"Sharpe's Classroom" Topic

I teach at a school that encourages us to assign fun, engaging books for summer reading, and then to plan a day-long activity around the book.

This year I chose Sharpe's Eagle. We talked about the book ("Why would someone die for a stupid flag?"), watched Sean Bean singlehandedly win the war, and then played a simplified version of Talavera on my classroom table.

I have an awesome job.

link

It was my 7th grade history teach, a long time ago, that did a very similar exercise with the American Civil War.

He used Airfix figures. That class pushed me from playing with toy soldiers into reading history books and doing wargaming.

Good for you!!!

I hope at least one of your students will put down their phones and or I-pads and think about something without laser guns…

I love your job. Keep up the good work, your posts of the young uns is always a great read. They almost always have a look of "This really happened?"

I am impressed.

I used to do something similar in my class using Battlecry. However, we are becoming more and more test oriented at my school and activities which do not directly prepare students for the state tests are no longer permitted. Everyone misses it.

I'm going to school for social studies ed right now. I seriously hope I can end up teaching in a school like the one you're at.

Good to see a girl taking part too.

I have three girls signed up for my military history elective next semester, and another in my simulation games minicourse. Games: Not just for the dudes anymore.

Bernhard, while I hate teaching to buzzwords, our school has caught the "innovation" bug. Anything that gets kids out of their desks is seen as a good thing. It's all in the salesmanship. And in the case of a wargame, I guarantee that what they'll learn from it will stay with them for a long time.

Very cool and very well done!
Larry

I salute you sir. What a wonderful way to bring history to life.

This would be politically incorrect in the USA. For that I say… Keep up the great work. Glad there are still teachers like you around.

As it turns out, I am a 'Murrican. I have a little more freedom since I teach in an independent school, but then I have colleagues in public schools who happily use their little toy soldiers as teaching tools, and other private school teacher who are not allowed to mention war unless it is to condemn it. (Seriously, I had one friend who was told he could not teach John Hersey's Hiroshima because it was too "pro war"!)It all depends on how reasonable the local administration and community are. I consider myself lucky in that regard.