Actor - Living Historian
Living History in the Classroom
April 2005 - June 2014
I created this incredibly exciting, engaging and interactive educational program in 2005, one year after I resigned from teaching 8th grade US History at Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica. The program begin as a one day, in class, workshop that I conducted for 8th graders at John Adams Middle School in Santa Monica, and grew to become a 1 - 3 day interactive workshop which I booked and performed at schools all over Southern California. Eventually, I expanded the business and hired one male and one female actor so that the program could include a female perspective, or offer a Union and Confederate soldier side-by-side for the live workshops.
In 2012-2014 the international touring sensation, War Horse came to the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Orange County, California as part of the US tour. I had been an artist on their Arts and Education roster for many years and my Living History program was very well received. I was hired to create and present a pre and post show, and intermission performance on the life of a Doughboy - a member of the American Expeditionary Forces to France in the first World War. This ended up being such a hit that I was commissioned by the Center to develop this into a touring show for schools. Shortly after I was cast by Cirque du Soleil and left on tour before having a chance to debut this new workshop. It is on standby awaiting the opportunity and I will look forward to merging my love of live performance and history as soon as is possible.
Here is a link to an article written about my Civil War unit that I created and taught while teaching 8th grade US History at LMS from 1999-2004:
https://argonautnews.com/lincoln-middle-school-students-study-reenact-civil-war-battle/
Here is another article written about my program in 2007 by Rob Baedeker from the George Lucas Educational Foundation’s publication, Edutopia:
https://www.edutopia.org/class-warfare
What follows is a brief summary and a few photos of the workshops I conducted from 2005 - 2014.
LIVING HISTORY IN THE CLASSROOM
Award-winning actor and educator, Jon Monastero, presents a fascinatingly detailed and enriching workshop on the life of a Civil War soldier or WWI Doughboy.
Civil War Living History in the Classroom: Bring the American Civil War to life with a special visit from Private yeoman farmer, John Le Monte of the 10th Louisiana Infantry Regiment or Irish immigrant, John Martin of the 69th New York Infantry Regiment.
These workshops conducted in the first person, feature actor Jon Monastero as he immerses students in a very personal portrayal of the life of a common soldier with an emphasis on either the Union or Confederate experience. Through engaging, interactive activities and dialogue, students develop critical thinking skills and a unique, first-hand perspective of life during one of the most influential moments in our country’s history.
Two to three workshops per class are recommended to cover all material.
This workshop is designed to support 5th, 8th and 11th grade social studies curriculum and any class studying U.S. History or the American Civil War.
Age Group: Grades 5-12
Availability: Year Round
Material Fees: None
Capacity: 35 Students per Class
The Life of a Doughboy in WWI: Portraying Corporal John Delserone of the American Expeditionary Force in the Great War, actor Jon Monastero, brings the experiences of a common Doughboy to life. The workshop is conducted in first person and students are immersed in the a very personal portrayal. Through engaging activities, dialogue and props, students develop a unique first-hand perspective of life during this incredibly tumultuous and transformative event.
This workshop is designed to support grade levels studying WWI.
Age Group: Grades 11-12
Availability: Year Round
Material Fees: None
Capacity: 60 Students per Class
