly is the purpose of this govt?
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
April 22, 2025 at 5:22 PM
It's well established govt policy to have no position of principle on anything, so this 👇 might not be any surprise. But attempting to lead without giving leadership has left Labour in ideological no-man's land. What exactly is the purpose of this govt?
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
After a half term filled with illness and 25 hours of train and car travel with a willful 21-month-old, this seems like an apt metaphor...
February 24, 2025 at 1:40 PM
After a half term filled with illness and 25 hours of train and car travel with a willful 21-month-old, this seems like an apt metaphor...
1/ Although native speaker parents have a definite advantage, it is possible to speak to your child in another language (esp. if you make efforts to integrate yourself and them into that linguistic community)
February 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
1/ Although native speaker parents have a definite advantage, it is possible to speak to your child in another language (esp. if you make efforts to integrate yourself and them into that linguistic community)
If you speak a second language and have/are expecting a child, are you considering speaking to them in that language, as well as your first? Jürgen Meisel's excellent book offers reassuring, positive advice which I've found very useful when speaking to my daughter (now 21 months) in German
🧵
🧵
February 18, 2025 at 3:23 PM
If you speak a second language and have/are expecting a child, are you considering speaking to them in that language, as well as your first? Jürgen Meisel's excellent book offers reassuring, positive advice which I've found very useful when speaking to my daughter (now 21 months) in German
🧵
🧵
7/ I ask 3 questions of HMDT
January 2, 2025 at 5:29 PM
7/ I ask 3 questions of HMDT
6/ Selectivity in commemoration of genocides and atrocities undermines purpose of HMD in commemoration beyond just Holocaust. At best, it is prevarication and double standards; at worst hypocrisy, denial, moral cowardice
January 2, 2025 at 5:29 PM
6/ Selectivity in commemoration of genocides and atrocities undermines purpose of HMD in commemoration beyond just Holocaust. At best, it is prevarication and double standards; at worst hypocrisy, denial, moral cowardice
5/ HMDT overlooks opinions of experts it otherwise relies on, incl. Genocide Watch, in making this decision
January 2, 2025 at 5:28 PM
5/ HMDT overlooks opinions of experts it otherwise relies on, incl. Genocide Watch, in making this decision
4/ Criteria used to identify atrocities and genocide post-Holocaust to be commemorated demonstrably not applied to Israel/Palestine, despite their clear qualification of current conflict for commemoration
January 2, 2025 at 5:28 PM
4/ Criteria used to identify atrocities and genocide post-Holocaust to be commemorated demonstrably not applied to Israel/Palestine, despite their clear qualification of current conflict for commemoration
3/ HMDT takes principled stand to commemorate genocide/atrocities post-Holocaust but has chosen to overlook historic levels of destruction and mass killing in south Israel and Gaza since 7 October 2023
January 2, 2025 at 5:28 PM
3/ HMDT takes principled stand to commemorate genocide/atrocities post-Holocaust but has chosen to overlook historic levels of destruction and mass killing in south Israel and Gaza since 7 October 2023
2/ HMD rightly focuses primarily on Holocaust. HMDT is rightly concerned with rising antisemitism and Islamophobia. However, silence on this critical issue will only inflame tensions and accusations of HMDT being selective and exclusionary in commemoration of genocide/atrocities post-Holocaust
January 2, 2025 at 5:27 PM
2/ HMD rightly focuses primarily on Holocaust. HMDT is rightly concerned with rising antisemitism and Islamophobia. However, silence on this critical issue will only inflame tensions and accusations of HMDT being selective and exclusionary in commemoration of genocide/atrocities post-Holocaust
1/ HMDT warns explicitly against referencing current Israel/Palestine conflict in relation to Hamas attacks and Gaza bombardment, 2023-24, despite clear evidence of atrocities
January 2, 2025 at 5:26 PM
1/ HMDT warns explicitly against referencing current Israel/Palestine conflict in relation to Hamas attacks and Gaza bombardment, 2023-24, despite clear evidence of atrocities
Lots and lots good about the curriculum in @1972shp.bsky.social submission to Curriculum Review, incl on diversity and representation. Time for DofE to sit up and take ideas of profession and its professionals seriously!
Recommendations 👇
#historyteacher #EduSky #historyeducation
Recommendations 👇
#historyteacher #EduSky #historyeducation
December 4, 2024 at 7:07 PM
Lots and lots good about the curriculum in @1972shp.bsky.social submission to Curriculum Review, incl on diversity and representation. Time for DofE to sit up and take ideas of profession and its professionals seriously!
Recommendations 👇
#historyteacher #EduSky #historyeducation
Recommendations 👇
#historyteacher #EduSky #historyeducation
Any experts on image citations for Open Commons images? I'm currently editing a document and have copied the citation line from Wikipedia (given under "Use this file on the web"). Currently looks like this. Is this right?
Thanks in advance!
#historyteacher #HistoryEducation #EduSky
Thanks in advance!
#historyteacher #HistoryEducation #EduSky
December 3, 2024 at 7:49 PM
Any experts on image citations for Open Commons images? I'm currently editing a document and have copied the citation line from Wikipedia (given under "Use this file on the web"). Currently looks like this. Is this right?
Thanks in advance!
#historyteacher #HistoryEducation #EduSky
Thanks in advance!
#historyteacher #HistoryEducation #EduSky
Really excited to be able to share sneak-peak of a "spoken dictionary" I've been working on for the past few months with a wonderful native Russian speaker at our school to help #historyteacher deliver Russian/Soviet History
#historyeducation
#historyeducation
November 28, 2024 at 9:07 PM
Really excited to be able to share sneak-peak of a "spoken dictionary" I've been working on for the past few months with a wonderful native Russian speaker at our school to help #historyteacher deliver Russian/Soviet History
#historyeducation
#historyeducation
I think this is great! Really valuable to think about continuity as something complex and dynamic. It's not just about lack of change, but also over long term about change that reverts back, or is partial, or temporary. We combine this w/ concept of change, but give specific vocab to help students 👇
November 26, 2024 at 6:26 PM
I think this is great! Really valuable to think about continuity as something complex and dynamic. It's not just about lack of change, but also over long term about change that reverts back, or is partial, or temporary. We combine this w/ concept of change, but give specific vocab to help students 👇
A great day discussing Russian and Society multiethnic history at University of Manchester @histassoc.bsky.social CPD event today.
November 9, 2024 at 4:33 PM
A great day discussing Russian and Society multiethnic history at University of Manchester @histassoc.bsky.social CPD event today.
The end of a brilliant day with our fabulous Y13s, walking Lenin's London and Parliament's sights. Over 7 miles, 22,000 steps, and five hours on the train - and smiles all round from the students throughout. What a day! 🎉
October 11, 2024 at 8:17 PM
The end of a brilliant day with our fabulous Y13s, walking Lenin's London and Parliament's sights. Over 7 miles, 22,000 steps, and five hours on the train - and smiles all round from the students throughout. What a day! 🎉