from NCSS 2014

1. WHO ARE THE “NEW” SOCIAL
STUDIES TEACHERS OF
TODAY?
GEORGE LIPSCOMB-FURMAN
UNIVERSITY
ALICIA CROWE- KENT
STATE UNIVERSITY
PRESENTATION MADE AT
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
FOR THE SOCIAL
STUDIES ANNUAL
CONFERENCE/ BOSTON,
MA/ NOVEMBER 21, 2014

2. BIG QUESTIONS FOR
THIS SESSION
1. What can research tell us
about the “new”
professionals entering the
social studies profession?
2. What can we (teacher
educators, veteran teachers,
administrators, etc.) do to
better meet the needs of new
teachers?

3. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR
SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION?
Many challenges facing social
studies teachers of today :
1. Curriculum/ testing
2. Perception of educators
3. Ever increasing
expectations
4. A world with an abundance
of information (and how to
keep up with it)

4. SO WHAT DO WE KNOW
ABOUT WHO OUR NEW
TEACHERS ARE?

5. WHAT WE SEE IN OUR
METHODS COURSES
1. A desire to make a
difference in the
classroom and in the
lives of their students
2. Some struggle to fit in to
school culture

6. WHAT WE SEE OUR
STUDENTS EXPERIENCING
1. Professional Learning
Communities that are
more prescriptive
2. More pressure in schools
to teach the same lessons
as their teachers (middle
and high)
3. Little social studies at all
or when seen it is by
reading a book
(elementary)

7. WHERE WE GOT OUR
DATA (THE S4)

8. GENDER

9. RACE AND ETHNICITY

10. CONTROL
Overall, new teachers feel like they
have control (at least a great deal or
moderate over:
Selecting teaching techniques (96.5%)
Evaluating and Grading Students
(94.3%)
Choosing which parts of the curriculum
to emphasize (79.1)
Selecting content topics and skills to
be taught (57.5%)
New Teachers feel that that have little
control over selecting a textbook and
other materials (37.6%)

11. PREFERRED PEDAGOGICAL
STRATEGIES
Statistically significant with younger teachers using more:
• Cooperative learning (E,M,H)
• Lecture (M,H)
• Answer questions, define from textbook (M, H)
• Group Projects (H)
• Working with Maps and Globes (H)
• Watch videos and film (H)
• Role Playing and Simulations (H)
Statistically significant with older teachers using more:
• Group Projects (E)
• Working with Maps and Globes (E)
• Computer-Based Applications (E, M)
• Examining primary source materials (E)

12. USE OF SOCIAL
STUDIES CONCEPTS
Mixed bag overall:
New teachers more likely to:
• Discuss issues of race and class (E, H)
• Diversity of religious views (E, H)
• Discuss social and political history (H)
Older teachers more likely to:
• Discuss current events (E)
• Discuss core democratic values (M)
• Learn about the Constitution (M, H)
• Emphasize basic economic concepts (M)

13. PROFESSIONAL INTENTIONS

14. QUESTIONS TO
PONDER
1. What are we doing well in teacher education right now?
2. Are there things we can do differently to meet the needs
of professionals entering the field?
3. What can we do to attract a greater diversity of new
teachers?
4. What characteristics should we seek out in new social
studies teachers?