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Citizenship in a Global Society: A Clarion Call for Social Studies

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

New Orleans 2008

Margit McGuire, Seattle University

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Why teach social studies?

To prepare students to: be informed and thoughtful participate in their communities act politically have moral and civic virtues such as concern for

others, social responsibility and the belief in the capacity to make a difference.

Civic Mission of Schools, 2003

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Results that Matter: 21st Century Skills and High School Reform

1. Core subjects. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, identifies the core subjects as English, reading or language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics; government; economics; arts; history; and geography.

2. 21st century content. Several significant, emerging content areas are critical to success in communities and workplaces. These content areas typically are not emphasized in schools today:

• Global awareness• Financial, economic, business and

entrepreneurial literacy• Civic literacy• Health and wellness awareness

3. Learning and thinking skills. As much as students need to learn academic content, they also need to know how to keep learning--and make effective and innovative use of what they know--throughout their lives. Learning and thinking skills are comprised of:

• Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills

• Communication skills• Creativity and innovative skills• Collaboration skills • Contextual learning skills • Informational and media skills

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(cont.) Results that Matter: 21st Century Skills and High School Reform

4. ITC Literacy. Information and communications technology (ICT) literacy is the ability to use technology to develop 21st century content knowledge and skills, in the context of learning core subjects. Students must be able to use technology to learn content and skills--so that they know how to learn, think critically, solve problems, use information, communicate, innovate and collaborate.

5. Life skills. Good teachers have always incorporated life skills into their pedagogy. The challenge today is to incorporate these essential skills into schools deliberately, strategically and broadly. Life skills include:

• Leadership• Ethics• Accountability• Adaptability• Personal productivity• Personal responsibility• People skills• Self-direction• Social responsibility

6. 21st century assessments. Authentic 21st century assessments are the essential foundation of at 21st century education. Assessments must measure all five results that matter--care subjects; 21st century content; learning and thinking skills; ICT literacy; and life skills.

Source: Partnership for 21st Century Skills,

March 2006, pp.10-11.

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What evidence is there that social studies is declining in our nation’s schools?

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James S. Leming, Lucien Ellington, & Mark Schug, Social Studies in Our Nation’s Schools, May 2006, p. 10

•Telephone survey conducted by University of Connecticut’s Center for Survey Research• 1,051 randomly selected 2nd, 5th, and 8th grade social studies teachers

Decrease in Social Studies Instruction

Instructional Time in Elementary Schools A Closer Look at Changes for Specific Subjects

Center on Education Policy, February 2008, p. 2. Retrieved February 28, 2008 http://www.cep-dc.org/_data/n_0001/resources/live/InstructionalTimeFeb2008.pdf

8Nationally representative sample of 349 school districts, urban, suburban, and rural

p. 6

More than half

(53%) of the

districts reported

At least

75 minutes per

week cut in

social studies.

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“Research suggests that students start to develop social responsibility and interest in politics before the age of nine. The way they are taught about social issues, ethics, and institutions in elementary school matters a great deal for their civic development.”

Civic Mission of Schools, p. 12

Why is this of concern for elementary schools?

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What factors have contributed to the decline of social studies education?

NCLB--emphasis literacy and mathematics

Standards and testing

Quality of primary social studies materials

Lack of effective integration strategies

Devalued importance of teaching social studies

Lack of support for professional development in social studies

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Why do we deny access to social studies for our most underserved students?

What does the future hold for such students if they are disenfranchised from the democratic process?

Where does this position the nation in a globally interdependent world if students are restricted from having rich and diverse social studies learning experiences?

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Literacy curriculum developed with social studies content but treated solely as a literacy endeavor.

Gives permission not to teach social studies

Reduces engagement in learning in the social

studies

No opportunity to develop a commitment to

civic participation or understanding how

democracy functions.

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Integrating Social Studies and Literacy

Social studies provides an authentic and engaging context for literacy learning, especially informational literacy.

Using literacy skills to learn about the social world provides authentic and meaningful application.

Acting politically, a hallmark of social studies, requires strong literacy skills.

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Storypath Approach

Setting, characters,

and plot

provide the structure for the curriculum

(contextualizing and connecting learning).

Key Questions

Problematize knowledge,

encourage substantive conversations and

guide students’ thinking

about important concepts and values (intellectual quality).

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The Advertising Agency …Teaching understandings and  literacy skills in context

Authentic integration of literacy

Explicit teaching of visual literacy

Explicit teaching of factual and persuasive texts

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Episode 1 The Advertising Agency

Episode 2 The Advertising Staff

Episode 3 The Advertisements

Episode 4 Researching States and Preparing Advertisements

Episode 5 Trouble in the Workplace

Episode 6 Consumer Complaint

Episode 7 Advertising Award

State Studies:The Advertising Agency

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Creating the Setting

Students create the setting by completing

a frieze (mural) or other visual representation

of the place.

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Creating the Characters

Students create characters for the story whose roles they will play during subsequent episodes.

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Building Context

Students are involved in activities that stimulate them to think more deeply about the people and place they have created.

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Developing literacy skills in context

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Critical Incidents

Characters confront problems typical of those faced by people of that time and place.

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Concluding Event

Students plan and participate in an activity that brings closure to the story.