Social Education


Social Education

Editor’s Notebook
Michael Simpson
Social Education, January/February 2010

SE coverTen years ago, the January-February issue of Social Education surveyed the challenges facing the nation at the turn of the century, and included a special section on megatrends affecting our civic ideals. Looking back at that issue, it is striking that we have not made headway in overcoming the problems that the contributors identified at the time. The guest editors of that special section, H. Michael Hartoonian and Richard Van Scotter, judged that “the twin pillars of the Republic, democracy and capitalism, are now in a condition requiring intensive care.”* The same situation prevails today, as we confront profound economic problems and a widespread incivility, lack of objectivity and disregard for facts in public debates on important issues.

These circumstances underline the importance of offering young people an excellent social studies education that prepares them for the responsibilities of citizenship. Unfortunately, much of the public discussion of education seems to presume that education for citizenship is something that happens easily and automatically, when in fact, it needs a strong commitment of time and resources to social studies programs.

Our January-February issue 10 years ago emphasized the importance of providing students with skills that would help them navigate the twenty-first century. One unprecedented set of developments confronting them arises from globalization. The increased importance of China’s role in the world is one of the most significant developments of recent times. With Kathleen Woods Masalski and Tedd Levy as guest editors, this special issue of Social Education goes behind the headlines to introduce readers to the realities of Chinese society and culture, as well as the transformations taking place in the country today.

Rob Gifford and Kristin Stapleton look at different dimensions of the perceptions that we have of China. Gifford compares the favorable perspectives of “panda huggers” to the negative prognostications “of dragon slayers,” while Stapleton outlines what she wishes her college students had learned about China in high school. Jonathan N. Lipman suggests an innovative way of teaching Chinese geography through Chinese cuisine, while Shiping Zheng shows how the extraordinary progress of China has defied expectations to date, but also poses problems for the political leadership of the country. One important cultural development in the country in recent years has been the revival of Confucianism, once criticized by the government, but now, as Stephen C. Angle shows, a re-emerging spiritual force in the country.

The section in which authors describe their personal experiences of China enables the reader to see Chinese life through both American and Chinese eyes. Two Americans, Peter Hessler and Ryan Bradeen, provide their first-hand accounts of living and working in China, while Richard Wang and Juefei Wang give readers a unique sense of what it was like for them to grow up in China as it experienced economic and social difficulties.

Qi Chen offers insights into how the world of Chinese education has been affected by the changes sweeping China, with his account of curriculum reform efforts in the country. Caryn White Stedman’s survey of the ethnic groups of China highlights the diversity of the country. Tanya Lee recommends ten films for teachers interested in introducing their students to China through visual media.

Throughout the issue, Patience Berkman has included lively teaching suggestions that will allow readers to use the articles in their class activities.

Further details about the issue are included in the introduction by the guest editors themselves on the page following this one. The issue also includes a letter from Jon Huntsman, the U.S. Ambassador to China, to our readers emphasizing the importance of teaching students about the country.

This theme issue is part of our commitment to an education that gives students the knowledge and thinking skills that they need to deal with our changing world. This is a time when all of us at NCSS need to reiterate the importance of social studies to the wider educational community and the general public. Syd Golston’s feature in this issue reminds us of the civic mission of schools and the vital role of the social studies in accomplishing that mission. “The engine for free public education, “ Syd Golston points out, “was the need for an informed electorate.” (5) In recent years, she points out, the focus of the educational system has been on reading and math. She endorses the excellent point made by Charles Haynes and Terry Pickeral that “Reading and math are important—very important. But if we care about the health of our nation, then we must be very concerned about what kind of citizens do the math and read the books.” (6) Her feature is derived from her presidential address at last November’s annual NCSS meeting in Atlanta, and inaugurates this first issue of the New Year.

As always, the editors of Social Education welcome the comments of readers on any of the contributions to this issue at socialed@ncss.org.

  • H. Michael Hartoonian and Richard Van Scotter, “The Real Business of America: Ethics and New Economic Realities,” Social Education 64, 1 (January-February 2000): 36.

Teaching With Documents

Articles from the "Teaching with Documents" series are available free online to NCSS members. Click on the ones you want to view and print. Teaching with Documents articles, published originally in Social Education over the last decade or so, were written by staff at the National Archives and Records Administration. Each article features a primary source document accompanied by teaching activities and lessons that focus on history, civics, and many other social studies disciplines.

Remember, too, that other articles from back issues of Social Education, Middle Level Learning, and Social Studies and the Young Learner are available to members at the online archives, www.socialstudies.org/members/.

The articles listed here include the primary source documents and complete lesson plans for middle and secondary classrooms. They are all presented in PDF format.

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