"Tips on Teaching About Africa”

Resources from Boston University's African Studies Center

On the whole, we need to do a much better job of educating our students – and their adults! – about Africa. Because I teach world history during the Middle Ages, including African history is a requirement, but even still, gathering resources and giving them the place they are due can be challenging.

While at a conference earlier this year, I met representatives of the Boston University's African Studies Outreach Program. I've been receiving their newsletter ever since and have been saving up ideas for how to better incorporate Africa into my classroom.

One of the most common misconceptions I hear is that Africa is a country, not a continent. There are 54 countries in Africa! Here's a map overlaid with each country's flag.

In their most recent newsletter, they highlighted the newest episode of What Teachers Need to Know, a podcast by Primary Source, a global education organization. There are three episodes so far in the Africa series and you can listen to episode 1, "What We Tale About When We Talk About Africa," below. It is a good overview of the need for a better understanding of the diversity and contributions of Africa.

Also, visit BU's Teaching Africa Outreach website and take a look at the Resources for Teachers page. I'd like to use some of their resources about the Swahili language as a way to incorporate more about East Africa and its role in trade during the Medieval period.