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Editor's notes
by Rachelle Lipschultz
History...just the word is enough to make many children and adults groan. It brings up bad memories of tests and papers, memorizing seemingly meaningless names and dates. But history is just so much more than that—it is full of rich and fascinating information. Learning about history allows us to better appreciate our own lives and to understand how we got to where we are now. So how can parents turn their children on to history? That is the topic we address in this month's issue.
We are thrilled to introduce our newest guest author, Anthony Alduino. An honor student at Centreville Middle School on the Eastern Shore, Anthony plays soccer, baseball and lacrosse. He enjoys reading, video games and playing with his friends. Over the years, Anthony has visited numerous historical sites across the United States and Europe. This summer he is planning on taking an Italian language immersion class and participating in several sports camps.
In other news, our popular "Let's Chat About Children" Town Hall Series will be continuing this month. This semester's topic is “My Child Needs Counseling: Navigating the Mental Health Maze.” The free forum will be on Thursday, April 21 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the Cade Center for Fine Arts, Room 219. Directions and a map are available here. We hope to see you there!
HOW PARENTS CAN MAKE HISTORY FUN
By Anthony Alduino
Centreville Middle School
There are many ways that parents can make history fun for their kids. Many kids my age like to participate or watch field reenactments. Many historical sites or national parks have reenactments that give kids a “hands-on” experience and a sense of real history. The best museums usually have an active learning area. For example, at Yorktown Historical Center in Virginia kids can dress as colonial soldiers and are allowed to march.
As a student, I know that some lectures can be boring. Parents can make history fun by using a variety of teaching tools. For example, they can teach their kids history by using the computer. You can download historical video clips, music, maps and pictures from the Internet.
I enjoy reading books about history. They are exciting and plus give you real facts. Parents can talk to their librarian to find out what books would interest their children. Some of my favorite books are: The Eyewitness Series, these books have a lot of pictures and facts; the Childhood of Famous Americans, which has both fact and fiction; and the Great Illustrated Classics.
Television has many captivating documentaries that kids like to watch. My favorite channel is the History Channel. It is cool. There are many types of shows that I enjoy like “Modern Marvels.” A show about modern technologies, this program talks about the function and design of such things as the submarine, skyscrapers, and missiles.
Finally, I like studying my family’s genealogy. My father’s family came from Italy and Ireland. My mother’s family is a descendant of the Mayflower. They also come from Poland. I enjoy talking to my grandparents about their ethnic culture and life in the Old World. Parents should encourage their kids to explore their family’s past.
