((PKG)) CREATIVE HISTORY TEACHER
((TRT: 07:26))
((Topic Banner: Creative History Teacher))
((Producer: Faiza Elmasry))
((Camera/Editor: June Soh))
((Map: Lorton, Virginia))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 6 female; 4 male))
((NATS: Miller and students))
Good morning. Good morning.
Good morning.
What’s up folks?
Hey, how y’all doing? Y’all look weird?
((NATS: Miller))
We're going to talk about some prevalent figures in African American history, some of the rock stars that we know about. We're also going to talk a little bit about some of the figures that we don't cover a lot.
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
My name is Sean Miller. I'm a teacher and social studies department chair at South County High School. One of the questions that I get every year is, “Miller, why are we learning about history?” I was like, “Well, because hopefully we don't repeat the mistakes of the past.” But the biggest point that I want students to get about it out of a history course is that they can literally make history every single day.
((NATS: Miller))
Think about their identity. What contribution did they make to African American history? What contribution did they make to African history? And then also, what kind of contributions did they make to world history?
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
So, history introduces them to all these concepts, ideas, geographies, our political structures, and systems across the world. And…but the key of it is identity. If they understand the world around them, then they can start to see themselves with a little bit more clarity. What I find is that if I lecture to them for an hour straight, they're probably going to fall asleep on me. So, the goal is to try to make real life connections. The question that I always ask students is, “How does this content relate to you, when it's all said and done?”
((Courtesy: Sean Miller))
And the arts is the way to allow these students to explore these different concepts of history and then make it something that they own and they can take out into the world with them.
I use a lot of visual art. So, what they're doing is they're making collages. They're making timeline.
((end Courtesy))
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
They also create music. My students have written lyrics before.
((Courtesy: Sean Miller))
((NATS: Student))
We up in the doghouse,

but you and the dog pound.
Talk ‘bout the culture.

I’ll talk about the culture.
You talkin’ with vultures. Think we’re disowning soldiers.
((end Courtesy))
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
Sometimes they make visual representations like documentaries, short films that are based on class content.
((Courtesy: Sean Miller))
((NATS: Lamaria Thompson))
My name is Lamaria Thompson and today, I'll be talking about Black Joy. But first, what is Black Joy? It is the acceptance of Black culture that helps to uplift, inspire, or celebrate African Americans with their success or happiness.
((end Courtesy))
((NATS))
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
This is our in progress African American history mural. It was constructed by about six students last year in African American history, and we have about four students that are continuing that work. So, this is a generational piece now. And what they want to do is combine historical aspects of African American history with some contemporary aspects as well. So, this will be the first of hopefully many. So, our goal, at some point, [is] to kind of take over this whole wall and have students from each year come in and add their own creative juices to additional branches of this mural till we cover this whole wall.
((NATS))
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
I want you think. I'm going to give you about one minute to just think about a figure that you respect, somebody that you think had great contributions to our society as a whole. The next thing you're going to do is, in the back where the supplies are, you’re going to grab some construction paper, pencils, markers, color pencils as well in order to start constructing these identity portraits of these African American figures. Anybody has any questions on anything I’ve said thus far?
((NATS: Students drawing the portraits))
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
Role models are extremely important because young people are going to be influenced by somebody. A lot of times, they get their influences from social media or the internet. And, you know, sometimes we ask the question, why?
((NATS: Miller and student))
What do you respect about Angela Davis?
Umm, I guess just like her activism and wanting to like actually help and do something for the Black community.
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
So, by introducing new figures for them to think about, they’re like, “Oh, wow! This person did these wonderful things in this world. But what they did attracted me because it's something that I want to do, something that I want to impact the world with.” So, they're making those connections between these historical figures in their own life.
((NATS: Miller and students))
Who do you got?
Malcolm X.
Who do you got?
Angela Davis.
Kwasi, who do you got?
I got Malcolm X.
Who do you got?
Muhammad Ali.
((Zachary Siramdane
Student, South County High School))
I chose Muhammad Ali because he's my favorite boxer of all time and possibly even my favorite fighter of all time. He was always a very well-spoken person and just brought a lot of, a lot of peace to the world, I would say.
((NATS))
((Khawlah Sheikh
Student))
Mr. Miller has a rule that we’re not allowed to erase anything. We can just add stuff on.
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))

It is our mural. It’s our ever-evolving mural. At the very beginning of the year, I had every single student in all of my classes to come and add a contribution to the whiteboard. They have to draw a picture. And I gave them some very simple rules. It has to be positive. It has to be uplifting.
((Khawlah Sheikh
Student, South County High School))
So, I like Mr. Miller's class a lot because it's really fun. It's really interactive.
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
And I don’t really have to tell them to draw the board any more. They walk in the door. They add their artifacts to it. And I look at it as a historical piece. I take a picture of it at the end of each quarter. Then, we wipe the slate clean and we start over to see what other positive messages we can get out there.
((NATS: Miller and students))
So, let me ask the question. What do you know about Black family reunions? What’s taking place in Black family reunions? Food, all right. Music. Okay, tell me more. What kind of music?
Oh, 1980s to 2000s.
Okay, 1980s to 2000. Okay, somebody give me a song. Y’all gotta come with me now. Come on, come on, come on, come on. Hey, get up, up, up, up, up, up, up, up. Yeah. Aha! Oh, y’all in trouble now. Alright.
((MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Cupid Shuffle by Cupid))
Ooh, I like the way you move. I like the way you move.
You know how to do like 1,2,3.
Come on, Baby, dance with me.
I say, ooh, I like the way you move.
I like the way you move.
((NATS: Miller and students))
Alright, we should go back in. First, y’all give a round of applause again ‘cuz [because] Salthia, I do owe you.
Alright. Also, alright, for the four dancers, same offers for you. You can take any of my Funco pops. Four Dancers, come on, alright.
I’ll take that one. And you can take the bigger one.
I’ll take that one.
Alright, cool. There you go. Biggie B.
Can you get mine down?
Yeah, y’all short. I’m sorry. I got it.
Yeah.
Oh my God. I got it. Alright. Biggie. Here you go.
I got the boxed over here.
Yeah. It doesn’t come out the box. That one, you cannot take out the box. It’s meant to be the album cover. So you can't take that out the box. Which one? Leonardo. Here.
Can I have that one over there?
Yup.
Thank you.
No problem. There you go.
((NATS))
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
So, the joy that I get out of it, it’s just seeing that light bulb appear above their head ‘cuz [because] they're always coming up with ideas. They bring comedy to the table. They keep me on my toes because I think I'm asking them trivia questions. They're asking me trivia questions about historical things as well.
((Sean Miller
History Teacher, South County High School))
So, I just enjoy being around my students and they teach me just as much as I teach them.
((NATS: Miller))
Alright, y’all next class.
((NATS))