In my high school classes, one of my favorite activities is to put a source like John Locke's "Two Treatises of Government" in front of students and have them make observations and interpretations of the text.
Through the historical context of the document, students interpret key ideas that continue to shape principles of government and citizenship. As they analyze a source critically, they learn valuable skills that are transferable in life as engaged and active local and global citizens. That critical thinking is the goal of the new Social Studies Framework adopted by the state Board of Regents at its April meeting.
The adoption of the framework marks a pivotal moment in teaching and learning social studies. It provides guidance for districts by identifying the key ideas and conceptual understandings students should learn at each grade level and laying out the essential skills that work together with this content. The product of more than three years of collaborative thinking and writing by the Social Studies Content Advisory Panel, the framework provides an opportunity to re-imagine social studies education.
While the sequence of courses at each grade level remains unchanged, a renewed focus on the articulation of skills and emphasis on inquiry are essential shifts to prepare our students to be informed and engaged citizens in our interconnected world. The framework is based on important interdisciplinary connections to the Common Core Learning Standards. As part of the content advisory panel, I was honored to join a group of teachers and administrators from schools and universities from across New York as we built a framework that creates space for students to become investigators of the evidence. Students will utilize both Common Core literacy skills of analysis and essential disciplinary skills of civics, economics, geography and history.
At the heart of social studies is civic responsibility. Students are challenged to take informed action through an examination of the past and a critical look at the world around them. This fall, my students and I closely read Rousseau's "Social Contract" and debated the meaning and civic implications of his words. The new framework affords more opportunity for that kind of connection, providing leverage for districts and teachers to think carefully about the discipline of social studies.
The framework is a powerful statement by the State Education Department on the importance and value of social studies in the education of students at every grade level. Exciting and significant work lies ahead as we build curriculum around this new framework.
Three important steps are being planned: a field guide that offers guidance on implementing the parts of the framework will be released late summer or early fall, resources to support local districts are forthcoming in the next year, and redesigned Regents exams for Global History and Geography as well as U.S. History and Government will follow, though it typically takes about three years to design a new exam.
The framework is another opportunity for me to pause and ask some important questions. How will students be changed after taking my class? What are the most important lessons to be learned in my class? How will I choose to teach social studies? I want to relentlessly pursue the answers to these questions, and I am excited to listen and dialogue with other teachers.
Together, we can re-imagine social studies and find the best answers.
The writer is the 2013 state Teacher of the Year, New York State Social Studies Content Advisory Panel member and Webster CSD social studies teacher.