Its History That Binds Us

Learning about who I am because of who they were has always been a passion of mine. Knowing that I am standing on the cobble-stone street where Paul Revere once rode and warned "The British are coming!" blows my mind. Looking out from the top of Pike's Peak and thinking about how difficult it must have been to cross over the Rocky Mountains on foot, with no real knowledge of what dangers lie ahead, or if you'd ever make it steals my breath. Camping out under the stars and sitting around a camp fire makes me marvel at the beauty of the world until I think of the natives who were forced from their homes because "we" were destined to own every piece of land we touched, that breaks my heart.  To better understand who we are, how we are connected, and where we are headed, we must learn from the journeys of those before us. In order for students to become productive, responsible citizens of this global community, they must learn to read, think, and decide for themselves the actions they will take and how those actions will effect those around them and those to follow.

Learning from history goes well beyond the history books though, as there are always three sides to any story. As an educator it is vital that I teach my students to look beyond what they are given. It is my responsibility to teach students to ask their own questions, to delve deeper, to find all sides - especially those who have been silenced or written out of the history books, and to apply what they learn to future decisions about who they are and what they will contribute to society.