In Principal Bozarth's recommendation submitted to the folks at Gilder Lehrman for my consideration for History Teacher of the Year, he was asked for his thoughts regarding my engagement with the field of American history. Specifically, they wanted to hear about "leadership in the field, extracurricular activities, etc." His answers to the questions are greatly appreciated as they helped name me the 2021 Missouri History Teacher of the Year.
My brief answer to this question will certainly miss the mark on detailing Mr. Hoggatt’s engagement in the field of American history. He has routinely participated in summer teacher institutes such as Fort Ticonderoga and the George Washington Teacher Institute. Each time, he returns and shares these experiences with his students and colleagues.
Mr. Hoggatt has also partnered with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art over the past three years to bring history to life in his classroom with original works of art. Mr. Hoggatt takes all of this a step further in his daily lessons as he uses American history to teach cross-curricular assignments that incorporate math, language arts, and science, allowing him more time within the school day to devote to his passion for early American history. Many of Mr. Hoggatt’s history lessons and ideas are available on his class website for anyone to use, and he also shares them in professional development opportunities.
I can appreciate that Mr. Bozarth hit upon my collaboration and relationships with Mount Vernon, Fort Ticonderoga, and Crystal Bridges. I also like his recognition that I openly share many materials with anyone interested in them. Some may consider my introversion to be something that it is not, but the truth remains that I try to pass on just about everything I've learned and collected through the years.
For more about the award, go to the History Teacher of the Year page.
