"Four Effective Ways to Make Your Students Love History" Topic

"Are you studying to become a history teacher, or perhaps you've recently started to teach history at the school level? Either way, you'll hear most of your students complain about how boring this subject is. They won't find history intriguing because they think it's only lectures about people who aren't alive.

The thing is, students unfortunately can't relate to the historical events, which leads them to dislike the subject. That's why, as a teacher, you are responsible for making history class exciting, engaging, and fun…"

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Armand

As a teacher it's far simpler than that. Make it fun. Lecture but make it story time. Focus the learning on people and experiences. Kids will read and analyze primary sources they find interesting. Thought provoking questions generate great discussions (should the US have used atomic weapons in 1945, who was the greatest Roman leader). Abandon mindless tests and asses knowledge and skills through research projects, debates, and argumentative essays. I am consistently the most in demand teacher in my school (almost 100 teachers on staff). I have had to quit teaching required classes because so many kids sign up for the electives I assign. History and government classes should be the highlight of a kid's day.

Glad to hear that Scott! Who doesn't love a good story?

I can't remember who it was that said "Five sevenths of history is story!" And stories are about People. Unfortunately, the Toynbeeans have forgotten that.

You were the master of telling compelling stories in history. I didn't take notes in your classes because I didn't need to. Too interesting to forget. Everyday I try to give student a taste of the education I received from you and Jim.

Congratulations. Many of us strove but it sounds as if you succeeded.

History and government classes should be the highlight of a kid's day.

Hear, hear.

I don't know anything about teaching kids, especially in a classroom setting. I was always -- since early childhood -- fascinated by history, never ever found it boring, and took my undergraduate degree in it. So I don't have much to contribute to this discussion.

Thanks.

Armand

I once worked with a teacher who stimulated his pupils' interest by telling them the sort of scandalous – but true – stories about historical characters that do not appear in school history books. If they had a rather boring topic such as the Repeal of the Corn Laws to study, he would promise that, if they could cover that topic with five minutes to spare, he would tell them all about Wellington and Harriet Wilson, for example.
This somewhat unorthodox modus operandi – which would certainly not be approved by Ofsted today – resulted in him being one of the most popular teachers in the school, no one ever failing Common Entrance History and several pupils going on to read History at university.

Thanks also…

Armand