Social Studies Matters: Teaching and Learning With Authenticity

Social Studies Matters: Teaching and Learning with Authenticity inspires readers to move beyond worksheets, lectures, notes, reports, and tests in culturally relevant, applicable, and highly engaging instruction.

We must immediately move past the “Sage on the stage” yammering on about this battle and that President, then handing out a bubble-sheet test to certify learning. There is a better way, and a higher calling everyone must realize. That the facts of history are democratized…and the skills of studying history are where the essential value is in the modern Social Studies classroom. We must carefully teach and allow students to practice the science and art of synthesis, understand analysis, revel in communication, and eagerly understand the events of the past so they can learn to be creative in solving the future problems of humanity. This title explores the philosophical underpinnings of the modern Social Studies classroom and adds practicality to the narrative that can be employed today for your students!

Emily M. Schell, Ed.D., is Executive Director of the California Global Education Project at the University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Sciences. In this role, she leads a statewide professional learning network for K-12 educators to foster global competence and interdisciplinary learning. She is passionate about global education that promotes compassionate living, peace-making, social justice, and respect for nature and all living beings.

Dr. Schell is a former elementary and secondary teacher and principal as well as district Social Studies Resource Teacher at San Diego Unified; K-12 History-Social Science Coordinator at San Diego County Office of Education; liaison at National Geographic Education Foundation; and preservice instructor at San Diego State University’s School of Teacher Education. She is co-chair to the California Environmental Literacy Initiative, co-leads the California Global Education Network, and works closely with the California Geographic Alliance. She is an author, speaker, and presenter, contributing to professional journals, blogs, curriculum, and conferences. Dr. Schell is a Royal Canadian Geographical Society Fellow, HundrED Ambassador, California Council for the Social Studies awardee, and was recently named one of the Top 100 Visionaries in Education by the Global Forum for Education and Learning. She earned her B.A. and Ed.D. at the University of San Diego and her M.S. in Journalism at Northwestern University. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area.