John Simpson

"History is a well told story"
                              -John Simpson

History, do you like it, hate it? John Simpson doesn't care. The only thing that matters in his class is that you show up, use "that three pounds of gray matter" and learn something.  If you are willing to give him those things, then he promises to make history relevant to your life.  

That line "History is a well told story" is how Mr. Simpson starts off the first day of the new quarter in every history class he teaches.  John Simpson will forever be a part of the story that makes up the history of my life.


Simpson, a history teacher at Pierce College for over 15 years, is one of my all time favorite teachers.  His wit, directness, and questions engage students at a level that most teachers can't.  When I walked into class the first day I saw a tall man of medium build dressed in slacks, and a blue button up shirt with a black tie.  At 11:00am sharp he rose from his chair and said "Good morning class, is it that time? Yes, it's that time." and for the next 50 minutes I sat listening to the artillery barrage that was his lecture.  The focus, and deliberateness with which he spoke captured my attention.  He was talking about history, my favorite subject, with the same passion that I have, and in a manner that I had never seen before.  His style is loud, abrasive, and to the point.  He asks tough questions that demand answers and forces people to take sides on difficult issues.  

One of my favorite examples of this is when he was teaching about slavery in America.  He asked what we would do if we were farmers in Jamestown Virginia circa mid to late 1600s.  You are trying to expand your farming operations but you need a cheap source of labour.  Your white indentured servants sent over from England are all dying from diseases; what do you do? You find a labour source that will not die.  Enslaving Africans was their answer.  By looking at the origins of slavery in America not as an issue of race but of economics, he humanized slaveholders by asking, “what would you do if you needed workers but did not have any?  Would you let your morals slide to accomplish a goal?”  To understand history, it has to become real to those who study it, tangible events that actually took place at some place and time.

He has a method to interpreting and teaching history he has dubbed the kaleidoscope of history.  Just as a kaleidoscope is made up of many small pieces that change shapes, sizes, and colors as it is turned the same is true with history.   In history the pieces of glass that make up the kaleidoscope are: Economics, Religion, Social Order, Law and Order, Art, and Education.  The pieces are listed in the order he feels are the most important motivation for events. However, the importance of the individual pieces can change depending on the specific set of circumstances.

More on the kaleidoscope of history in future posts and examples of how it is used to explain historical events. But for now I will end by saying John Simpsons teaching is an inspiration to me and many others. His stated goal is for his students to learn something every day that they can use when walk out of his class, and we do.  Thanks.