Why I Use a Business School Model to Teach History (Opinion)

Using a business school case-method to teach history frames how I design lessons and prompt student inquiry. Maureen O'Hern, a history teacher at Boston Collegiate Charter School, joined Harvard's Case Method Institute before returning to Boston Collegiate in 2025. Her class analyzes the 1787 Constitutional Convention seeking perspectives and decisions in crises, rather than focusing only on dates. The methodology, piloted in 2016 with a Harvard program, emphasizes why and how events unfold and helps students connect history to present policy debates. O'Hern notes that the method improves retention and participation, enabling students to see the relevance of history in their own lives.