Education News

Students in Paul LaRue’s senior honors history class at in Washington Court House (near Columbus, Ohio) are petitioning legislators to grant formal recognition of Ohio soldiers for their service in the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments during the Civil War.   --> read more »

The Maryland Social Studies Task Force has released a report on social studies education in Maryland. Acknowledging the challenges faced by social studies over the past decade, including the unintended marginalization of social studies disciplines caused by NCLB, the social studies task force made nine recommendations in its report that are "intended to reverse social studies’ decline." Key recommendations include establishing standards governing instructional time; administering a statewide social studies assessment in elementary and middle school; increasing social studies course requirements for prospective teachers; and launching a campaign to gain public support for more and better social studies instruction.

• The Task Force Report on Social Studies Education in Maryland: The Challenge and the Imperative (pdf download)
• Related: NCSS Position Statement Social Studies in the Era of No Child Left Behind

The Atlanta Journal Constitution published an Op-Ed in the April 7 issue on NCLB and the importance of social studies in the classroom.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/put-history-back-in-444328.html

The revision of the Texas social studies standards is generating hot debate and strong opinions, and this is no surprise. Because the subjects that compose social studies touch upon cultural, societal and political topics, social studies generates the most controversy when decisions are made regarding what is taught to students. It is important, therefore, that the development of standards for social studies relies on strong scholarship rather than politics.   --> read more »

Jere Brophy, Distinguished Professor of teacher education and educational psychology at Michigan State University and long-time NCSS member died October 15. He was 69 years old. Brophy was a leader in the field of teacher education, and was known for his pioneering research on effective teaching. In 2006, Brophy and Janet Alleman were awarded the NCSS Exemplary Research in Social Studies Award for their research on K-3 students’ thinking about social studies topics in their book Children's Thinking About Cultural Universals.

"As a young teacher in the seventies and eighties, his scholarly work on teacher effects was my first introduction to the applicability of research to the classroom, and greatly influenced my teaching", wrote Michael Yell, middle school social studies teacher and NCSS Past President. "Professor Brophy's influence will continue to be felt in social studies classrooms thoughout the country."

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The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announces its public review period for the Social Studies-History Standards. The standards were developed by a committee of educators from the social studies/history field. Practicing classroom teachers fill a majority of seats on standards committees with other members representing districts, states and higher education.

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NCSS President Gayle Thieman and Past President Peggy Altoff articulate the devastating impact of NCLB on social studies teaching in an article published in the District Administration March 2008 issue.   --> read more »