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What is a credible source? Can you turn to Wikipedia as a resource for your next research assignment? How do you choose which of the articles you just found to use as proof of your claim? Whether you are writing about school lunch, GMOs, or national security vs.
Summer, with its long, hot, unstructured days full of internships or jobs, trips to the museum, swimming, hikes, bike rides, books, television and films is right around the corner. What a great opportunity to watch some movies that capture key moments in American History! The following list highlights some of my favorite historical films that provide great insight into historical figures and present some inspiring life lessons.
As a teacher, I am obliged to give exams regularly. But, I recognize that learning how to study for an exam is no easy task. Here are 5 key S.T.U.D.Y. tips to keep in mind when preparing for a test, however big or small.
Sleep
Does the all-nighter really work? Can you cram a unit’s worth of material into your brain the night before an exam? No, and in fact, it will often backfire. Pulling an all-nighter will defeat the purpose of studying when you have no energy to think the next day.
As a social studies teacher, I feel a critical need to instill in my students a desire to learn about and read about the world around us—whether current events, long term economic trends, or archeological digs.
History shouldn’t be static. It’s not just a list of dates and events. History is truly about an in-depth look at a period-- its authors, artists, scientists, inventors, historians and participants. A study of history should include a close look at books by authors who study the era, who lived in the era, who wrote about the era. Let’s take the 1920s, a time of great change in the United States.
Growing up in the artsy neighborhood of Soho, it is no surprise that Ian Rusten set his sights on a career in the arts. While he enjoyed subjects such as history and English, “I liked drawing even more,” he says. However, after teaching English in Korea after college, he caught the teaching bug and went on to earn an M.A. in Education and an M.A. in History, both at Hunter College.
“It’s funny; teaching as a career just never really occurred to me,” he says.
His students are glad that it finally did.
A generation of Americans remembers where they were when John F. Kennedy was shot, when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon and the first time they saw John, Paul, George, and Ringo on TV. Fifty years ago this month the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and, overnight, a social revolution began.
I’d like to believe that everything I say has great meaning, especially when it comes to my children and my students. My words of wisdom may guide them; it may help them find their footing. However, most times, what I see as my greatest advice (“don’t touch the hot stove,” “actually study for your test,” “don’t just continually refresh your Twitter feed”) are words not heeded. Children must try running really fast in rain boots to learn that enormous cracks in the sidewalk will actually trip them and students have to learn from their own mistakes. We all must learn from our own mistakes.
