How Can Sixth Grade Teachers Overcome Gaps in Students’ Understanding of Social Studies?

1. How Can Sixth Grade Teachers Overcome Gaps in Students’ Understanding of Social Studies? John. S. Crumb II Georgia State university Dr. Caroline Sullivan

2. The Issue • Most elementary students enter middle school with a lack of knowledge in the social studies. • Reasons for the gaps: • NCLB has inspired administrators and teachers to shift resources away from social studies and other subjects to math, science and language arts. • Social studies is seen by many students to be tedious and not engaging- no connection with the students’ world. • Elementary teachers are not prepared to teach social studies because of a lack of content knowledge or training. • Some teachers may have a dislike for social studies because of their experience with it in growing up. • Some are afraid to deal with controversial issues.

3. Some short-term and not-so-short-term solutions in elementary schools Usually taught through integration with other subjects like reading Student centered approach Communicate how important social studies is Administrators-provide more interactive material with workshops Professional Development Professional Learning Communities

4. Realistically, it is up to middle and high school teachers • Keys to success: • Collaboration on a regular basis….develop a sense of trust • “Quality teaching is not an individual accomplishment, it is the result of a collaborative culture that empowers teachers to team up to improve student learning beyond what any of them can achieve alone” Caroll, 2009, p.13 • Join Professional Learning Communities • Get over the typical!---20th century…teacher centered, cover the textbook, supplement with lectures and an occasional video, teacher talk during discussions, individual seatwork interrupted with occasional small group work and the use of tests to measure student learning (McCall, 2006, p.161) • Focus on a few KEY concepts

5. Primary Research- Mixed Model Approach Qualitative section: Interviews with 3 social studies teachers Parent comments made at conferences Quantitative section: Survey of 88 sixth grade students

6. Teacher Interviews and Parent Comments Strengths of incoming sixth graders-recall/memorization, reading comprehension All 3 teachers cited a weakness in geographic skills, higher level thinking skills, -can’t connect isolated facts to the big picture---how is it connected? Reasons---perceived or actual lack of social studies being taught…reliance on textbook and answer the questions…Teachers lack the time for planning-45 minutes for 5 content areas…4days/week. Parents-at a loss because the textbook is no longer the main source…problems with taking notes and organizing

7. Quantitative Section Most students received 36 minutes of social studies a day Future studies investigate how that time is used

8. Limitations and a Solution? Time constraints-3 months Limited to one teacher’s classes, self reporting and memories No elementary teacher input Flawed instrument design Misunderstanding of instructions Solution?----vertical teaming

9. Survey

10. References References Brewer, A. (2006). Keep social studies in the elementary school. Childhood Education, 82(5), 296-298 Brophy, J., Alleman, J. (2009). Meaningful social studies for elementary students. Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 15(3), 357-376. Burroughs, S., Groce, E., & Webeck, M. (2005). Social studies education in the age of testing and accountability. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 24(3). 13-20. Burstein, J., Hutton, L., & Curtis, R. (2006). The state of elementary social studies teaching in one urban district. Journal of Social Studies Research, 30(1), 15-19. Caroll, T. (2009). The next generation of learning teams. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(2), 8-13 DuFour, R. (2011). Work together but only if you want to: We cannot waste another quarter century inviting or encouraging educators to collaborate. Kappanmagazine.org, 92(5), 57-61. Friend, J. , & Degen, E. (2007). Middle-level reform: The introduction of advanced english and science courses. Journal of Advanced Academics, 18(2), 246-276. Glover, E. (2007). Real principals listen. Educational Leadership, 65(1), 60-63. Good, A., Heafner, T., Rock, T., O’Connor, K., Passe, J., Waring, S., & Byrd, S. (2010). The de-emphasis on social studies in elementary schools: Teacher candidate perspective. Current Issues in Education, 13(4), 1-19. Guidry, A., Cuthrell, K., O’Connor, K., & Good, A. (2010). From the green mile to the yellow brick road: Using a practical model to fill in the social studies gaps. The Social Studies, 101(1). 22-29. Hanley, C., Hermiz, C., Lagioia-Peddy, J., & Levine-Albuck, V. (2002) Improving student interest and achievement in social studies using a multiple intelligence approach. Chicago. ERIC Document ED 465696 Kowal, P. (2002). Vertical teaming: Making connections across levels. Middle Ground 6(1),1-4. Leming, J., Ellington, L., & Schug, M. (2006). Social studies in our nation’s elementary and middle schools. Storrs, CT: Center for survey Research and Analysis, University of Connecticut. Lintner, T. (2006). Social studies (still on the back burner: Perceptions and practices of k-5 social studies instruction. Journal of Social Studies Research. 30(1), 3-7. Manzo, K. (2005). Social studies losing out to reading, math. Education Week, 27(1), 16-17. McCall, A. (2006). Supporting exemplary social studies teaching in elementary schools. The Social Studies, 97(4), 161-167 McCall, A., Janssen, B., & Riederer, K. (2008). More time for powerful social studies: When university social studies methods faculty and classroom teachers collaborate. The Social Studies 99(3), 135-141. National Council for the Social Studies. (1994). Expectations of excellence: Curriculum standards for social studies. Washington, DC. Sahn, L. & Reichel, A. (2008). Read All about It! A Classroom Newspaper Integrates the Curriculum. Young Children,63(2), 12-18. Spicer, D. (2011). Power and knowledge-building in teacher inquiry: negotiating interpersonal and ideational difference. Language and Education, 25(1), 1-17. Sunal, C., & Sunal, D. (2007). Reports from the field: Elementary teacher candidates describe the teaching of social studies. International Journal of Social Education, 22(2), 29-48. Tanner, L. (2008). No Child Left Behind Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg. The Social Studies, 99(1), 41-45. Zhao, Y., & Hoge, J. (2005). What elementary students and teachers say about social studies. The Social Studies, 96(5), 216-221.