History and government are central to the curriculum of a liberal education found in K-16 school systems. We teach these subjects to young people so that they can understand the world around them. These are critical disciplines as we prepare students to contribute to society in a meaningful way, and we engage students on these […]
Civics
Posted inSocial Studies
Why I Teach
In my family, teaching has become a time-honored tradition. My mother taught English, French, and German to high school students. She was a dedicated minister’s wife until she died of brain cancer in 1984. I became a social studies teacher in 1983, so I am now in the middle of my third decade in education. […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Civics Teacher Conundrum: Teaching Trump
By George Cassutto Donald J. Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016 and inaugurated on January 20, 2017. He holds the highest office in the land, and for most scholars, he is the “leader of the free world” as long as the United States holds the status of the last remaining superpower. […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Challenges of Social Studies Education Today
Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! One educator’s perspective Next school year, I will “celebrate” my thirty-fifth year in secondary social studies education. I have taught at both middle and high school levels, predominantly in US History and US Government. My current assignment involves 7th grade US […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
I Think I Failed You – A Civics Teacher’s Letter to her Former Students
Dear Former Students, I have started this letter a thousand times in my head in the last week. It’s hard to get past the first line: I fear I may have failed you as your Civics teacher. You have probably known me for many years as the one person in your life with unfailing trust […]
Posted inOpinion
A Letter to My Students On First Amendment Rights
Dear Students, You have – or will soon learn about – the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. Adopted just prior to Christmas 1791 as the first part of the Bill of Rights, it reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, High School, Instruction & Curriculum, School Improvement, Social Studies
Civic Education: A Forgotten Subject in the World of High Stakes Testing
In this installment of the Civic Education Series, we look at the impact of standardized testing on social studies and civics curriculum. How Did We Get Here? (or, “Yay, History!”) The first half of the 20th century saw several major education “reform” efforts. The federal government inserted itself several times with major legislation, including Eisenhower’s […]