Clarifying Vision | Transforming Practice

Clarify Historical Understanding. Transform Teaching Practice. Build Lasting Skills.

Meaningful improvement in historical thinking begins with a shared understanding of what students should know, understand, and be able to do. Our collaborative partnership works alongside teachers and departments to build coherent assessment systems that strengthen instruction and improve student learning over time.

Clarify Learning Goals

Effective assessment begins with clearly defining the construct being assessed. Together, we establish a shared vision of historical thinking by identifying the disciplinary knowledge, reasoning, and practices students are expected to demonstrate. This creates a common language for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Design Assessments That Generate Meaningful Evidence

Assessments should do more than assign grades—they should produce valid evidence of student thinking. We work with teachers to design and refine assessments that align with learning goals, elicit authentic historical reasoning, and provide evidence that can be used to make informed instructional decisions.

Build Coherent Assessment Progressions

How can departments ensure students encounter historical thinking in a purposeful and progressive way? Together, we map assessments across units, courses, and grade levels to identify where key concepts and disciplinary practices are introduced, reinforced, and mastered. By planning assessment as a coherent system rather than a collection of isolated tasks, teachers gain clearer evidence of student growth while students experience a more intentional progression of learning.

Partnership Options

Foundation Package (Full Day Workshop)

Perfect for schools beginning their historical thinking assessment journey

• Introduction to theoretical framework for Canadian History Assessments of Thinking [CHATs]
• Provision of 50+ ready-to-use CHATs for Social Studies and History Classrooms
• Provision of Recommended Resources to Assist in Aligning Practices

Transformation Partnership (Full Day Workshop + Ongoing Support)

For schools ready to reshape history education with an intentional focus on assessing historical thinking

Introduction to theoretical framework for Canadian History Assessments of Thinking [CHATs]

• Comprehensive assessment suite: 75+ CHATs and 1 Hour Historical Thinking Tests
• Follow up coaching support to assist in curriculum alignment support

Why Schools Choose To The Past

“The To the Past workshop was one of the most thoughtful and practical workshops I’ve participated in.

What made this session stand out was the in-depth and accessible breakdown of the Guideposts associated with the Historical Thinking Concept of Evidence. Nathan provided a clear and nuanced framework that not only deepens teacher understanding, but also offers concrete strategies for scaffolding this complex concept in the classroom.

Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned veteran, I would wholeheartedly recommend Nathan’s work. His expertise, clarity, and practical approach make this session a must for anyone looking to strengthen their teaching of historical thinking, and ultimately, to empower students to think more critically about the past and present.”

– Michael Ripley, Department Head || Crofton House School