Begin by assessing from where the student is coming and how they possibly acquired this negative attitude toward history. Did they have a boring teacher in a previous school year? Maybe a former teacher's idea of learning history was memorizing dozens of historical dates and your student struggled to remember that mountain of information on test day. Simply reading the textbook and doing all the review questions is a sure-fire way to squash any spark of interest a young person may have about history. Often it's the method of studying history rather than the subject matter itself that generates the negative attitude in the student. Knowing where the student is coming from you determine how to modify the method of studying history, making it more interesting for the student.

You can't make it enjoyable by sitting him down with a textbook. To understand and appreciate history you have to experience it. Make it "come alive" by taking your child to historical sites. My children know that our travel itinerary always includes historical sites and museums. Although the museum may not be as exciting as the amusement park, we have a great time together as a family, even as my children accuse me of having tricked them into learning something. Read historical novels; watch historical videos/DVDs; volunteer to work at an historical site; and make contact with family members, relatives and friends that lived through and experienced historical events. Hands-on projects are great for kinesthetic learners. History is more meaningful if approached as a way of life for the whole family rather than merely a specific subject that a student studies in school. In the next newsletter I'll share some of my favorite history activities; in the meantime, check out these and other resources on our website to assist you in making history an enjoyable subject for your child.