Teaching Tips Archive

Making History Interesting

It is surprising how many students find history boring. Here are some suggestions for increasing your students' interest in this important subject.

Supplement textbooks with books that provide personal accounts of historical events.
Focus on important individuals in history. Biographies and autobiographies can help your students understand that is is people who make history.
Have your students read historical novels.
Where feasible, take your students on field trips to historical sites.
Have your students role play historical events. This will provide them with a "first-hand" experience.
Show historical movies such as Amadeus and Apollo 13.

In short, try to make history come alive.