About

Thanks for checking out Crafting History!

It was well into my career before I figured out what my true calling was. What I was doing at the time was rewarding in that I was successful, but not in that it didn't make me feel much of anything at all.

I thought hard on this for a long time, and when the idea came together for me, everything just clicked.

Spending time with children - with my own kids and their friends in particular - was always important to me. I made it a priority. I played ball with them, hosted art projects, talked and learned with them, and took them to the library EVERY week. I read hundreds of books to them when they were toddlers, and I taught them about anything they were interested in.

I remembered how much we ALL enjoyed it. Those were special times.

Then it occurred to me that every job I've ever held back to caddying on a golf course in high school, my bosses always handed me the same task, "teach our new hires to..."

It hit me one day like a lightning bolt... "this is what you are meant to do!"

I had found my path to teaching.

Some time was lost, but I was energized and my early careers spoke to that child in me who always liked to create art. I still fondly recall memories from my childhood that afforded me the freedom to explore my ideas in ways that no one else did.

Looking back, my early careers in fashion, advertising & marketing, live TV and video production taught me how to express myself through creativity. They gave me a forum to learn and understand things in a way that felt authentic.

I knew I had to bring ALL that life experience together in my teaching style.

An idea was born, and what happened next was pure magic!

Fast forward 11 years, and we're still learning and having fun! Over time, I gravitated from more standard methods of teaching, to present day where anticipation and excitement abounds with every new topic we explore.

It was experiential learning at its best, and I quickly learned kids loved it!

Some children learn best in a 2D/3D, mixed media world with crafting, sketching, painting, sculpting and building using brown craft paper, markers, crayons, pencils, kinetic sand, recycled shopping bags, popsicle sticks, pebbles, sand, toothpicks, human figurines, clay, pipe cleaners, sticks, rocks, soil, water, magnets, paints, animal figures, and more. This approach works the mind in different ways.

Everyone finds a way to thrive, to feel heard, to express themselves, engage in learning, and not just have it fed to them in a boring, generic way that will not be retained.

Doesn't every child deserve dynamic learning experiences that engage?

Well-thought out lessons, mixed carefully with solid communication, strong subject-matter knowledge, the right materials, and an animated speaking style are all ingredients for engaging with children on a level that they can consistently relate to.

What we do is fun, unique, and educational, and kids remember it. The experience becomes a happy memory, and they discuss it with me sometimes years later with the same enthusiasm and accuracy as if it had happened minutes ago.

"I remember when we learned about..."

I have a knack for connecting with kids, and there are no other humans I'd rather teach and learn from. My two kids have always known that, and somehow as teenagers, they still talk about those times. It always makes me smile.

My passion for teaching history shines bright. It engages and inspires.

Kids often seek out additional learning on their own time by asking to go to libraries, museums, battlefields, monuments, buildings, mountain ranges, rivers, cities, reenactments, and more.

They engage with their friends, they make mudbricks on the playground, and they share their newfound knowledge with you. Learning transcends the lesson when children pursue the knowledge on their own. They know what it is to continuously ask questions, and seek out answers.

It's where the spark often begins.

Thanks for taking the time to learn about the work I'm doing with kids. If you have any questions, or would like to inquire about current offerings, please email me at the link below.

Best,
Mr. Scott