I have devoted my professional life to history education as a teacher, tutor, presenter, and curriculum writer. In the 2024-25 school year I will be tutoring full time, in addition to creating history teaching materials and professional development presentations. I have taught history with high school students since 1990, first in California and now in Minnesota.
My teaching practice and professional development presentations focus on educational equity, historical thinking, and blended learning. Through more than thirty years of classroom teaching and since 2020 as an online tutor, I have helped many students to study European, US, and World History in remedial, on-level, honors and Advanced Placement courses. In all pursuits I aim to continue globalizing History curricula and incorporating more student construction of historical knowledge, especially with deep literacy.
As a tutor, I believe that guided practice is the essence of education. All students can practice historical thinking by analyzing sources. Throughout the posts and lessons on this site I share sources and how I use them with students.
Online teaching interests me as a means to build more constructivist and student-centered curricula. I wrote and taught a Politics and Law course online in 2012-13. Several of the earliest blog entries here involve that course. Since then, history courses have comprised my teaching load. My practice blends face-to-face instruction with online elements using Moodle, especially in AP World History. In all of my history classes I use history labs to allow students to uncover history.
Click here to see Professional Presentations that I have made and am available to present; and, click here to see lesson plans. I am also an individual tutor for students. Students can book sessions with me through Wyzant, where I have conducted more 2,000 hours of lessons, or by contacting me directly.
Social Media: Mastodon
6 replies on “About Eric Beckman”
Hi,
Scrolling thru the internet and I stumbled upon YOU and I was thrilled to find an old friend! I hope all is well.
Hello Eric,
I’ve really enjoyed reviewing and utilizing the resources available in your “Less Scrambling, More Reflecting” post. I am particularly interested in the “Facing Colonialism: How Would You Respond” activity. Is it possible to get a copy of the reading on Nigeria that is paired with it? I’d love to utilize this exercise with my students this year.
Hey, I use your materials and love the swahili coast lesson plan a lot. Dudes rock.
Thanks for the note! Good to hear.
My colleague and I have long taught an interdisciplinary course on the literature and history of the Haitian Revolution and have made a multi-lingual interactive map and timeline tool for it (available in English, Spanish, French, and Kreyol). Teachers may find it helpful for use with the Revolution: https://www.mappinghaitianrevolution.com/
Thank you for sharing! I add a link on the Haitian Revolution resources here. It’s a fantastic resource. I especially appreciate how you take the timeline all the way back to 1492.