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Rating: 
Summary: A Passion for the Future
Review: "A Passion for the Past" is a prescription for the future. James A. Percoco's thoughtful mastery of the "art" of teaching - no, sharing and living - history draws a clear benchmark for educators. As Percoco puts it, quoting Nikos Kazantzakis, "ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross, then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse encouraging them to create bridges of their own." Such is the essence of Percoco's mission. And succeed he does. In this work, Clio's missionary heralds the testament of engaging in, participating in, and feeling the Past. Although recognizing the place of traditional history's written textbook method, Percoco entreats a far more rich - and more personal and human - interaction with the past. He calls us a little less to the altar of history and a little more to the choir of the voices of the past themselves. Invaluable to our youth, this is a lesson for their parents as well. Whether its calling upon colleagues with specialized knowledge in particular areas of study, turning to primary research with the historical documents themselves, revealing the lessons of the time and circumstance in which art and statutes present their testaments to our ancestors, interacting with cinematic and other popular historical media, participating in volunteer and paid historical and museum skills roles, or traveling to the fields of great national battles and the hallowed shrines of the birth of our Nation, Percoco's sermon is simple and consistent: Engage history, make it personal. And, from the elegant insight of this thesis, he calls upon instructors and students to realize that the lessons of history are lessons of humanity; they are the lessons of each of our families. We owe it to those who have gone before to benefit from their successes and their tragedies. This is a history for the living. This is James A. Percoco's "applied history." As one of his students, I can tell you that it is a "history" that lights fires and changes lives. This is a passion.
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Summary: One great resource!
Review: I am a perspective teacher of history and after reading this book I feel more optomistic about teaching history and making it enjoyable for the students. I found that the activities and projects discussed in the book were very creative and fun. In addition, I felt that the activities would reach the greatest amount of students in the classroom. Overall, I found the book to be very useful. However, some of the activities, like field trips and projects that involve travel, would be difficult to incorporate in any given city. This book contains helpful information for those who teach in a city that has access to a wide variety of historical places, but, if you don't, then some of the activities are not applicable.
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Summary: Blood, Sweat and Tears
Review: I am a recent graduate of West Springfield High School, and I was priveleged enough to have Mr. James Percoco as a history teacher for the past two years. He is by far the most innovative and enthusiastic teacher I have ever known. His unique approach to history has inspired me and countless other students to connect more closely with the past, enjoying each discovery and challenge that history has to offer. I truly believe that Mr. Percoco's book is a valuable asset to the teaching community. Perhaps if more teachers adopt his methods, students around the world will be able to see past come alive, just as I have.
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Summary: A Student's Perspective
Review: I am a recent graduate of West Springfield High School, and I was priveleged enough to have Mr. James Percoco as a history teacher for the past two years. He is by far the most innovative and enthusiastic teacher I have ever known. His unique approach to history has inspired me and countless other students to connect more closely with the past, enjoying each discovery and challenge that history has to offer. I truly believe that Mr. Percoco's book is a valuable asset to the teaching community. Perhaps if more teachers adopt his methods, students around the world will be able to see past come alive, just as I have.
Rating:
Summary: Jim Percoco definitely has a Passion for the Past,
Review: I am another recent graduate of West Springfield High School, and I also had Mr. Percoco as a teacher for not one, but two years. His creative style, and teaching ability allows kids to enjoy and appreciate history for what it truly is. Under his teaching, my class did a variety of things, learning history through experience, while also learning about preservation. During the last year we(his class) went to various battlefields including a spring break trip to Massachussettes to see the 225 anniversery reanactment of the start of the Revolutionary War. It was a fun and unique experience. In my opinion, his teaching skills, and this book are great tools for others to interest kids in history.
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Summary: A how-to-guide for new teachers!
Review: Percoco's book should be a required read for anyone preparing to enter the world of teaching history. As a former student of Jim Percoco at West Springfield, I can say that he honestly lives and teaches by the words that appear in his book. Now a U.S. History teacher myself (inspired by the Percoco classroom), I have used many of his ideas in my own classroom. His strategies are engaging, and the results are astounding. My students have developed a much deeper understanding of history by active and creative learning as prescribed by Percoco in his book. A Passion for the Past shows new teachers how to NOT bore your students of U.S. History. I can't wait for his next book!
Rating:
Summary: A New Birth of Freedom
Review: Social Studies teacher James Percoco's book provides, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "a new birth of freedom" for teachers, students and parents interested in reinvigorating the study of the past. I came across Percoco's book while reading an inspiring review in "The History Teacher" and no sooner than the following week did I find myself implementing many of the ideas that he created for his Applied History class. In each of the book's eight chapters readers are reassured that the study of the past does not have to be limited to overblown textbooks in lecture-oriented classes. In fact, Percoco, despite the challenges of national and state standards of learning, has created more authentic and therefore more enduring opportunities for each of his students to actively participate in the study of the past rather than reading about voiceless men and women in twenty pound textbooks. Whether it is creating historical bumper stickers, field trips to Andersonville, historical heads, or historically relevant monuments out of clay, readers of this book will immediately seek out ways to apply some of the same ideas to their own teaching style and schools. The book will also inspire readers to the fact that when the study of the past becomes meaningful to the students it also becomes fun. The book concludes with an in-depth appendix providing valuable resources for those topics Percoco addressed throughout the book. This is the first of two books (the other "Divided We Stand: Teaching About Conflict in U.S. History") by Percoco that should inspire in each reader a vision of how history can be taught to all types of students as long as it is taught with passion and meaning.
Rating:
Summary: A New Birth of Freedom
Review: Social Studies teacher James Percoco's book provides, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "a new birth of freedom" for teachers, students and parents interested in reinvigorating the study of the past. I came across Percoco's book while reading an inspiring review in "The History Teacher" and no sooner than the following week did I find myself implementing many of the ideas that he created for his Applied History class. In each of the book's eight chapters readers are reassured that the study of the past does not have to be limited to overblown textbooks in lecture-oriented classes. In fact, Percoco, despite the challenges of national and state standards of learning, has created more authentic and therefore more enduring opportunities for each of his students to actively participate in the study of the past rather than reading about voiceless men and women in twenty pound textbooks. Whether it is creating historical bumper stickers, field trips to Andersonville, historical heads, or historically relevant monuments out of clay, readers of this book will immediately seek out ways to apply some of the same ideas to their own teaching style and schools. The book will also inspire readers to the fact that when the study of the past becomes meaningful to the students it also becomes fun. The book concludes with an in-depth appendix providing valuable resources for those topics Percoco addressed throughout the book. This is the first of two books (the other "Divided We Stand: Teaching About Conflict in U.S. History") by Percoco that should inspire in each reader a vision of how history can be taught to all types of students as long as it is taught with passion and meaning.
Rating:
Summary: Spark your creativity!
Review: Whether you are new to the field of teaching Social Studies or whether you are an experienced teacher, reading and using A Passion for the Past is a must. It is philosophical, engaging, stimulating, and practical at the same time. Jim Percoco has been generous in sharing his insights, strategies, curriculum ideas and specific lesson plans. He also shares his enthusiasm for teaching history, which is highly motivating in itself. If you are interested in stimulating ideas for an interactive teaching style, this is the very best source to check. Give yourself some time to read and work with this material - you will be inspired and guided - and so will your students! I can't rate this source more highly. Anyone teaching American History today will want to be familiar with Percoco's ideas.
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Summary: Spark your creativity!
Review: Whether you are new to the field of teaching Social Studies or whether you are an experienced teacher, reading and using A Passion for the Past is a must. It is philosophical, engaging, stimulating, and practical at the same time. Jim Percoco has been generous in sharing his insights, strategies, curriculum ideas and specific lesson plans. He also shares his enthusiasm for teaching history, which is highly motivating in itself. If you are interested in stimulating ideas for an interactive teaching style, this is the very best source to check. Give yourself some time to read and work with this material - you will be inspired and guided - and so will your students! I can't rate this source more highly. Anyone teaching American History today will want to be familiar with Percoco's ideas.
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