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Phyllis Libbin - Short EssaysA. I am the right person to be teaching U.S. history because I have the skills and credentials to make history come alive for my students. For me history continues to be exciting, evolving, and ever changing. Students can better understand their own lives when they have a strong history background. I find it challenging to combine my reading expertise to the teaching of U.S. history. I welcome the opportunity to utilize new strategies and to develop lessons, units, and a hands-on curriculum that will be beneficial to all of my students. B. Teaching U.S. History in WaukeganThe 2001-2002 school year was my first year teaching history to the lowest performing students in the 7th grade. In my teaching, I continuously connected the text and curriculum to current events. My greatest classroom success was when students were able to point out things that were happening in their lives that connected to history, to the Constitution of the United States, and to what they were learning in class. The tragedy of 9-11-01 became a concrete example for my students to comprehend how other countries view the United States. C. With the help of McRAH, I now feel prepared to address the following challenges in my teaching. I will plan my lessons to be student centered. I will use more internet resources, visuals, and trade books to create stimulating, thought provoking lessons. I will integrate a theme into all of my lessons so that each student has a common, continuous point of reference. D. The only way students get actively engaged in any kind of learning is when their well prepared teacher gets them "hooked" on what is being taught. As students acquire historical knowledge, they see and experience that they are a part of history. Students gain the ability to understand and interpret historical events. History gives order and meaning to their everyday existence.
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