In 1492…

Do you recollect that famous rhyme we rehearsed in elementary school?  In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue…..

Educators nationwide imparted this repetitive verse throughout during formative years.  We all acquired the  knowledge that when we celebrate Columbus Day annually on the second Monday of each year, we recognize the accomplishment of one of Italy’s premier explorers….the arrival Christopher Columbus in the Americas.

But wise instructors and dedicated scholars are always disposed to poke around and dig a little deeper to uncover unknown truths for maximum classroom learning.

For example, did you know:

• Columbus' Italian name is actually Chrisoffa Corombo
• Columbus commenced his sailing career when he was 14 years old
• Columbus' brother Bartholomew had the initial brilliant idea to sail across the ocean
• One of Columbus' ships, the Santa Maria, wrecked on the coast of the Americas and could not make the return voyage
• Columbus Day is not recognized as a national event in Hawaii, South Dakota and Alaska
• In 1905, Colorado was the first state to officially establish and celebrate Columbus Day
• In wasn’t until 1937 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially declared October 12th as Columbus Day
• And then, in 1971, this official holiday was moved to the second Monday in October in order to give workers in the US a long weekend 
• Recently, controversy has been associated with this famous sailor’s anniversary and some communities have created alternatives
• In 2014, the Seattle City Council voted to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day in the city to credit the contributions and culture of Native Americans and the indigenous community in Seattle

Are you searching to become one of these few superior teachers who go beyond the basic requirements of imparting knowledge to students?  Do you seek to secure a top level teaching job?  Then begin your discovery at Monster.com. As their experts advice, “the biggest perk of a job in education: watching students grow, learn and achieve.”

Whether you take an elementary education job, a K-12 teaching job, a high school teaching job or a postsecondary education job, you’ll plan lessons, lead classes, figure out how to best impart information to your students, grade student work and get your pupils ready to move on to the next level.

If your teacher is a fan of Chris and his remarkable achievements, there are a multitude of events they can suggest to commemorate this Federal holiday:

• Attend a Columbus Day Parade.  The parade in New York City is one of the largest.
• Visit the Library of Congress's online exhibit 1492: An Ongoing Voyage.
• Host a scavenger hunt for the neighborhood kids and let them become explorer's for the day
• Although Columbus Day is the least observed of all federal holidays (a miniscule 10% of businesses actually close) if you do have freedom from toiling at the office or school, plan a mini-vacation!

And remember to give a shout out to that memorable classroom instructor who was the original teacher to embed the 1492 verse in your head for eternity.