Welcome to Our U.S. History Class!

A class web site can be a creative and interactive way of getting students excited about a subject, keeping them up to date on assignments, and providing them with valuable online resources. Because a class site should be engaging, I'll present information that makes the subject interesting and fun. Of course, I'll want to include plenty of links so students can explore a wealth of ideas on the web.

Course Description

Students will develop an understanding and appreciation of the political, economic, and social developments of the United States in the 20th Century using prediction, summarization, critical analysis, and a host of other skills that will further student success for life.

The story below accurately and passionately describes my goals for this school year! EXCEPT the "make parents tremble with fear..." :)

"What Do Teachers Make?"

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued: What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." To corroborate, he said to another guest: You're a teacher, Susan," he said. "Be honest. What do you make?"

"I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Metal of Honor and an A+ feel like a C+ slap in the face if the students did not do his or her best."

"I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence."

"I can make parents tremble with fear when I call home."

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make kids wonder."

"I make them question."

"I make them criticize."

"I make them apologize, and mean it."

"I make them write."

"I make them read, read, read."

"I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, and definitely beautiful over and over again, unitl they never misspell either one of those words again."

"I make them show all of their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English."

"I make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow you heart...and someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you pay them no attention."

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make a difference. What about you?"