World History 1 instructor Andrea Parent has taught history at South Lakes since 1998.

“I had good and bad history teachers through my high school years but I found history to be interesting,” Parent said. “I wanted to teach other people history so they would have fun learning.”

Parent enjoys interacting with her pupils.

“My favorite part of teaching history is the stories and trying to make it interesting for the kids and getting the students involved,” Parent said.

Parent was very drawn toward history and had taken a trip to Turkey this past summer at the end of June.

“I went with two organizations, The World Affairs Council and The Turkish Cultural Foundation,” Parent said. “Twenty-seven other teachers around the United States joined us on the trip.”

On the trip Parent saw many historical and cultural sights in Turkey.

“I applied for a trip through the Turkish foundation and wanted to learn things on Turkey first hand,” Parent said.

Parent teaches a  unit on Istanbul and Turkey, so she incorporates the trip into her teachings in the classroom.

“I show students pictures that I had taken personally on slides in Turkey, and share with them stories I have from the trip,” Parent said.

Parent thinks that her teaching style has helped students learn more.

“I absolutely think students are more interested and focused because I show them my experience,” Parent said. “They definitely ask a lot of questions too.”

Students think that learning from  Parent’s first hand experience is a better way of learning too.

“It’s interesting and funny to see Ms. Parent in pictures standing next to famous historical or cultural landmarks,” sophomore Alexia Davis said.

“It’s easier to stay focused and kind of cool to see our teacher in pictures with what we’re learning about,” freshman Manny Madrid said.

Parent says she would recommend this style of teaching to other teachers.

“Anytime you can experience what you teach and expand your knowledge on history, do it,” Parent said. “It makes students a lot more interested and more attentive.”