KENNEBUNK, Maine — A local eighth-grade teacher at Middle School of The Kennebunks has found a way to bring history education into the real world.
Ben Fogg, a full-time history teacher, also works part time at a local restaurant, with the hope of bringing in some extra cash to help pay off his house.
The combination of the two jobs led him to create a mock American Revolution restaurant inside his classroom, showing students how a real job works while tying in the historical facts they are learning in school.
Each student is required to pick a subject related to the years between 1775 to 1783 to tell the table they served.
"I learned a whole bunch more because of this interactive way. I think I am going to remember it more, better than just reading out of a book," Reese Manikian, an eighth-grader, said.
Fogg is turning book learning into a practical, real-world experience.
"We really got to learn the experiences of speaking out in front of people to an audience," Will Murray, another eighth-grader in his class, said.
"I always say to them my job is to help you get a job one day," Fogg said.
As these eighth-graders prepare for high school next year, Fogg hopes to inspire and prepare them for their futures.
"When I look at eighth-graders, I don't think, 'Oh it's an eighth-grader.' I think they could work for me one day, [or] I could work for them one day," Fogg said.
