Continuing our celebration of National Women’s History Month, I recently interviewed Lisette McBride, an Education Major with a focus in History, to get her perspective.
The Basics:
Name: Lisette McBride
Major: Secondary Education with a focus in History
Grade: Sophomore
Hometown: Joliet, IL
Fun Facts:
Celebrity doppelganger?
I don’t see it, but I’ve been told I look like Elle Fanning.
Food you could eat every day?
French Fries!
Top bucket list item?
Although it is a little cliche, I would like to visit all seven continents.
National Women’s History Month:
You are an education major with a focus in history. Why? What do you like about history?
I have always loved figuring out puzzles, and history is figuring out an enormous puzzle. The problems we face today can be traced back through history, and I believe some of the solutions can be found in the past.
What is your opinion on how history is taught in schools? Especially pertaining to women’s history? What would you change?
As far as education goes, I find history always has a different spin. While in school, I took issue with many of my history classes because of their focal points and the histories those classes neglected. I want to show all my students their own histories. For example, history of women in America has been reduced to suffragettes and the occasional mention of the women’s liberation movement. While those are important parts of history, there is so much more. Histories for Black Americans, Latino/a & Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Americans in the LGBTQ+ community, etc. have been continuously neglected in classrooms across the country. As I mentioned above, I will strive to show my students their histories every day in my classroom, and if I can make a difference in at least few students lives, I will be happy.
What is your opinion on National Women’s History Month? Do you think it is a good thing?
National Women’s History Month is still incredibly important! It serves as a great motivator for teachers to integrate women’s history into their curriculum.
Have you been celebrating the month? How?
Although I have been busy with finals, I plan on reading Love, Lucy, Lucille Ball’s autobiography, when finals are over. I love learning about women in comedy, and Lucille Ball paved the way for many of the greats. I also get to see my two younger sisters over spring break, who I share my love of history with. I have gotten them books on great women in history, especially women in STEM. It inspires me to see my sister’s and other young girls be inspired by our foremothers.
Do you have a favorite woman in history?
I do not think I can I narrow my choice down to just one. The first woman to come to mind, however, is Hedy Lamarr. She was an Austrian immigrant who was born into a Jewish family and fled after Hitler came to rise. Although she was a pioneer inventor who invented technology that would later be used to help create Wi-Fi, she was only given attention for her acting work. She did not receive any accolades for her inventions until the late 1990’s. To me, Lamarr is an incredible human and a strong woman. Although she achieved much success in her life, she still felt many pressures surrounding her looks. The same feelings wash over women all the time today. Her life shows women not only what they can achieve, but that they are not alone in their struggles.