Education Commons^™

Keeping Social Studies Alive In The Elementary Classroom: Countering The Effects Of Nclb In Southwestern Illinois Schools, Bethany Hill-Anderson, Andria Harrison, Andrea Tardino

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This research project focuses on collaborative partnerships between university faculty, graduate students, and local cooperating teachers. Pre-service teachers surveyed cooperating teachers (N=30) regarding their opinions and practices in social studies education. The data led to positive changes in a university methods course and increased pedagogical skills for teacher candidates.

This venture is a model of effective collaboration between university faculty, graduate students, pre-service teachers, and cooperating teachers who have worked together to gain a deeper understanding of the purpose and challenges faced by social studies educators. The overall goal of the project is to promote social studies education for all …

Engagement In The History Classroom: Problem-Based Learning And Primary Sources, Lauren Seghi

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Too often today, students have to sit idly in a history classroom listening to a lecture or reading out of a textbook which is why many people in society (adults and children alike) do not like or understand the complexity of history. This article argues that in order for students to be engaged in "doing" history in the classroom, they need to take part in problem-based learning (pbl) activities using primary sources from the past.

Teaching Social Structure In A Poststructural Classroom: A (Mild) Defense Of An Economic Deterministic Approach, Cory Blad

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Teaching social structure is difficult due to the fact that these supposed influences are regularly invisible and often function without the knowledge of those being influenced. At the same time, most of us – in particular undergraduate college students – are resistant to the idea that our actions and choices are somehow constrained or influenced. This essay examines the challenge of teaching social structure to potentially resistant groups and defends the use of a common budget-based exercise to connect students to the potential of structural constraints on individual action.

The Untruth Of Truth: A Suggestion For Teaching In The Information Age, Angelo Letizia

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The notion of representation has entertained philosophers and thinkers for centuries. How can anything, any idea, any concept or object truly be represented by a language, institution, idea or image? In the information age, the notion of representation is even more pressing. Twenty-four hour news feeds, YouTube, social media, government propaganda, iPhones, the media, the advertising industry and other agencies and devices disseminate a seemingly infinite amount of images that portend to represent something, from consumer products to political intentions. However, more times than not, supposed truths do not correspond to any underlying reality because they no longer need to. …

Applying The Jigsaw Technique To The Mississippi Burning Murders: A Freedom Summer Lesson, Lindon Joey Ratliff

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The purpose of this article is to assist social studies teachers with integrating the Jigsaw technique to the Civil Rights movement. Designed in 1971, the Jigsaw Technique was created to combat racism and assist with encouraging cooperative learning. It is the sincere hope of this author that this sample lesson will ultimately assist educators in the creation of stronger units dealing with civil rights. An overview of the Jigsaw Technique, review of the Mississippi Burning Murders and teaching strategies are provided.

Teachers And Librarians Collaborate: Teaching About Family And Community Through Children’S Literature, M. Gail Hickey, Margit Codispoti

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Through the use of children’s books about family and community, students have opportunities to learn about people, culture, traditions, values, and everyday lives similar to and different from their own. A Children’s Special Collection Librarian and a teacher educator worked together to help teachers use Patricia Polacco's books to teach about family and community, and enable students to explore realistic and memorable examples of the cultures of diverse peoples within their own community.

Locating Sociological Concepts In Business Games, Dylan Kissane, Helen Roux-Fontaine

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article describes one strategy for demonstrating the value of sociological concepts to business students by adopting a transversal approach to a business game at a French-American business school. This strategy proved effective in allowing a social science professor to demonstrate the practical implications of two concepts – gender and race – to undergraduate students while simultaneously allowing an international management professor to demonstrate how cross-cultural teams should be managed in order to work effectively. This article firstly explains the Ecotonas business game; secondly, it explains the crucial debriefing process for the business game and demonstrates how sociological concepts can …

Teacher Interpretations Of Moneyskill®, Thomas Lucey, Elizabeth White, Aline André

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

While much scholarship concerns the efforts to teach children and youth about personal finances, much less, if any, research concerns efforts of practicing teachers to evaluate and interpret financial curricula for schools. This paper conveys the results of a research study that interpreted teachers’ responses the high school modules associated with the Moneyskill® online education program. A convenience sample of teachers enrolled in a graduate level diversity course as a large teacher education institution in the Midwest completed assigned MoneySKILL modules and participated in group online reflections. Participants in the study interpreted the content as appropriate and relevant. They also …

Review Of "Innovations In Economic Education: Promising Practices For Teachers And Students, K-16", Stephen H. Day

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

No abstract provided.

Curriculum Review: The Understanding Fiscal Responsibility Lesson Materials, Scott W. Dewitt, Nick Dilley

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

No abstract provided.

We Shall See: Critical Theory And Structural Inequality In Economics, Neil Graham Shanks

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This paper seeks to provide educators with a critique of dominant narratives through the disciplinary tools of economics. Specifically; issues of race, gender, and geography are addressed via the common economic subjects of fiscal and monetary policy, economic indicators, wages, and economic growth. By providing a practical blueprint for a more critical curriculum in economics, these lessons and the literature that supports them demonstrates the potential of teachers to challenge taken-for-granted notions of what economics is and what it is for.

Teaching Unemployment Across The Curriculum, Natalia Smirnova

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The Economics-Across-the-Curriculum approach encourages the integration of economic concepts into various disciplines. This paper describes several creative lesson ideas about teaching Unemployment which were field-tested by high-school teachers who attended a multi-day workshop at a not-for-profit institution in Massachusetts. We hope that these ideas will inspire high school teachers to try them in their classrooms. Any subject area can be a fruitful ground for the infusion of economics, economic text analyses, or quantitative literacy concepts.

Noodlenomics: Using Pool Noodles To Teach Supply And Demand, Jennifer Leigh Logan, Marsha Clayton

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Supply and demand is a fundamental part of economics at the junior high school, high school and college level. Although it is very important for students to understand and apply this analytical tool, many are turned off by the graph as well as the labels needed. This paper offers techniques for making supply and demand easier for students to comprehend. The classroom activities are mainly designed for teachers of middle school and high school economics, but can also be used as a fun and easy introduction to the concept in a college classroom as well.

Documenting Local History: Using The Library Of Congress Site, Primary Sources, And Community Resources For Teaching Social Studies, Mary Ann Hanlin, Chris Herridge, Katie Janovetz, Cindy Alcaraz, David Mcmullen, Dean Cantù, Sherrie Pardieck

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

In the 2011 academic school year, a central Illinois jr. high school and a private university initiated a partnership to create a local history research project. Through a grant from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Project at the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities, teachers and professors collaborated to identify information for research and design the inquiry’s final product for the project. Through the guidance of their teachers, seventh and eighth grade students accessed the Library of Congress resources and town primary sources for research. Historical inquiry included the identification of the town’s origination and important …

Helping Develop Students’ Civic Identities Through Exploring Public Issues, Jeremiah Clabough

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Social studies teachers need to prepare students for their many roles and responsibilities as future citizens. This includes being able to analyze politicians’ recommendations about public issues and then making informed decisions on candidates and policies to support. In this manuscript, the author provides the steps and resources for an activity that builds students’ civic identity. Through the activity, students examine both Republicans and Democrats’ solutions to healthcare. They use the 2016 party platforms to complete this activity. Through all of the steps of this activity, students start to develop their own political identities about ways to address issues that …

Untold Stories: Using Common Core State Standards To Give Voice To Japanese Americans, Gregory Samuels

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article explores the idea of facilitating the use of Common Core State Standards, more specifically, the Comprehensive Instructional Sequence Model (CIS), in the social studies classroom for the purposes of providing students exposure to marginalized topics or those topics that are frequently overlooked in the dominant classroom discourse. Included in the article is a brief exploration of how the author reflects upon teaching marginalized topics in the social studies and suggestions for implementing the CIS Model, as well as a user-friendly handout to facilitate this model. The provided lesson includes a snapshot of the experiences and daily events of …

What Are We Teaching When We Teach About Religion?, Matthew Paul Schunke

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article examines issues and difficulties with teaching and study religion in the university. Topics discussed include the distinction of religious studies and theology, the problem of apologetics in religious studies, and the role of the scholar of religion in relation to the subject matter.

Voices Of Cooperating Teachers And Preservice Teachers: Implications For Elementary Social Studies Education, Mary Beth Henning, Eiu-Kyung Shin

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Examining the current beliefs and practices of elementary social studies teachers and preservice teachers suggests that there are similarities and differences between how they perceive their roles as curricular-instructional gatekeepers (Thornton, 1991). Using both survey data and focus groups, cooperating teachers describe their contemporary elementary social studies teaching practices as a blend of stand-alone activities and integrated instruction. Elementary teachers recommend more hands-on activities and literacy development strategies be taught in social studies methods classes. Preservice teachers also reported their preferred teaching practices and rationales in social studies, showing some significant differences from cooperating teachers.

Rethinking The Social In Social Studies, Jeffrey Manuel

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article reviews new approaches in history, social sciences, and science studies that suggest a rethinking of the social. The article begins by situating the social within a long history of social thinking throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It then examines how these new critical approaches to the social offer useful insights into current intellectual problems in the social studies curriculum.

Ten Illinois Oral History Projects Waiting To Be Assigned, Lindon Ratliff

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The article presents ten oral history projects which could be taught by a high school social studies teacher in Illinois. The author discusses the importance of oral histories as well as teaching strategies which can be used.

Grooming Tomorrow’S Advocates: Preparing Elementary Social Studies Teachers Today, Rachel Finley-Bowman

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The effects of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) upon teaching and learning social studies at the elementary level are already well known. In light of the discipline’s increasing marginalization in the schools, the methods used to prepare elementary educators for teaching social studies and developing professional advocacy must be reexamined. This article, with reference to relevant scholarship, discusses eight key strategies to promote more effective teacher preparation, including a pledge of advocacy, meaningful pedagogy, pre-service professional development, knowledge of curriculum standards, content expertise, curriculum integration, significant field experience before student teaching, and reevaluation of NCLB.

Power, Politics And Pedagogy: Teaching About Law As A Structure Of Inequality, Matthew Petrocelli, Erin Heil, Trish Oberweis

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The purpose of this article is to explore ways to integrate into the classroom the Marxist perspective of law. The paper discusses ways to apply the tenets of Marxism to areas of contemporary social debate; namely, the economic, racial, and gender inequalities of the American legal system and the institution of university speech codes for the purpose of exploring these issues in the classroom, particularly with regard to legal apparatuses as tools of oppression.