To 2050 and beyond…

The history teacher who also looks to the future 

If you were surfing the TV channels one Saturday evening a few weeks ago, or maybe flicking through the pages of a recent history journal, you might have seen a familiar face… The History Department’s very own Ms Patel keeps popping up everywhere! 

First as a contributor on Channel 4’s documentary NASA, Nazis and the Space Race, then in the most recent edition of the BBC History magazine, in an article that poses the question: ‘Which historical figures will capture the imagination of a class on a rainy Thursday afternoon?’ 

It’s all part of Ms Patel’s quest to make history, the teaching and learning of it, as accessible, engaging and enjoyable for everyone as possible. Not only does she bring to light those people from the past who have too long languished in the shadows, she also looks to the future to consider, ‘How might we be teaching the subject in another 25 years’ time?’  

Chief among the topics might be the impact of Brexit and Covid, climate history and the loss of biodiversity. The need to address online misinformation, particularly with regard to history, will certainly continue. ‘Arming students with the skills to effectively evaluate provenance of information, and to rigorously interrogate sources, will no doubt be even more imperative to our future colleagues in 2050,’ argues Ms Patel in her article for BBC History. 

And who are those future colleagues? Why, people exactly like Ms Patel’s current students - the future and the truth of the past is in their hands. To find out more, get a copy of BBC History magazine or Ms Patel’s own book, The History Lessons, in your hands. 

So where will she pop up next? Her classroom, an assembly, or on the telly? Probably all three, doing what she does best: telling stories from history to as many people as possible. We’re listening, Ms Patel.