Fritz Fischer
Fritz Fischer is Professor of History and History Education at UNC. He is the 1998 recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences award for outstanding teaching and the recipient of the Mortar Board Outstanding Teacher Award in 2003 and 2006.
Prof. Fischer received his B.A. and M.A. from Stanford University and his Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Previous to receiving his doctorate, Prof. Fischer taught middle school and high school history in California. He specializes in 20th century American cultural and diplomatic history. His most recent book is entitled Making Them Like Us: Peace Corps Volunteers in the 1960s.
Prof. Fischer coordinates the History Education program here at UNC, and is the History Department representative to the STEP (Secondary Teaching) program, so if you have questions about being a history teacher, please get in touch with him. Professor Fischer was recently elected to the Board of Trustees of the National Council for History Education, an organization dedicated to fostering the teaching of history in the elementary and secondary schools. For those interested in History Education here are some quick web-links for reference.
- History Secondary Education Requirements
- Secondary Professional Teacher Education Program
- Four Year Plan for History:Secondary Education majors
- Colorado State Model Content Standards
- National History Standards
- National Archives Digital Classroom—for those interested in learning about teaching with historical documents, this is one of the best sites to find excellent documents
- Teaching Tips, Ideas, and Sample Lessons
- "National History Education Clearinghouse", the best sight for most recent news and ideas for teaching and learning history.
Prof. Fischer is the Project Director for the Colorado Academy of History, a three year grant from the United States Department of Education's Teaching American History grant program. This program links the UNC History Program with Greeley/Weld County District 6, Montezuma/Cortez School District, Park R-3 School District (Estes Park), Adams-12 School District (Commerce City), Sierra Blanca School District and the Frenchman R-3 School district. The purpose of the program is to provide professional development opportunities in American history for history teachers in those districts.
The father of four children under the age of 16, Prof. Fischer appreciates adult conversation, so feel free to drop by his office. Besides history and politics, he loves discussing sports and the outdoors.
Classes
During spring 2013, Professor Fischer is teaching:
- HIST 338: Advanced Overview of United States History
- HIST 351: The United States and World War II
- HIST 400: Teaching History in the Secondary Curriculum
Prof. Fischer’s usual course offerings include:
- Hist 100: Survey of American History from Its Beginnings to 1877
- Hist 101: Survey of American History from 1877 to the Present
- Hist 334: The U.S. and the World
- Hist 338: Advanced Overview of U.S. History
- Hist 354: The United States and the Vietnam Wars
- Hist 400: Teaching History in the Secondary Curriculum
- Hist 480: 1968
- Hist 495: War and American Culture
- Hist 530: Culture Wars
- STEP 161, 262, 363: Observation/Analysis of Secondary Teaching