History as Prologue

Category: Teaching History

  • Teaching research skills before students go solo

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    Mark Thomas
    in

    Teach research skills before your students go solo My flight instructor climbed out from the Cessna’s right seat and casually told me to “taker her up, fly the pattern, land and taxi back here.” Both of us knew I was prepared. It was my sixteenth birthday, the youngest age one can solo a powered aircraft.…

  • Teaching time

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    Mark Thomas
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    Teaching time Whether you teach history or not, the effect of your instruction is always limited by an array of underlying skills. Time management is chief among these abilities needed to exceed existing potential. Like many realizations I’ve made while teaching, valuing time management strategies were emphasized in my days before becoming a teacher. Valuing…

  • Turning the tables on parent-teacher conferences

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    Mark Thomas
    in

    Turning the tables on parent-teacher conferences In the fad-crazed world of k-12 education, there is one ubiquitous practice that remains steadfast amid a changing world. That, of course, is the problem. What if schools began each year by holding parent-teacher conferences? Taking this further, what if the parent or guardian were recognized as the expert…

  • Back to writing 2014

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    Mark Thomas
    in

    Priorities as an excuse Yesterday, I sent off via Priority Mail the last paper for the last continuing education course needed for renewal of my Indiana teaching license. For the past three months I’ve neglected my blog, justifying in my mind that any writing should be directed at my career, not my hobby. Now, with…