NAME:
Travis Duvall
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SCHOOL:
North Oldham Middle School
CLASS:
8th Grade American History
SCHOOL PHONE:
228-9998 ext. 107
"Why do I teach history?"
Because I love it. History is the story of us. Think about a world where
the past wasn't recorded, a world where people only lived in the present
with no connection to the people, places, and events that have shaped their
world. With no ties to those who came before us, those who helped to lay
the foundation of the society we live in, we would be a people with no
identity. I teach history because if it is not taught, it will surely be
forgotten, and if it is forgotten, the ideals and beliefs that have molded
all of us will be swept away with the sands of time. History, to me, is
more than just a list of dates or biographies of historic figures...it is a
living, breathing memory and all of us share in that memory. We are
connected to the first human beings that established the idea of
civilization, to those who formulated laws for the common good, to those who
dreamed of things that almost seem utterly impossible such as democracy,
equality, and justice, to the innovations that have challenged and changed
the way we live our lives. We are all connected to the past because we will
some day be a part of it. History is often referred to by historians
as "change over time." I prefer to see it as "choices over time," choices
made by people just like us, whether it was a 22-year-old with no money and
no land who helped lead a revolution and establish a new nation (George
Washington) or a poor farm boy who kept this country from tearing itself
apart and established the notion that all people should truly be free
(Abraham Lincoln). These people were just like us, all of them, and what
made them great was not the time they lived in or the things they said. It
was the choices they made and the vision they had. I challenge all of us to
play a role in history and become the leaders and figures that future
generations will revere and admire for the choices they made and the role
they played.
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Please feel free to contact me. The best way to get a hold of me is either
by
calling the phone number above before and after school hours or via school
email: travis.duvall@oldham.kyschools.us
It is my goal that history will come alive for our students this year as
they experience our nation's past through literature, primary source
materials, discussion groups, skits and simulations, research, projects and
presentations.