Barbara Mojica: Raising Critical Thinkers — and Why History Matters
Historian, educator and children’s author Barbara Mojica believes history is about much more than remembering dates, names and events. It helps us understand where we came from, how we arrived where we are—and how we might make better decisions about where we’re going.
But this conversation reaches well beyond history.
Barbara and Agnes explore the connection between studying history and developing critical-thinking skills: asking better questions, examining primary sources, recognizing bias, considering different perspectives and resisting the temptation to accept the first convenient answer.
Barbara argues that children need to learn how to think, not what to think—and that parents and grandparents have an important role to play.
They discuss curiosity, failure, algorithms and information bubbles, cultural and family history, lifelong learning, and simple ways grandparents can encourage children to look beyond the obvious answer.
And perhaps most importantly, Barbara reminds us that history isn’t only made by famous people. We’re all characters in history. What we learn, what we share and what we leave behind become part of the story too.
Originally published April 13, 2023. Revisited because good conversations don’t have an expiry date.
Agnes - in conversation with Barbara Mojica
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About the guest: Barbara Mojica
Author, educator, and parent, Barbara Ann Mojica provides tools to inspire, entertain and educate youth. History is the key to solving today’s problems. Tired of being bombarded by social media noise? Accept the challenge. Be a truth-teller.
Barbara Ann Mojica, M.A. S.A.S., S.D.A is a historian and retired educator. Her education career spans more than forty years serving as a teacher, special educator, principal, and school district administrator.
Using the whimsical Little Miss History character to narrate her book series, she makes learning history a fun-filled adventure. Barbara firmly believes, “If you don’t know your history, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
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