Social Studies for a Better World: A Guide for Secondary Educators

Learn how to create a secondary social studies curriculum that goes beyond memorizing dates and helps students envision and build a better world! In this follow-up to the bestselling book for elementary teachers, the authors show secondary teachers how their students can be empowered to find solutions to complex issues through social studies. Hall, Swalwell, and Rodríguez unpack the problems that characterize the 6-12 social studies curriculum: normalization, idealization, heroification, gamification, dramatization, and equalization. They show how anti-oppressive social studies is needed—especially during this time of authoritarian ideation, book bans, and the divide between people and communities—and how it can help us build connections for making a better world. Whether you’re a middle or high school teacher, methods student or instructor, or curriculum coordinator, you’ll benefit from the examples, resources, and strategies in each chapter. With this book’s powerful ideas, you will be able to transform your classroom into a space that truly nurtures critical and transformative social studies teaching and learning.