Teaching Social Studies Within a First-Grade Learning Community

• In Event: Exemplary Elementary Social Studies in an Age of Standardized Testing

Abstract

Objectives

The paper illustrates an accomplished teacher who excels in using narrative to teach important concepts, or “big ideas” about social studies content and behaviors to be emulated in the development of classroom community. In this study, Barbara, a first grade teacher, works with a diverse group of children in an urban setting.

Perspectives

A Piagetian framework permeates Barbara’s teaching; she also draws from a Deweyan perspective, particularly in regard to teaching that is guided by democratic decision-making and planning for instruction that is meaningful, child-driven and that utilizes resources inside and outside the classroom.

Modes of inquiry

Over a period of fifteen years, the authors observed Barbara teach, co-created curriculum with her, taught model lessons, and interviewed her about her social studies practice and curricular decision-making. Using qualitative methodology, numerous findings have been generated from the thick, rich descriptions afforded by the significant amount of data generated in the last decade and a half.

Data sources

Data collected include observations of teaching, copies of lesson plans, teacher notes, interviews with students, classroom artifacts, interviews with administrators, and interviews with the teacher (Barbara).

Results

Narrative structures provide natural ways to organize thinking about society and the place of others and ourselves within society. Barbara uses a structure she calls social stories to help students organize their thinking about community: these stories consist of several parts including what students are expected to do during social settings, why they need to do it, and what will happen if they fail to behave appropriately (i.e., natural consequences). For example, failure to complete assignments will put you behind in your reading, and you need to follow the same rules and routines as always when you have a substitute (guest) teacher so your teacher returns to an organized classroom. Social stories always end with a reiteration of appropriate behavior or big conceptual ideas. They provide frameworks for students to use in assessing their own behavior and to create a positive environment.

In addition to narrative discourse and establishing learning community, Barbara is very skilled in the use of goals-oriented instruction, depth over breadth, and the use of a wide variety of assessment tools.

In fact, Barbara’s instruction yielded many of the 15 Common Practices of exemplary elementary social studies teachers:

1.establish a learning community
2.design goals-oriented Instruction
3.depth over breadth
4.foster narratives and discourse around powerful ideas
5.balance constructivist and transmission teaching
6.employ a range of assessment tools
7.approach standards holistically
13.attention to civic mission of social studies in a democracy
14.reflect on student understandings to assess her practice

Scholarly significance

This case stands as an exemplar of what we know in the field about what happens in primary grade social studies. The authors and Barbara have added to the field through curriculum development, in-depth knowledge about children’s thinking, and new knowledge about the role social studies plays in the welfare of a community of learners.

Authors

• Janet E. Alleman, Michigan State University

• Barbara Knighton, Teacher