Drake seminar to explore active approaches to teaching history

CONTACT: Claudia Frazer, 515-271-3776, claudia.frazer@drake.edu; Lisa Lacher, 515-271-3119, lisa.lacher@drake.edu

James Percoco, award-winning author and educator, will present a free public seminar that explores active approaches to teaching history on Wednesday, July 15, at Drake University.

The event, which is part of Cowles Library’s summer course “Making Presidential History Come Alive,” will be held in two sessions in Cowles Library, 2725 University Ave.

The morning session, 9:30 a.m.-noon, will focus on Abraham Lincoln and John Adams as classroom content.
The afternoon session, 1:30-3 p.m., will investigate active approaches to teaching history.

While the seminar is designed for middle and high school teachers, participants also will explore the possibilities of adapting secondary methods to the college environment – specifically in online and hybrid courses.

Percoco teaches history at West Springfield High School in Springfield, Va., where he developed Applied History, a nationally recognized program. Students in the program work as interns at historical institutions as a way of learning history through experience in addition to classroom instruction.

Through Applied History, high school students have contributed more than 20,000 hours to historic sites, museums and history agencies throughout Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia since the program’s inception in 1991.

Percoco is the recipient of numerous education awards, including the first USA Today All-USA Teacher Team award in 1998, and the author of three books.

For more information about the Drake seminar, contact Claudia Frazer at 515-271-3776 or claudia.frazer@drake.edu.