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A Link's Perspective
There can be no
doubt that the Vietnam War was a confusing time for those who lived through it,
both on the home front and for those serving “in country”. Now, imagine
trying to teach the political, military and personal intricacies of the conflict
to high school students who were born years after the fall of Saigon. Their
frame of reference is completely different from those of the Vietnam War era,
and their perception of that period is often misguided due to its
misrepresentation in Hollywood and the media. When you consider that a recent
VVMF poll of students aged 12-17 indicated less than 60% of those polled could
identify the continent on which Vietnam is located, you begin to see the
roadblocks educators face when dealing with teaching the Vietnam War.
Millbrook High School’s Lindy Poling has found an innovative answer to
this problem. For the past twelve semesters, she has taught a course entitled
Lessons of Vietnam (LOV), an elective senior-level course whose structure and
success rate speak to her unique talents. Presentations by as many as 25
“guest teachers” each semester provide the basis for the course, giving the
students a unique, first-hand look at how the Vietnam War shaped America’s
opinions and policies for nearly 30 years. Ms. Poling finds that students learn
better through exposure to first-hand experience as opposed to “marching
through a textbook.”
Other unique features of the LOV course include “linking” each
student with a Vietnam veteran in order to give the war a more personal feeling
for each student. The LOV class also publishes Bridges,
a nationally recognized newsletter that provides students with the
opportunity to gather information, interpret their findings and write about the
lessons they have learned. Students can further their knowledge through class
field trips, special events and presentations made to their classmates. When
Ms. Poling spoke to the Fourth Triennial Vietnam Symposium hosted by Texas Tech
University this past April, she brought the story of her unique class to the
attention of numerous Vietnam War scholars. Ms. Poling presented an in-depth
overview of the structure and successes of her class, and the response was
overwhelming. Ms. Poling’s presentation intrigued educators, historians and
veterans alike. Her approach of using personal stories and hands-on projects was
eagerly discussed and lauded as an exciting alternative to lecture-based history
courses.
Ms. Poling’s class provides an excellent opportunity for those students
who wish to further their understanding of the Vietnam War. By seeing the
conflict through the eyes of those who lived it, the students are given the
chance to absorb the “big picture” surrounding Vietnam. The students’
participation in outside projects, their one-on-one interviews with veterans and
the enriching presentations from guest speakers all combine to provide a unique
perspective on Vietnam. But, the true worth of this program lies in its
effective use of personal histories to bring the war into focus for today’s
high school students. The balanced nature of the information presented by guest
speakers helps reassure parents and administrators that no particular viewpoint
is being stressed over another. In addition, the students have the opportunity
to discuss and debate the information presented to them; this allows them to
form their own defensible opinions about the Vietnam War.
Ms.
Poling’s class provides an invaluable stepping-stone toward helping today’s
students realize the turmoil and triumph surrounding the Vietnam War. As a
current “link” in this project, I realize the importance of such a unique
class when dealing with a complicated subject like Vietnam.
Some of the questions you get from your “link” are tainted with the
media-driven stereotype of Vietnam veterans such as: “Do you have any happy
memories? Do you feel guilty for what you did?” and so forth. It’s a
pleasure to be the eyewitness who can help erase some of these stereotypes.
Through Ms. Poling’s innovative teaching and the understanding of today’s
students, we will go a long way toward better understanding Vietnam’s place in
our history. Written
by Phil Price and Eric Ames, the Price Communications Group, Lubbock, Texas.
Phil is president of the Vietnam Center Advisory Board
at Texas Tech University. |
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© 2004-2005 Wake County Public School System |
