Past, Present & Personal: Teaching Writing in U.S. History

William Kashatus knows from years of teaching history that history education can be much improved by teaching the craft of writing. Without learning to write well, students also miss out on one of the most meaningful ways to develop critical thinking and reading skills. In this book, he offers methods to move students from basic descriptive writing to more complex expository essays and term papers on history. In the process, he shows teachers how to tap into students' multiple intelligences and cultivate their intellectual curiosity while encouraging their writing success.

Reflecting his title, Kashatus divides his book into three parts. "Past History" explores interpretation and assessment of historic documents. "Present History" examines research-based writing. "Personal History" offers experiential techniques to create a "living history classroom." Interspersed throughout his text are these special features to help in your teaching:

• primary source documents
• speech excerpts
• student writing samples
• diagrams to aid visual learners
• charts for in-class exercises
• anecdotes about working with student writers.

William C. Kashatus, a professional historian and writer, is former Director of Educational Programs at Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he curated the nationally recognized exhibit Just over the Line: Chester County and the Underground Railroad. He taught history for fifteen years in Philadelphia schools, including Abington Friends School, The Episcopal Academy, and the William Penn Charter School. He is the author of more than 250 essays in major periodicals and has written 16 books, including Past, Present, and Personal: Teaching Writing in U.S. History (Heinemann, 2002).