St. Andrew’s Episcopal School middle school history teacher Dewayne Lawson shares insights from his transformative 20-year teaching journey. This article explores his shift from traditional lecture-based instruction to innovative, student-centered learning approaches using Mind, Brain, and Education science concepts and strategies. Lawson’s experience offers valuable perspectives on trust-building, active engagement, and the integration of technology in history education. His story is relatable for educators seeking to adapt their teaching methods to meet the demands of today’s young learners.
In the early days of his career, armed with chalk and following the familiar path of his own teachers, Lawson relied heavily on lectures. The classroom dynamic was straightforward: he spoke, students listened, and success was measured by test performance. However, as his experience grew, so did his understanding of effective teaching methods.
“I trust the students more than I did at the beginning of my teaching career,” Lawson said. While acknowledging that lectures still have their place in history education, he discovered that genuine learning requires more impactful teaching strategies and tools to facilitate active student engagement.
“As I’ve grown as a teacher, I’ve learned to trust my students more. I think students really do want to learn history, but you can’t just lecture. They have to explore history, and we have tools to make that easier that didn’t exist in 2001.”
This evolution in teaching style was accompanied by thoughtful implementation of brain-based learning strategies, like retrieval practice. One notable change was Lawson’s deliberate incorporation of wait time during classroom discussions. Rather than rushing to call on the first raised hand, now he allows students the cognitive processing time to analyze questions thoroughly.
This simple yet effective strategy has several metacognitive benefits: it gives students time to formulate their thoughts, encourages deeper reflection, and creates opportunities for more diverse classroom participation. By resisting the urge to fill silence immediately, Lawson found that students could develop better understanding of both what they know and what they still need to learn.
“Letting students sit with a question and really think about the answer helps them figure out what they know or, more importantly, what they don’t,” he explained. “It also forces me to not just call on the first hand that goes up, which allows me to hear from a variety of students in every lesson.”
Now in his second year at St. Andrew’s, The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) has played a pivotal role in Lawson’s professional development. He emphasized how the CTTL facilitated meaningful conversations between teachers during professional development days, creating a supportive environment where educators feel comfortable asking questions and addressing areas for improvement.
“The professional development trainings pair psychological safety with practical, actionable teaching strategies,” he continued. “This combined approach—creating space for vulnerability while offering concrete solutions—helps teachers build both confidence and competence in their practice.”
When it comes to making history engaging, Lawson believes in connecting historical events to students’ lives, particularly leveraging the rich history of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He incorporates humor into his lessons, recognizing its power to keep students engaged and invested in the material.
One particularly innovative lesson Lawson developed focuses on the Red Scare during the Cold War. In this engaging simulation, students received cards and had to identify supposed “communists” among their classmates. “The goal for the students,” he said as he smiled, “is to create the largest group of students without having a communist infiltrate the group.”
The twist? No student was actually designated as a communist. This exercise effectively demonstrated how paranoia and suspicion can spread through a community, mirroring the historical reality of the Red Scare period. Before they knew it, the students were actively engaged in learning and critical thinking.
Technology revolutionized Lawson’s approach to teaching history. Where accessing primary sources was once challenging, digital archives made historical documents readily available. He also utilized educational games to help students grasp complex concepts like the Electoral College.
“Some students had some difficulty with understanding how the process worked. iCivics has a game called ‘Win the White House.’” He explained, “Students set up their own ‘campaigns’ and run an election, trying to get the requisite 270 electoral votes. Playing the game has made the entire process more tangible for the students, and many of my 7th graders continue to send me screenshots of their electoral college wins!”
Lawson views history as a collection of interconnected stories. He weaves personal experiences into his lessons, helping students see him as more than just an instructor. This authenticity, he believes, is crucial for building the student-teacher relationships that foster effective learning.
“I teach history with stories as often as I can,” he said. “I also teach some concepts with stories from my own life and experiences which helps form connections with my students and is key to the buy-in teachers need to have a successful relationship with students.”
In today’s digital age, Lawson places special emphasis on developing critical thinking skills. “Teaching critical thinking skills has always been an important part of my teaching; but it’s even more important now when there is so much disinformation and ‘fake’ information at the students’ fingertips.”
He teaches students to understand history through cause-and-effect relationships, helping them navigate complex historical concepts while building skills essential for evaluating information in the modern world. To make his lessons more relevant, Lawson connects historical concepts to current events. For instance, when discussing Congressional powers outlined in the Constitution, he captures students’ attention by relating it to potential regulation of popular social media platforms like TikTok.
“Just recently we were talking about what could have been a mundane topic: powers assigned to Congress by the Constitution. Students didn’t really have much enthusiasm on the topic, but when presented with the reality that Congress could regulate apps they like (i.e. TikTok), they seemed to really want to know more about how (and why) Congress would move to ban an app that many enjoy.”
For aspiring history teachers, Lawson’s advice is straightforward: bring passion and authenticity to the classroom every day. Lawson said he believes that when teachers genuinely love their subject and remain true to themselves, the challenges of teaching become more manageable, and the rewards become even more meaningful.
“Teaching is hard. You really have to put your heart and soul into each day. But when you love the job and love the students, it’s worth it,” Dewayne says. “Make sure you’re always your authentic self. I’ve found that when I’m able to be me in the classroom, all the hard work and struggle that comes with teaching is much easier to deal with.”
