Thomas Acampora '05, a social studies teacher at Baltimore Talent Development High School in Baltimore City, won Maryland's History Teacher of the Year award, presented by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Preserve America, based in New York. He will receive a $1,000 honorarium and compete for the national award this fall. The school's library also will be given an archive of history books and other materials from the institute.
In an interview with the Baltimore Examiner, Acampora was asked what sets him apart as a history teacher. He responded "I'm a very nontraditional teacher, and I don't do a lot of lectures. I'm very project-, research- and inquiry-based. It's about getting kids to ask important questions about the past, so they can really take ownership of their learning. One of the things we do is simulate a town in U.S. history. So, we write the history of the town, have a map and watch history progress."
In an interview with the Baltimore Examiner, Acampora was asked what sets him apart as a history teacher. He responded "I'm a very nontraditional teacher, and I don't do a lot of lectures. I'm very project-, research- and inquiry-based. It's about getting kids to ask important questions about the past, so they can really take ownership of their learning. One of the things we do is simulate a town in U.S. history. So, we write the history of the town, have a map and watch history progress."
