Social studies for social justice: teaching strategies for the elementary school classroom

Scholars have presented a number of challenges to elementary pre-service teachers gaining content mastery specifically in social studies methods courses. One of those challenges relates to the selection of what social studies content should be mastered by pre-service teachers. Scholars encouraged elementary social studies teacher educators to engage their students in new, challenging, critical, and complex topics, rather than redundant, simple, and general content the students already agree with. In response, this endeavor presents an instructional framework rooted in social justice teaching designed to inspire elementary pre-service teachers with the necessity of teaching social studies for social justice and the content knowledge and skills to do so. The chapter author shares how she supported students in conducting macro-to-micro content analyses of critical and challenging sociological issues of race, economic status, and gender in the development of the United States while sharing the methods for teaching elementary social studies that represented diverse ideas and perspectives.

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Let the Fun Begin!: Dynamic Social Studies for the Elementary School Classroom

Childhood Education ◽

10.1080/00094056.2003.10521242 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 80 (1) ◽

pp. 2-5

Author(s):

George W. Maxim

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Social Studies ◽

School Classroom

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From A to Zinn

Research Anthology on Empowering Marginalized Communities and Mitigating Racism and Discrimination ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-8547-4.ch017 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 359-379

Author(s):

Stephanie R. Logan

Keyword(s):

Social Justice ◽

Social Studies ◽

Teacher Educators ◽

Economic Status ◽

The United States ◽

Social Studies Methods ◽

Elementary Social Studies ◽

Social Studies Teacher ◽

Social Justice Teaching ◽

And Gender

Scholars have presented a number of challenges to elementary pre-service teachers gaining content mastery specifically in social studies methods courses. One of those challenges relates to the selection of what social studies content should be mastered by pre-service teachers. Scholars encouraged elementary social studies teacher educators to engage their students in new, challenging, critical, and complex topics, rather than redundant, simple, and general content the students already agree with. In response, this endeavor presents an instructional framework rooted in social justice teaching designed to inspire elementary pre-service teachers with the necessity of teaching social studies for social justice and the content knowledge and skills to do so. The chapter author shares how she supported students in conducting macro-to-micro content analyses of critical and challenging sociological issues of race, economic status, and gender in the development of the United States while sharing the methods for teaching elementary social studies that represented diverse ideas and perspectives.

Download Full-text