Creating activities and units that effectively place students “in the shoes” of key characters in the past is what sets the best history teachers apart from the good history teachers. Most people can describe events from the past to their students. Many of them can even explain these events in a way that is meaningful and memorable. Some teachers take it to the next level by introducing primary sources to their students, allowing them to see artifacts of the actual events so they can form a connection to the material they are learning. The best teachers strive to create a bond between their students and the characters they are studying.
Joann's companion column:
