Perspectives | Tirohanga

Whāinga ako: Lesson Goals

To identify perspectives and viewpoints
To analyse and understand the influences on these perspectives and viewpoints

Keywords

Source, perspective, reliability, bias, objective.

Keyword Diary

Keyword pages if students are using a notebook

Mahi - work

Sources and Perspectives

Perspective is a point of view or opinion on something. Taking historical perspective means understanding the social, cultural, intellectual, and emotional settings that shaped people's lives and actions in the past.

Before we jump in, is this a primary or secondary source?
How do you feel about this text?
Turn to the person next to your or discuss this as a class.
What is the message of this text?
Read through the source and write down the message they had. Here is the challenge. You have identified how you feel about this text. As a historian we can feel what we feel and still be objective in our writing. If we include our opinion then we are being biased. Can you write what his message was without including your opinion? Sometimes this is really hard!
Who, What, When, How
Who said this? What was the point? When did they say it? How was it recorded?
What does this source tell us about William Massey?

Perspective worksheet 1

Perspectives on Massey Uni Name Change

These slides break the tasks down even more.

Context of this clip:

Context is important to historians. It helps to understand why someone might have a certain viewpoint/perspective.

At this time many Europeans in positions of power considered Western culture to be more advanced than that of other cultures or ‘races’. They believed that allowing these other cultures to settle in New Zealand would cause many problems. During this time it was considered normal in European society to promote the needs and wants of ‘white’ people above all others.

Perspective Worksheet 2

Debate over the name of Massey University

Massey University is named after William Massey. It was only uncovered in 2016 that Massey had said these things. Along with negative views of Māori, William had the viewpoint that Chinese numbers in New Zealand should be limited. As soon as this information was revealed people began to request that the University consider changing its name.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/84753337/massey-racism-provokes-call-for-university-name-change

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