TIHPS - meet the project team
- Project Leads
Caroline Pennock, University of Sheffield, c.pennock@sheffield.ac.uk
I am Professor in International History at the University of Sheffield, and probably best known as the only British Aztec historian. My first trade book, On Savage Shores: How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe came out in paperback last year and provided the springboard for this project. The book turns the traditional Eurocentric narrative of the Age of Discovery on its head, telling the stories of thousands of Aztecs, Maya, Inuit, Algonquian-speaking people and others who 'discovered' Europe as enslaved people, traders, diplomats, family members, and explorers. I have always been keen on communicating history to a broad audience, in particular trying to dismantle the damaging myths about Indigenous histories and cultures which have so frequently dominated public discourse. As well as acting as a popular history writer, consultant, and 'talking head' expert for TV, radio, publishers and museums, I have recently been consulting for exam boards and working with teachers and schools on developing their Indigenous-history teaching.
Jacqueline Fear-Segal, University of East Anglia, J.Fear-Segal@uea.ac.uk
Jacqueline Fear-Segal is Professor Emeritus of American and Indigenous Histories at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. She works to integrate histories and perspectives of Indigenous Americans into standard university curricula at all levels, and also into school curricula in the USA. Her research and writing on “Indian” boarding schools and the US government’s campaign to re-educate and assimilate Indigenous children motivated her to become a founding partner of the Carlisle Indian School Digital Research Center https://carlisleindian.dickinson.edu/. She worked with Professor David Stirrup on the AHRC-funded project Beyond the Spectacle: Native North American Presence in Britain. She is co-Director of the Indigenous Studies Research Network UK.
David Stirrup, CISCS, University of York, david.stirrup@york.ac.uk
David Stirrup joined York in 2023 as Professor of American Literature and Indigenous Studies, having spent the previous 19 years at the University of Kent. His research interests in Indigenous Studies include Native North American literature and visual art, social and cultural history, and methodological ethics. He is the author of two monographs (Louise Erdrich, Manchester UP, 2010; and Picturing Worlds: Visuality and Visual Sovereignty in Contemporary Anishinaabe Literature, Michigan State UP, 2020), and has co-edited four volumes of essays and four special journal issues on subjects ranging from culture and the Canada-US Border to Native Americans in the European Imaginary, and has been Principle Investigator on four large grant projects, including Beyond the Spectacle. David is also a founding co-editor of the online, open access journal Transmotion, which publishes scholarship on contemporary, innovative Indigenous writing from around the world.vIn 2019 David launched Europe’s first Centre for Indigenous and Settler Colonial Studies at the University of Kent, drawing on a broad network of institutions in the UK, US, and Canada. The “hub” of the Centre has moved to York with him, with co-Directors at Kent, Alberta, and London College of Communications.
Alex Ford, Leeds Trinity University and Schools History Project, A.Ford@leedstrinity.ac.uk
Alex Ford is lead tutor on the PGCE History course at Leeds Trinity University and a Fellow of the Schools History Project. Prior to 2016, Alex was head of history in a large, mixed comprehensive in Leeds. He has published a number of textbooks and textbook chapters, including on US expansion in the 19th century. His educational research interests include: the nature and purposes of school history; the building of professional learning communities; and the teaching of 19th century US history. He also runs the teaching and learning website and blog, www.andallthat.co.uk.
- Indigenous partners
Dayana Blanco Quiroga (Aymara), dayanabq204@gmail.com
The Uru Uru Team was initiated by Dayana Blanco and a group of Indigenous youth from the Vito community in southwestern Bolivia to protect Uru Uru Lake, which has been severely polluted by waste and mining effects from the nearby city of Oruro—threatening the Indigenous community, local flora and fauna, and an internationally recognized wetland reserve. As a solution, the team has developed floating rafts made from recycled materials, upon which they place Totoras native aquatic plants that absorb heavy metals and contaminants via phytoremediation. These rafts and plants have successfully reduced lake pollution by 30%. The team has also established a community garden to support the maintenance of the rafts and generate income, showcasing an effective model for ensuring the well-being of an Indigenous community, preserving knowledge and cultural identity, and protecting biodiversity.
Brenda Child (Red Lake Ojibwe), University of Minnesota, child011@umn.edu
Brenda J. Child was born on the Red Lake Ojibwe Reservation in northern Minnesota and is a citizen of that nation. Child served on the Constitutional Reform Committee to write a new constitution for this 12,000-member nation. She is Northrop Professor of American Studies and former chair of the Departments of American Studies (2016-19) and the Department of American Indian Studies (2009-12) at the University of Minnesota. Child served as a member of the board of trustees of the National Museum of the American Indian-Smithsonian and was President (2017-2018) of the Native American & Indigenous Studies Association. She has worked closely with several museums and heritage organizations. Child's research and scholarship focuses on Native American history and on particularly on Ojibwe history. The author of multiple award-winning books, she has made a popular documentary, Jingle Dress Dancers in the Modern World: Ojibwe People and Pandemics and also authored a bilingual book for children, Bowwow Powwow, winner of the American Indian Youth Literature Medal. In 2024 she served as a judge in the nonfiction category of the National Book Awards. Her current book project is The Marriage Blanket: Love, Violence, and the Law in Indian Country.
Hartman Deetz (Mashpee Wampanoag), artist, advocate and Indigenous advisor, hartman.deetz429@gmail.com
Hartman Deetz is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, who has spent over 25 years working in environmental advocacy, cultural restoration and preservation. He currently writes for Cultural Survival magazine, sits on Seeds of Wisdom Foundations grant review committee, serves as a Native Cultural Consultant for Charles River Watershed Association, and is an apprentice teacher with Wampanoag Language Reclamation Program. He performs internationally with Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers and is the owner-operator of Ockway Bay Wampum his cultural arts and education company.
Steph Pratt (Crow Creek Dakota), art historian and Indigenous advisor, stephaniep.8892@gmail.com
Formerly Associate Professor (Reader) of Art History at Plymouth University, UK and now an independent scholar and cultural advisor, Stephanie is a member of the Dakota people and was the first Cultural Ambassador for the Crow Creek Dakota Tribal Council at Fort Thompson in South Dakota, USA. Recently, she worked as cultural consultant for the National Portrait Gallery, London; Southwark City Council, London; Exeter City Council, Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, and Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery’s The Box, Devon. Currently, she holds an appointment as Indigenous Academic fellow at the National Trust, UK. Her book, American Indians in British Art, 1700-1840 (Oklahoma University Press, 2005), was the first study of its kind and she continues to publish research papers concerning Indigenous Americans and the visual arts.
- Teaching partners
Jennie Brown, King Edward VII’s School, jbrown67@kes.sheffield.sch.uk
I am Second in Department for History and Politics at King Edward VII School, an 11-18 comprehensive in central Sheffield where I've taught History for 17 years. Prior to becoming Second in Department I was the school's EPQ Co-ordinator. I have worked with my Head of Department Sarah Davis and our department on redesigning our KS3 Curriculum, which Sarah has spoken about locally and nationally. I have recently completed the HA's Subject Leader Development Programme and am currently completing an NPQ in Leading Teaching. In addition to this, I am an ITT mentor.
Nicholas (Nik) Caldwell, The Polesworth School, n.caldwell@thepolesworthschool.com
I am in my 14th year of teaching and have taught in two state-funded secondary schools. I have been with my current school for just over 10 years, with just over half of that as Head of History, Classical Civilisations and Politics. I have been involved with similar programmes involving research-based production of published schemes of work. For example, in connection with the University of Sussex and the National Archives I explored circumstances for the British public at key moments in the twentieth century using datasets formed from surveys conducted. The project was named: The Dawn of Affluence: how did living standards change? 1900-1960. I have also created a scheme of work on medieval women as part of the 600 Agincourt Teacher Scholarship Scheme that has been made available to teachers through the Historical Association and been part of other studies around Black History and conflict. I have gained Masters credits in teaching through the Institute of Education at the University College London, studying the Holocaust and, by working with the IOE I have trained colleagues in the delivery of Holocaust education as part of our confirmation as a Beacon School in Holocaust Education. I am also the Network Chair for History in my school's Trust and work with colleagues from across the primary and secondary sector across the Midlands.
Stef Eastoe, Park View School, seastoe@parkview.haringey.sch.uk
I am a history teacher in a school in Tottenham, North London where we teach a broad curriculum including indigenous history. Prior to this I worked across the heritage and academic sectors, and have produced formal and informal learning materials on a range of subjects, including the history of disability, queer history in the ancient world, and the making of the archive. I have facilitated community projects on local history using historical photographs, spatial histories using census and maps, as well as presenting talks on the links between landscape and mental health. More recently, I was responsible for redesigning the Year 7 curriculum in line with our school decolonisation and diversity aims, creating units on African Kingdoms, Women in the Middle Ages, and Migration before 1066.
Cathy Flavelle, Blundell’s School, celf@blundells.org
I am currently the KS3 Curriculum Leader for History at Blundell’s School in Devon. In this role, I have been redeveloping our curriculum to make it more diverse and inclusive. This includes introducing a new unit on the Aztecs, with a strong focus on routine representation, disciplinary literacy, and historical interpretations. Previously, I contributed to the Meanwhile, Elsewhere project and served as one of the Historical Association’s Teacher Fellows for the ‘Age of Revolutions’ from 2018 to 2021. Since January 2022, I have also held the position of School Archivist, overseeing a collection of 22,000 items dating back to 1350. In this role, I collaborate with academics, alumni, and students, undertaking curatorial responsibilities and outreach projects. Additionally, I have mentored PGCE and ECT teachers and served ffor seven years on the editorial board of the Blundellian Magazine.
Harry German, Oaklands School, harrygerman@hotmail.co.uk
Harry German is the Head of History and Politics at Oaklands School in Tower Hamlets, London. He has published work in Teaching History on designing enquiries about resistance to Trans-Atlantic Slavery through a 'history-from-below' approach. He is currently collaborating with SHP to develop resources for its new War Inna Babylon project.
Swerupa Gosrani, Belper School, swg@belperschoo.co.uk
I am currently Assistant Head of Humanities at Belper school in Derbyshire, where I teach History and Politics. I have been teaching about Indigenous American history for over 20 years and wrote a blog and produced a glossary about terminology for OCR. We currently teach Indigenous American history at both GCSE and A-Level.
Terry Graham, Heworth Grange School, Gateshead, tagraham22@googlemail.com
I am the head of history at Heworth Grange school in Gateshead. I am the lead in Project North Star - a multi faceted project raising the profile of Black history in the northeast of England and the region's role in this national and international history. We have worked with local educational charities in conjunction with the National Trust, developed a heritage walk in Sunderland and we will launch our educational website and CPD event in June. At Heworth Grange we teach The American West at GCSE. I am working with Edexcel on how to move this exam topic forward. We include Indigenous American history within various parts of our curriculum in years 7-9 also. I am looking forward to increasing this further. I am an American Studies graduate. I became interested in Indigenous American history while on exchange to New York and taking a course in Indigenous America.Heather Hatton, Liverpool John Moores University, H.K.Hatton@ljmu.ac.uk
Heather Hatton is a Senior Lecturer in Education at Liverpool John Moores University where she leads the PGCE History programme. She holds a PhD in Early American History which focused on treaty diplomacy between the British and Haudenosaunee in the mid-1700s. Prior to this, Heather worked as a history teacher in Matlock, Derbyshire. She also works as a tutor for The Brilliant Club supporting less advantaged children to access university.
Ross Miles, Horsforth School, MilesR01@horsforthschool.org
I am currently Curriculum Leader for History and Politics at a school in North Leeds. Previously I have been Head of Department in 4 schools across North London, having started my career teaching near Birmingham. Currently I also lead the Leeds History Learning Partnership running collaborative training sessions with department heads across the city. At the summer SHP conference in 2024 I presented work completed by my department, in collaboration with Alex Ford, on teaching indigenous histories; specifically the design of a new year 8 scheme of learning centred around Zitkala-Sa. Finally I have also worked on the Colonial Countryside Project producing resources for primary schools to explore connections between country houses, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and Empire.
Josh Mounsey, Sir William Robertson Academy, joshua.mounsey@swracademy.org
I am currently a Teacher of History at a school in rural Lincolnshire. Previously I have been interim Head of History and Deputy Head of Sixth Form, having been at the same school since qualifying seven years ago. I enjoy lots of influence over the development of our curriculum and work with colleagues to create new enquiries that are backed by the latest research and reflect current academic opinion. I’m at the stage where I’m keen to branch out and collaborate more widely to share best practice and make connections with the wider academic and history teaching community and the intentions of the project reflect my efforts to try and improve the teaching and learning of indigenous histories in our setting. Other projects that I’m currently researching include an investigation into the threats and challenges when teaching the History of the Third Reich and how teachers can equip students with the knowledge and skills to combat far-right populist narratives.
Fraser Newham, Fettes College, fe.newham@fettes.com
Fraser is a History teacher at Fettes College Edinburgh, where he teaches A Level (UK 1678-1760s), IB and IGCSE. He was previously Deputy Head Academic at Harrow International School in Appi, Japan and, prior to that, Assistant Head Academic at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. From March 2025 he will be combining his teaching with PhD study at the University of Stirling, focusing on the politics of the New York frontier in the age of Sir William Johnson, Superintendent for Indian Affairs for the Northern Colonies (1755-1774) and the leading British figure in colonial diplomacy with indigenous peoples in North America at the time.
Liz Smith, High Storrs School, esmith26@highstorrs-mlt.co.uk
I started teaching History and RE in Barnsley in 1996. I set up an A-level Religious Studies course at Barnsley College before becoming Head of History. I have worked at High Storrs for 11 years and was subject leader of History last year. I currently teach Edexcel GCSE and coordinate the delivery of the Spain and the 'New World' paper 2 unit. I teach both Modern and Early Modern A level but am sole teacher of Spain 1468-1598.
Megan Walker, Nene Park Academy, mwalker@neneparkacademy.org
I am from Sussex but currently split my time between Hull and Peterborough. I graduated from the University of Hull with a First-Class degree in Spanish with History in 2020 and spent 3 years in Cataluña, teaching a variety of subjects in both primary and secondary schools. After graduating, I was an intern for Treatied Spaces, where I put research forward for links between the Transatlantic Slave Trade and England’s stately homes – specifically focusing on families and materials and the connections they have to the Triangular Trade. I completed my PGCE at the University of York in 2023 and have been working in an academy since, teaching KS3, KS4 and KS5 across subjects such as empire, resistance, and world history. I am particularly interested in Indigenous history and how it can be implemented across the curriculum through class development and inclusion.
- Organisation partners