The Moral Implications of Critically Ambitious Social Studies Instruction

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

In this symposium, authors of four papers present their work in order to engage attendees in dialogue surrounding the means by which social studies (SS) teaching can work to correct educational and social injustices. In particular, the authors will share the implications of civility in SS classrooms, how SS is still quite gendered, instruction engaging young children in challenging subject matter, and terror management theory in teaching about climate change. Approaches range from conceptual discussions to case studies. Each author(s) will describe the theoretical foundations of their work, findings, and the moral/ethical imperatives their work interrogates. The session will conclude with remarks on the successes and challenges of ethically ambitious SS teaching. Finally, we will open the session for discussion.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Social Studies Research

Chairs

• Meghan A Kessler, University of Illinois Springfield

• Alexis Jones, Eastern Illinois University

Papers

• Cultivating a Critical Curriculum Through Children's Literature: Examining Young Children's Conversations About Race and Equity - Anam Rashid, OISE/University of Toronto; Cassie J. Brownell, University of Toronto

• Gendering Social Studies: Teachers' Intended and Enacted Curriculum and Student Diffraction - Andrea Watson-Canning, University of South Florida - Tampa

• Communities of Shared Fate - Martha RItter, Cabrini College

• Teaching the Climate Crisis: Existential Considerations - Cathryn van Kessel, University of Alberta