All that said, I appreciate your efforts as a teacher. Its clear you have the passion for history and enjoy conveying it to your students. In the few posts I’ve read so far (I just found your blog) that much is clear. From one history lover to another, keep up the good work.

I can undoubtedly relate to your progression of understanding and appreciating history at a time when it was more ‘convenient’ for me. I too was aloof to the whole learning thing in high school. It was in 3rd grade when I found out that I was in the gifted program and could slide by doing much less than most. I didn’t pay attention to history in high school and regret that now.

However, it was in college when I rediscovered my love for the past and the stories that went along with it. It wasn’t untiil my junior year in college when I found myself becoming a sponge and truly wanting to learn as much as possible during my time there.

I had a history teacher at King’s College, Dr. Paul Zbiek, who inspired me to take his classes numerous times because of how he taught history by telling stories and personifying the text into something real. He would plan the classes well by leaving us with cliffhangers. It was great to watch his passion for the Civil War.

I eventually took enough of his classes and surprisingly got a history minor. (it really wasn’t my intent, but i took enough of his electives to qualify)

I remember emailing him several years after graduating and thanking him for giving me a new ‘hobby’. That of the appreciation of history. However, I should probably re-thank him for I’ve turned my hobby into a career.

After 5 years in the business world, I took the leap, and became a history teacher myself. And now I can’t get enough of it. I can appreciate your apathy early on, and i can relate to the passion you have now.

My Dr. Zbiek plug – http://departments.kings.edu/history/zbiek.html