Teaching Pre-Collegiate Anthropology: The Results of a Survey and Recommendations

Source: Anthropology & Education Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Aug., 1977), pp. 193-195
Published by: Wiley on behalf of the American Anthropological Association
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 TEACHING PRE-COLLEGIATE ANTHROPOLOGY:
THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY AND RECOMMENDATIONS1

To identify teachers of pre-college anthropology, a questionnaire was published in the

October 1976 issue of Social Education. Only 50 useable replies were received. The
questionnaire therefore did not serve the purpose of identifying teachers of pre-college
anthropology which might serve as a point of contact for the Committee on Materials and
Methods for the Teaching of Anthropology of the Council on Anthropology and
Education.
Replies of respondents indicate that anthropology is perceived primarily as an upper
grade secondary subject, taught as a one-semester cultural or survey course with regional
concentration in the Pacific coast, upper mid-west, northeast, and Florida. A great variety
of materials are used, the most frequently reported materials being those developed by
the Anthropology Curriculum Study Project. All teachers responding except one
indicated some previous course work in anthropology. Thus the teaching of anthropology
appears to be related to teacher preparation in anthropology. The inclusion of
anthropology in the preparation program of teachers is recommended. ANTHRO-
POLOGY TEACHING, PRE-COLLEGE ANTHROPOLOGY, MATERIALS.

This article
article describes
describes thethe results
resultsof
ofa aquestionnaire
questionnaire Washington
Washington were
were invited.
invited.Paper
Papersessions
sessionsand
andsymposia
symposia
have
have
concerning
concerning the
the teaching
teaching ofofanthropology
anthropologypublished
publishedininthe
the also been sponsored by Committee 3 as part of AAA
October
October 1976
1976 issue
issue of
of Social
SocialEducation,
Education,the
theofficial
officialorgan
organ programs.
of the National Council for the Social Studies. The The totality of such efforts, however, has attracted little
questionnaire asked the following: address, college training teacher involvement in the Council on Anthropology and
in anthropology, years of experience teaching anthro- Education. At the college level, while most anthropologists
pology, name of anthropology course, length of anthro- are teachers of anthropology, the teaching of anthropology
pology course, grade level, and materials used. Less than as a50
scholarly or research subject enjoys ephemeral support.
useable replies were received. Replies indicate that anthro- While there is some interest in the teaching of pre-college
pology as a discipline is a high school subject, and anthropology,that less than 10 percent of the members of the
training in anthropology is highly related to the teaching CAEof are pre-college teachers. Looking at the attempt to get
anthropology. Because of difficulties with the returns,more the involvement in the teaching of anthropology from the
summarized results are merely indicative of some trends, perspective of four years of work with Committee 3, it
and may not be construed as a scientific survey. appears that the major difficulty is that the CAE does not
have a recognizable clientele at the pre-college level
background One of the concerns of the Council on identifiable by name and address. How can an organization
Anthropology and Education is the teaching of anthropol- stimulate more teacher involvement in the CAE when it
ogy as a subject. This is reflected in the existence of does not even have a mailing list of teachers who teach
Committee 3, which resulted in the merger of two former anthropology courses? How can it provide services to a
committees, one looking at teaching and the other at population which it has not yet identified?
materials and teacher training. This Committee in 1976 was The writer, in his dual role as Co-Director of the
renamed "Materials and Methods for the Teaching of Anthropology Curriculum Project and Chairperson of
Anthropology" since the former title "Anthropological Committee 3 of the CAE, decided to undertake a survey
Resources and Teaching" was ambiguous as to its scope and through a questionnaire inserted in Social Education, the
function. In addition to Committee 3, the CAE has official journal of the National Council for the Social
attempted to demonstrate its support for the teaching of Studies, which has a purported circulation of about twenty
anthropology through special issues of the Anthropology thousand. It was hoped this survey would provide some
and Education Quarterly, such as the February 1976 issue useful information about the teaching of pre-college
edited by Marion Dobbert and Walter Watson and the anthropology and give the names of potential clientele that
February 1977 issue edited by Marion Rice, Walter Watson, Committee 3 could communicate with.
and Alanson Van Fleet. John Herzog has also attempted to The result of the investment of some $200 in this
have special contact with teachers of anthropology, such as published survey was disastrous. Only fifty returns were
through informal sessions at the 1975 and 1976 mettings, received. The survey not only failed to identify a potential
to which the Bay Area Teachers of Anthropology in San clientele, but provided so few responses that it does not
Francisco and teachers from the metropolitan area in give adequate data to identify the state of the art about the

ANTHROPOLOGY AND EDUCATION QUARTERLY 193

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teaching
teaching of
ofpre-college
pre-collegeanthropology.
anthropology.
TheThe
responses
responses
do do grade
grade level
level
Anthropology
Anthropology courses are
courses
generally
are
offered
generally
as offered as
provide
provide some
someinformation
informationwhich
which
might
mightbe be
of of
interest
interest
to to senior
senior high
high
school
school
electives,
electives,
with the most
withcommon
the mostoptions
common option
those
those concerned
concernedwith
withthe
theteaching
teaching
of of
pre-college
pre-college
anthro-
anthro- being
being grades
grades11-1211-12
or 10-12,
or although
10-12, eight
although
respondents
eight respondents
pology. indicated
indicated availability
availability
only inonly
the 12th
in grade.
the 12th
Three grade.
reportedThree reported
anthropology
anthropology available
available
in the ninth
in the
grade,
ninth
and four
grade,
as and four a
available
available to grades
to grades
9-10 or9-10
9-12. or 9-12.
RESULTS The
Themost
mostsurprising
surprising
findingfinding
was that none
was of
that
the none of the
respondents
respondents to the
toquestionnaire
the questionnaire
was from the wasmiddle
from or the middle or
The responses to the survey are summarized according to grades.
elementary
elementary grades.
It was It
surprising
was surprising
to the authortointhe
viewauthor
of in view o
the questions asked. No claim is made for generality;
the
thethe
fact
factthatthat
the controversy
the controversy
surroundingsurrounding
Man: A Course Man:
of A Course o
summaries do not reflect a sample, but merely the discrete
Study,
Study, an an
upper
upper
elementary
elementary
course, hadcourse,
broughthadadditional
brought additional
responses received. publicity
publicity to ato project
a project
which the which
National
theScience
National Science
Foundation
Foundation had had
lavishly
lavishly
supportedsupported
long after dissemination
long after dissemination
geographic distribution Responses were receivedsupport
support
fromhadhad beenbeen
withdrawn
withdrawn
from other from
NSF projects.
other It NSF projects. It
may
maybe,be,
teachers in the Mid-west, Northeast, Pacific Coast states, however,
however, that thethat
criticisms
the criticisms
about this course
about this course
and Florida. No responses were received from any ofmight
might
theleadlead
somesometeachers
teachers
to disassociate
to disassociate
themselves from themselves from
states of the South, plains states, and mountain teaching
teaching
states,it. Theit. The
secondsecond
elementary
elementary
curriculum curriculum
project in project in
except Colorado. The areas from which teachers respondedanthropology,
anthropology, the Georgia
the Georgia
Anthropology
Anthropology
Curriculum Curriculum
tend to be the areas of highest population concentrationProject,
Project, fared
fared
no better.
no better.
No elementary
No elementary
teacher reported
teacher reported
and receptivity to educational innovation. the
thematerials
materialsin use,
inalthough
use, although
one high school
one high
teacherschool
in teacher in
Wisconsin
Wisconsin reported
reported
that the
that
Georgia
theAnthropology
Georgia Anthropology
Project Project
materials
materials hadhad
been been
used inused
the elementary
in the elementary
schools. schools.
title of course offered The usual course offered was in
High
Highschool
school
teachers
teachers
normally
normally
have training
havein atraining in a
general anthropology or cultural anthropology. Occasion- discipline, either as a major, minor, or area of
ally such titles as Pre-Historic Peoples, Lost Worlds, Nature
concentration. In contrast, elementary teachers only have a
of Man, African Studies, Changing Culture, and Patterns in
smattering of social science courses, taken as part of their
Human History (Macmillan-ACSP title) were used to general education. They may sometimes have a specific
indicate course offerings.
methods course in social studies, but frequently general
methods and curriculum courses prevail in elementary
length of course The dominant pattern was a one- training. Thus it may be relatively easy for high school
semester course, with infrequent offerings of a quarter or teachers to identify with a discipline, and perceive
year course in anthropology. One school reported two themselves as teachers of anthropology even though they
one-year sequences as Anthropology I and Anthropology II; may teach other social sciences in high school. In contrast
a second, two semester sequences as Anthropology I and elementary teachers who teach general social studies and
Anthropology II, preceded by a course in Changing Culture. have no discipline major, find it more difficult to identify
A third reported one-year offerings each in cultural with a discipline, even when teaching subject matter drawn
anthropology and physical anthropology. On the whole, from that area. This lack of academic socialization of the
however, anthropology was generally available as a part of the elementary teacher may be one reason why
one-semester elective.
elementary teachers have so little identity with anthro-
pology or any other social science discipline. Elementary
preparation of teachers All teachers responding, except teachers also are a minority membership in NCSS.
one, indicated some college course work in anthropology.
Amount of preparation ranged from a low of 0 hours for
one teacher to 75 quarter hours. Several had masters materials for the teaching of anthropology A great
degrees in anthropology. The mean of the 43 teachers who variety of materials are used in the teaching of
answered the preparation item was 30 quarter hours. anthropology, ranging from teacher-designed to curriculum
Preparation in anthropology therefore seems to be highly project materials and from high school to college texts. Of
related to teaching anthropology. materials mentioned, the most common high school
One respondent wrote, "I am self-taught in anthro- materials are those developed by the Anthropology
pology, having had only one course in college." His school Curriculum Study Project and now commercially available
had three teachers involved in teaching courses in through Macmillan. Almost half of the respondents
anthropology, apparently largely from his enthusiasm for reported using the ACSP materials. It would therefore seem
the subject. that the ACSP materials have contributed to the
self-conscious teaching of anthropology as a school subject.
experience of teachers Mean years of experience for the The next most frequently mentioned material was the text
35 responding to the experience-in-teaching anthropology Anthropology by Zdenek Salzmann (Harcourt, Brace and
item was plus four years. No teacher reported less than one World, 1969), referred to by 10 of the respondents.
year of experience; one reported 10 years. Eleven had six or Another specifically mentioned high school text is Loi
more years of experience teaching anthropology. Most of Cover's, Anthropology for Our Times (Oxford, 1971)
the teachers who had several years of experience in teaching Other titles named include well known college texts and
anthropology also had a major in anthropology. Involve- ethnographic and cultural studies. A frequent pattern in
ment in anthropology teaching thus seems to be related to high school teaching is to combine a high school text with
preparation in anthropology. supplementary paperbacks.

194 ANTHROPOLOGY AND EDUCATION QUARTERLY

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 The
Theinclusion
inclusion of college
of college
level material
level material
by high school
by higheducation,
school
education, both
both in
in its
its humanistic
humanisticand andscientific
scientificdimensions
dimensio
teachers
teachers of of
anthropology
anthropology
seems toseems
indicate
tothat
indicate
readability cannot
cannot be
that readability be savored
savored by by the
the prospective
prospectiveteacher
teacherunless
unles
and
andconceptual
conceptual load load
are not
are
great
not problems.
great problems.
This may result
This may exposed
exposed
result to
to anthropology.
anthropology. Moreover,
Moreover,the theconcepts
conceptsofo
from
fromthe the
factfact
that that
anthropology
anthropology
is an elective,
is anandelective, anthropology
anthropology are
probably and probably are relevant
relevant toto all
allother
othersocial
socialscience
science
taken
takenprimarily
primarily
by students
by students
who havewho
the capacity
have the disciplines,
disciplines,
and capacity and for
for man
man has
has aa cultural
culturalas
aswell
wellasasbiologica
biologic
motivation to cope with the readability level and inheritance.

conceptual load. Ethnographic materials conform also to In addition, teacher preparation programs should make
the popular conception of inquiry methodology related to an opportunity for students to select a minor concentration
the use of case materials. in anthropology if desired. Since it is likely that
Some teachers named material which draws largely on anthropology will continue to be offered in high schools
anthropological content but which is not packaged under largely as an elective (unless it joins with cultural geography
the label anthropology. Among titles specifically named are to provide area, regional, or culture studies), it is probable
Man's Changing Cultures (Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich) that minors or subconcentrations in anthropology ought to
and Learning About Peoples and Cultures (no publisher be taken in association with areas which are typically
given). It is assumed that if more social studies teachers required subjects of instruction, such as history and
perceived such social studies texts primarily as anthro- government.
pology, there would be an increase in the number of Such recommendations still leave unresolved the major
"anthropology" courses. But, in the absence of specific problem of this paper-How to establish a clientele in
training in anthropology, it is more likely that teachers will pre-college anthropology with whom to work? As it is now,
continue to perceive such materials as social studies the CAE has no dialogue with teachers of pre-college
materials independent of the discipline of anthropology. Itanthropology.
was interesting that one of the teachers, who had a major in Neither the CAE nor the American Anthropological
anthropology, classified the cultural materials of the High Association makes any organizational commitment to
School Geography Project (HSGP), which she also taught, pre-college teachers of anthropology. What has been done
as anthropological in content. Certainly there is a great largely reflects the initiative and energy of the members of
overlap in the field of cultural geography and cultural Committee 3 and its predecessors, with the only support
anthropology, and efforts should probably be made tofrom the CAE the blessing to do good things. Until such
focus on these similarities rather than to dwell on time as the CAE and the AAA make an organization
differences. commitment to the teaching of pre-college anthropology,
efforts in this direction will continue to be sporadic and
inconclusive. It is recommended that the American
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Anthropological Association study the services which the
American Psychological Association offers to psychology
teachers, and endeavor to support a similar effort in the
When this paper was proposed, it was originally thought
area of anthropology.
that sufficient responses would come from the SouthInto the meantime, an effort is being made within the
present a discussion of the state of pre-college anthropology
National Council for the Social Studies to develop a special
in the South. Except for Florida, there were no responses
interest group in Anthropology. The organizer of this
from the lower South and the national response wasAnthropology/SIG
hardly is M. J. Rice. It is hoped that the
sufficient to merit a paper. Nevertheless, the responses do
organization of such a SIG will provide for annual programs
indicate that anthropology is primarily perceived asrelating
a high to pre-college anthropology, independent of any
school subject. Furthermore, and important for the conference theme, and that there will gradually
annual
emerge an identified population concerned with the
discipline of anthropology, the teaching of anthropology
appears to be related to teachers having had some college
extension and improvement of the teaching of anthro-
work in anthropology. pology as a part of liberal education both for the terminal
as well as the college bound student.
This finding should suggest that anthropology depart-
ments be concerned with the inclusion of anthropology in
ENDNOTE
teacher certification programs. One of the great problems in
teacher certification results from the fact that students in
'Prepared for the annual meeting of the Southern Anthro-
high school take more history than any other social science
subject. When called upon to declare a major orpological
area ofSociety, March 9-11,1977. Miami, Florida.
concentration for teacher certification, a disproportionate
number declare majors in history (at the University of
Georgia, 50 percent of the social studies education majors).
Marion J. Rice
It is recommended that anthropology departments work
Professor & Head
with their counterpart departments in social science
education to seek the requirement that at least all Department of Social Science Education
prospective social studies teachers, if not all prospective College of Education
teachers, have at least one course in general anthropology. The University of Georgia
The contribution that anthropology can make to a liberal Athens, Georgia 30602

ANTHROPOLOGY AND EDUCATION QUARTERLY 195

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