Teacher Testimonials
Hello Ben,
First of all, let me just say that as a huge fan of the era of the American Revolution in history, and a fairly knowledgeable teacher in the area, I was indeed impressed with the quality and scope of your presentation today for our grade 5 students. Your use of materials, visuals and tangible objects that you provided addressed every single style of learner that the Stoklosa Middle School educates. Your extremely generous gifts of free downloadable versions of your book, the new pennies, and the access password for your online information were such a surprising treat for our kids; they were still buzzing about them at dismissal!
Many times my colleagues and I have booked field trips, guest speakers, and the like. Sometimes we are gravely disappointed, especially when our monies are so limited for these special events. I can speak for the entire team when I say that this was not such a case. Our kids received a highly educational, entertaining morning that gave them such a great connection to the material that we have been teaching for months. You provided the “cherry” to our “sundae” 
If I or any of my colleagues have any future needs in touring Boston or an opportunity for another visit, I will not hesitate to call/recommend you. Bravo, Ben Edwards! You were a pleasure.
Thank you for making our Literacy Week so successful and memorable!
Karen Murphy, Colleen Driscoll, Julie Charette, Rosalie Pulverenti, Eileen Minior, Donna Wholey-Thivierge, Kristen Eschmann and Nancy Kanellas — The Grade 5 Team
Like most of you, I tend to ignore 95% of the marketing materials that I receive as a fifth grade teacher. Ben Edwards’ brochure offering tours of Revolutionary War Boston happened to reach me during a weak moment over the summer, and upon reading it I was immediately struck by the opportunity his services might create: If taking my students to visit historic Boston was not in my budget, perhaps I could get historic Boston to visit my students! After a couple of quick phone calls and emails, that’s just what happened.
In fact, Ben Edwards visited all four of the fifth grade classes in my school one day this past November, spending an hour with each of them. The cost to the grade was less than the cost of just one round trip bus charter. Moreover, Ben really did bring historic Boston with him, particularly the drama of living in Boston in the days leading up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord. As the author of One April in Boston, a work of historical fiction involving one of Ben’s own ancestors and the real story of Paul Revere’s famous ride, Ben not only knows the facts cold, but he also has assembled an impressive array of artifacts to help illustrate the history. And as a seasoned tour guide, Ben is able to engage his audience with great skill — asking questions, telling stories, and showing his materials to great effect.
Ben is extremely generous to the classes he visits. He not only brings with him copies of his book and folders full of maps and pictures, but he also provides free class-wide access to the MP3 audio version of his book via a website, and leaves an audio CD version and hard copy with the teacher. I would suggest requesting the audio CD version ahead of time and using it as a read-aloud. Ben will be happy to oblige.
In short, I would wholeheartedly recommend Ben Edwards to any classroom teacher interested in bringing Boston’s Revolutionary War history alive for his or her students.
Seth Evans
Fifth Grade Teacher
Mitchell School
Needham, MA
Ben,
I have to say that in my 15 years of teaching, this was one of the best field trips ever! You were extremely informative and certainly knowledgeable about the subject matter. One can see the passion you have for history. Everything was perfect from beginning to end, despite our late arrival. We appreciate your willingness to be flexible and understanding of our group’s needs. Your props and different ways of getting the students engaged demonstrated a real talent of interpersonal communication skills. We plan to use your services again next year for sure!
You have inspired us so much, in fact, that we’re really taking this experience a step further. Here’s what we plan to do. We are reviewing all of the pictures with the students. They are recalling the interesting facts that you presented to us. We are printing out the photos of the sites, and each child will get a different subject to research. They will each write an essay about their picture, (The historical significance really….) and we’ll compile the writing and pictures into a 4th grade book. Wait…. there’s more…. we’ll use “Keynote” software to make a digital presentation of the photos and their work. We will certainly share the final product with you when we are finished.
We have done nothing but rave about your services to our colleagues upon our return. We have the green light to keep this field trip in our budget for next year. I’d be happy to share your business card with other teachers.
Stephanie Syre-Hager
Fourth Grade Teacher
Applewild School
Fitchburg, MA
Ben Edwards visited five 3rd Grade classrooms at Sylvester School in Hanover, Massachusetts recently. He captured our students’ interest in learning about the history of the American Revolution during his classroom presentations.
Ben engaged our students with his energy and enthusiasm as he taught them about the American Revolution through storytelling. His classroom presentations were a fantastic way to begin our unit of study on the American Revolution. Our students were truly inspired to learn more based on Ben Edwards own enthusiasm for his family history and knowledge of the colonial time period. Another highlight of Mr. Edwards’ program for us was that it connected to other parts of our curriculum, including our community study and character education. Our students were motivated to learn about the history of their own families and town with the help of Ben’s engaging presentations. The theme of goal setting in Ben’s book also provided a connection to character education. The use of the spyglass at the end of Ben’s presentations, gave the children a tangible experience to carry with them long after they leave our school.
Based on the positive response from both the students and 3rd Grade teachers, we are planning to take our 3rd graders on the Walking Tour this year.
Sarah LaFond
Third Grade Teacher
Sylvester School
Hanover, MA
Dear Ben,
I was one of the parent/chaperones on your Freedom Trail/Sons of Liberty program this Wednesday with the Greenland Central School. I am more than embarrassed to admit that I went to school and worked in Boston for 20 years before moving to Greenland NH in 1989 but never walked the Trail! I love Boston and history and walked the city a million times during my time there. I have to say that it was more than worth the wait to take the tour with you! Your family historical connection to the goings on in Boston as well as your admirable breadth of knowledge of the facts (and factoids!) made it the best day ever. I will enjoy reading your book. Thank you so much!!
Jane King
Greenland, NH
Dear Ben,
I just want to thank you once again for an informative and thoroughly enjoyable Freedom Trail Tour! The kids were totally into it….and so were their parents! We received LOTS of positive feedback!
Same time next year?
Shelley Baglino
Wrentham Public Schools
Wrentham, MA
Ben,
Your book and your tour are phenomenal! The kids loved your visuals and the spyglass was a big hit! The students wrote you thank you cards and they are enclosed. Thanks again, we had a great time.
Melissa Fleishman
Cohen Hillel Academy
Marblehead, MA
-Thank you sooooo much Ben! This experience was awesome! I really liked seeing all the old places from colonial times! This trip was sweet and your book is awesome! Samuel Y.
-Thank you for giving us a tour of Boston. You explained it to us so well I could picture it in my mind. I enjoyed all of the engravings that you showed us and I especially liked the grasshopper weather vane. The tour of Boston was a very fun experience. Becah
-Thank you so much for the tour of the Freedom Trail. It was so much fun. One of my favorite things was the Paul Revere House. Another thing that I enjoyed was visiting where the Boston Massacre occured. Again thank you so much. I had fun being your main assistant! Amanda
-Thank you for taking us on the tour. I thought it was funny when you showed us the gold food in the street representing the haymarket. I also thought it was really cool seeing the spyglass. Maybe I’ll be ingraved in a sidewalk one day. Thank you again. Evan.
-Thank you for taking us around the freedom trail in Boston. My favorite parts were going to the old north church, Paul Revere’s house, and the weather vane at fanuel hall. Zachary
-Thank you for taking us on the wonderful tour. I really enjoyed the Old North Church. My favorite part of the church was the cubicals and how each family could deccarate there own cubical. I also enjoyed the Hay market and the gold in the streets. Michael
-Thank you so much for the awesome tour. My favorite part was seeing the spyglass. I also enjoyed seeing Paul Revere’s house. I learned so much. Thanks again, I had a great time! Emily
-Thank you for being our tour guide on the Freedom Trail. A couple things I enjoyed most were the golden streets, the spyglass, and seeing Paul Revere’s house. I also liked the weathervanes and the grave with bullet marks in it. I hope you had as much fun as I did. Thank you, Lauren
Dear Ben,
Thank you. The tour was amazing! You are so good with the children! The fourth & fifth grade students and I learned so much. Yes, I did receive the Online Access to the Colonial Newspapers. I was just about to go find one for tomorrow’s lesson. Thanks again for all you did. You made the event very, very special!
Sincerely,
Sandra Brazier
Franco American School
Lowell, MA
P.S. As we studied Social Studies today, the kids kept saying, “We saw that with Ben!” They were so excited, and I was VERY happy. Thanks for making my job so much easier.
Ben,
I wanted to personally tell you that my expectations for today’s trip were far exceeded. You not only gave the students a great foundation of history, but you also spiced it with enough interest and third grade humor, that they LOVED the trip. I keep hearing, “That was AWESOME!” They did not say the same for Plimoth Plantation. So that’s a testament to you as a guide.
If you ever need a recommendation or anything, I’d be happy to help promote your tour. I hope the third grade makes this a regular event in the Spring. We’re very much looking forward to listening to your book. Plus, the pennies are a BIG hit!!
Also, Alee Rogers was impressed with your unique ability to educate, entertain, and engage while effectively managing such a large group.
Many many thanks,
Amy Heutel
Cambridge Friends School
Cambridge, MA
Dear Ben,
Just wanted to thank you again for the brilliant tour you took us all on on Tuesday. For next year I will know to build in more time. It is so hard to have to travel up from the Cape with two classes of fifth grade students; but so worthwhile. We could not have had better weather as well and then the Boston cream pie for dessert! We have some great pictures of you with the kids. I will be sending them along with personal notes from the class. Now the kids are reading your book and loving it. What an inclusive, personable, educational experience! Thanks again for being so nice and so knowledgeable and informed. I’m impressed with your thorough research!
Thanks again.
Sue Vandemoer
Cape Cod Academy
Osterville, MA
Recently our 52 fifth graders left Keene, New Hampshire for a field trip to Boston’s Freedom Trail. We were fortunate to have Ben Edwards as our Tour Guide. He is a passionate about colonial times and the Revolutionary War. Ben’s ancestors arrived in Boston over 300 years ago, and Ben has been studying his genealogy and facts about this period of time since he was a child. Ben has a wonderful personality and related to the children extremely well. He asked them many questions so they were able to participate and share their knowledge from our fifth grade colonial unit. We all enjoyed standing at the spots where history happened, and most children agreed their favorite spot was the Old North Church. Our lunch break at Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market was entertaining for all. I highly recommend Ben Edwards as a Tour Guide if you are thinking of a trip to Boston. You won’t be disappointed.
Donna Cary
Symonds School
Keene, NH
Dear Mr. Edwards,
On behalf of the students and chaperones of Salem Christian School, we want to extend a warm “thank you”. Every chaperone commented on your ability to speak to the children and keep their attention. This is not an easy task to adjust your information to meet the needs of students of all ages and interests. Each student felt that this was our best field trip of the year, and we have taken five already! Several students have already listened to your book and enjoyed the story from start to finish. I was impressed by your depth of information about the historical sites. You truly made history “come alive”.
Thanks for personalizing our tour by talking with individual children and giving them souvenirs (postcards) and special gifts! The two students, who missed the trip, heard all the rave reviews from the others…they were sincerely sorry that the trip was missed! We wish you success in your tour business and will heartily recommend your services to any of our friends or family who are looking for a great way to see Boston.
Laura Spanos
Salem Christian School
Salem, NH
Dear Ben,
Last August, when the temperatures and humidity were impossible to tolerate for my four students and me, you adjusted your schedule and itinerary to meet our needs and provided us with the best tour of our ten day excursion to the East Coast. You were thoughtful, kind, considerate of the students and their interests. You never spoke over their heads, but found a way to connect with each student. Today, I asked each of the students what they remembered about our trip to the East Coast, and each recalled Ben as the best guide. I cannot offer higher praise.
Charles Tripp and Joe, Edward, Annie, and Jane
Los Angeles, CA
Dear Ben,
Thanks for a very successful tour for our entire 5th grade class of over 140 students. Many of the teachers and chaperones who went have told me this was the best field trip they have ever been on – and that’s going a long way considering they were moms who’ve been going on field trips with their kids for years and teachers who’ve been on a number of successful field trips during their careers! I would like to know, when can I reserve you for next year?
Ellen Horton
Freeman-Centennial School
Norfolk, MA
Recently, I had the great pleasure of touring Boston for my third time. This trip, as the group leader for more than 30 high school social studies teachers, I acquired Ben Edwards as our guide. Ben worked with me via email for a few months tweaking what I wanted and what he could suggest for our group. Together we came up with a stellar tour (mostly Ben’s ideas, only one was really mine). Ben arranged a reasonable, full day schedule for us and off we went. Ben’s ability to tell the Story of History made the tour a treasure trove of tidbits, intrigue and rich content. Ben was a “historian”! Each stop had us anxiously waiting for him to start the next part of the story and show us his next primary source. If you intend to visit Boston, be sure Ben Edwards is with you. For every future trip I plan to Boston, Ben Edwards will be our guide.
Pamela Gothart
Teaching American History Project Director
Madison County Schools
Huntsville, AL
Dear Ben,
The tour for our 29 English language learners from Haiti, Brazil and Vietnam was wonderful. The kids in grades 5-11 were talking about it all day today. We are going to keep up the focus on family history and setting goals throughout the rest of our program. For the goalsetting piece, we’ll be using “the spyglass” element from your book to help us out. I was able to download the poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” from your website and use it (along with the fact oriented PDF) as a teaching tool. Thanks again for a great afternoon.
Jim Burke
Randolph Community Middle School
Randolph, MA
Dear Ben,
We all had such a wonderful time enjoying your knowledge of our beloved Boston. Thank you so much for all the extra effort you put into the time we had with you. I was telling someone yesterday – I felt like I was walking around with an old friend. I know the 23 children (and I) learned much from you. The book was a terrific way to bring it all to light for them. We especially enjoyed how you made connections to modern day life.
Paula Breuer
Homeschooling Group
of 8 Families
Topsfield, MA
Ben,
WOW! What an amazing tour today. I am officially inspired. Thank you SO much for your enthusiasm, knowledge and sense of humor today. My fifth grader came home and told her father ALL about the trip including some of the jokes – and he was amazed – having grown up in Wellesley since age 7 – of how much she took home from the day. I will pass your website along to all my friends in other schools in Wellesley and my sister in Sherborn and let them know they should book a class tour with you in the future.
Thanks again,
Erika Redmond
Parent/Chaperone
Saint John School
Wellesley, MA