1 Citizenship in a Global Society: A Clarion Call for Social Studies Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development New Orleans 2008 Margit McGuire, Seattle University

2 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

3 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

4 (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

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

6 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, dc.org/_data/n_000 1/resources/live/Ins tructionalTimeFeb2 008.pdf

8 Nationally 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.

9 “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?

10 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

11 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?

12 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.

13 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.

14 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).

15 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

16 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

17 Creating the Setting Students create the setting by completing a frieze (mural) or other visual representation of the place. 

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19 Creating the Characters Students create characters for the story whose roles they will play during subsequent episodes. 

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

21 Developing literacy skills in context

22 Critical Incidents Characters confront problems typical of those faced by people of that time and place. 

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