Hi guys,

Sorry about that but the new school year is kicking my ass. I am finally teaching history but I have my insecurities. I am teaching two classes of world history and three classes of US history. In world history we've finally started on the Egyptians. In US we are looking at Jamestown.

These kids have trouble. They really don't care. This morning I started with asking the perennial question, "Why do we study history?" I got the usual canned responses. So I pointed out Erich von Daniken who wrote Chariots of the Gods in 1968. He made a lot of money off people who believed him when he said that humans could not have built the pyramids. But we know who requested the pyramids, who designed them, who oversaw the gangs of men who worked on them, where the men lived, what they ate, where they are buried, and much more.

If you aren't familiar with history you may as well throw your money at any passing charlatan who wanders into town.

They seemed to like that.

This afternoon I was having trouble with two sets of kids in the back of the room. You know the kind, not interested and too distracted by the gossip of the minute. I finally stepped back there and told them I didn't care if they were bored or not. I didn't care if they wanted to make a mess of their lives. The world always needs more burger flippers. BUT! They are NOT allowed to make a mess of their lives (pointing over my back at the rest of the class. YOU WILL SIT QUIETLY AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE BELL TO RING! If I hear one word from any of you between now and then we will carry this conversation on 20 minutes after the bell.

They managed to keep quiet after that but it is a momentary respite.