For The Love Of History by Natalie

Natalieof Trenton's entry into Varsity Tutor's July 2014 scholarship contest

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Natalie of Trenton, OH
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For The Love Of History by Natalie - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

At six foot six inches, he stood in front of the classroom, towering above my classmates and I. The teacher, Mr. Mark Pierett, taught my tenth grade Honors United States History.

Previously, all my history classes bored me, due to the issue that none of them taught anything new or held my interest. Within a year, my entire outlook on history and education as a whole changed drastically.

Understandably, the class required a lot of work. Most of the coursework came from packets and lectures. Sure, every teacher hands students a packet to complete occasionally, so this method of learning didn’t bother me. Nor did the idea of lectures, but Mr. Pierett’s lectures strayed from normal due to his passion about history.

Talking in a generally quiet voice, he spoke into a microphone loud enough to project down the hallway. But when he loved a subject, he loved the subject. His voice would get louder, and evidently he felt impassioned about the subject. Over time, the class - and especially myself - loved Mr. Pierett and his way of teaching. His demeanour, connections with the students, and generally cool personality caused me to walk into a history class smiling for the first time ever, and enjoy the hour and a half in his classroom.

Due to this passion, I began taking a serious interest in history too - asking questions, his opinion about the historical event, and listening to every word he had to say about the subject. Suddenly I aced all of my tests, and loving to do my homework nightly. Mr. Pierett never changed throughout the year, and kept me involved. Lesson plans contained hands-on activities, and he got to know me and my personality. When I got sick and missed the two weeks of school before winter break, he took the time with me when I returned to ensure that I knew the information, and even talked to me afterwards to make sure everything had returned to normal.

Finally, I saw the importance of understanding history, and the idea that the more one knows about history, the easier the future becomes, for history repeats itself. Realizing this came from sitting in his classroom five days a week, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

History now holds a special place in my heart because of Mr. Pierett. The subject interests me, and next year I will take yet another class with him to learn even more. Not only did he change the way I view history in education, but also education in and of itself by the exemplary ways he teaches and engages his students. Without a doubt, my experience in his classroom benefited my outlook on education, and I can’t thank him enough for doing so.

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