Hello! My name is Sheila Howard and I have been a public school teacher for almost 20 years.  I am committed to helping students understand that history is about people and people are the ones that make events happen. History does not have to be a boring experience. I strive to make the past come alive in my classes so that students can engage with the past and see the relevance in today’s world. In addition, I want my students to be academically successful so my classes incorporate important skills such as problem solving, reading, writing, and critical thinking. 

I have a Master's degree in Secondary Education/Social Science and an Educational Specialist degree in Teacher Leadership. I also have a current teaching license to teach Social Science and English as a Second Language classes to students in grades 6-12. When I am not teaching public school history classes, I teach English online to children in other countries. This experience has been very rewarding because I have been able to connect with people from a different part of the world and learn more about them and their cultures. 

When I am not teaching, I love spending time with my family exploring historical sites, old cemeteries, and forts. We love being outdoors so we also do a lot of hiking and tent camping. I am  fascinated with antique clothing and the cooking methods of the past so I do a lot of gardening, sewing, crocheting, canning, and cooking from scratch. 
______________________________________________________________________________

Class Policies:
1). I aim to end classes at their scheduled times. However, due to the nature of our active classes or in classes with lower enrollments we may run a few minutes over or under.
2). If a class does not meet the minimum enrollment requirements, I will contact parents and learners before the scheduled start time to confirm whether or not they want to go forward with the class. I will teach the class unless the parent or learner requests a transfer to a class with higher enrollment. 
3). Classes will begin at the scheduled time even if all learners are not in the classroom (unless there is a technical issue). I will not contact absent learners during class so I can focus my attention on the students that are present. However, I realize things happen so I will contact absent students after class to determine whether or not they would like to transfer to another section.
4). If no learners are present when the scheduled class begins, I will wait 10 minutes before exiting the classroom. In this situation, I will contact learners and parents to determine if they would like to transfer to another section.
5). Refunds are limited and follow the Outschool refund policy.
6).Outschool classes are expected to fall within an age range of five years. Most of my class offerings are based on middle school and/or high school social studies or English Language Arts objectives. The target age is typically 10-15 years old. While there are many gifted learners in need of social studies courses, students below this age range should consult with me before enrolling to ensure readiness and may be removed and refunded if this step is not taken. Some course offerings will involve activities (i.e. cooking, sewing, cutting) that will require parental guidance, but those courses will be identified as such. 

I look forward to seeing you in the classroom. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. If you are in need of a scheduled time other than the ones offered, please send me a message. Please keep in mind that I am on central time and a public school teacher, but I will do my best to accommodate schedules whenever possible. If you have ideas or requests for classes you would like for me to offer, I would love to hear them so please send me a message. My best ideas have come from student questions and ideas.