The National Council For Social Studies, the nation’s largest association of social studies teachers, is having its conference in Denver during November. Following are the conference subthemes as they appear on the NCSS website. Ask yourself where their priorities are and what they are pushing.
1. Human Rights Past and Present — As Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” You will learn which rights have been allowed, and which have sometimes been denied to people in different times.
2. Global Citizenship — Preparation of students for the role of citizen has been the mission of NCSS since its inception. Now that goal must be expanded to include citizenship at the local, state, national and global levels. Explore the various attributes of a global citizen and the role of a teacher in providing learning experiences to help students acquire these attributes.
3. Globalization and Economic Interdependence Globalization describes an ongoing process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a globe-spanning network of exchange. It involves the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, investment, migration, and the spread of technology. You will be able to probe the historic development of globalization and/or the economic aspects of interdependence in the 21st century.
4. Sustainable World – Sustainability is a term that can be broadly applied to every aspect of life on this planet, but is usually focused on the environment and the use of resources. How can people living in different parts of the world utilize resources without destroying the environment? You will be able to explore a range of issues, from the Amazon rainforests to wind farms in the United States.
5. 21st Century Skills, Literacy, and Pedagogy — From creativity and innovation to the use of evolving media, mastery of 21st century skills is essential for students to fulfill their roles as citizens . You will be able to investigate research related to which skills are most important as well as present instructional strategies that create authentic learning opportunities to help students acquire them.
6. Social Studies for Young Learners