Tools for Teaching Social Studies : A How-to Handbook of Useful Ideas and Practical Solutions

Engage your students AND keep your sanity with classroom-tested tools. Tools for Teaching Social Studies delivers a wealth of practical solutions for classroom success―all grounded in solid educational philosophy. A lifeline for new social studies teachers and a source of inspiration and ideas for experienced teachers, this book offers you a boost at every stage of your career. Based on a master teacher’s four decades of experience, this top-notch toolkit is packed with strategies:

• Learn five key teaching principles that put you and your students on the path to success.
• Discover your unique style.
• Connect with your students.
• Set and achieve realistic professional and personal goals.
• Stay organized and manage your time effectively.
• Empower yourself as a teacher.
• Avoid burn-out.
• Facilitate effective group work.
• Create engaging learning plans.
• Make the right use of social media. And much more!

Jim Parsons, PhD, has been a professor at the University of Alberta for 40 years. He is the author of over 100 books and 200 educational articles. He is an active educational researcher and the editor of two journals: The Canadian Journal for Teacher Research and the Northwest Journal of Teacher Education. His areas of interest are research, social studies, and religious and moral education.

Mariah Schroder is a recent graduate of the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. She received the Roger S. Smith Award for undergraduate research in 2014. Her research and areas of interest are social studies pedagogy and First Nations’ education, specifically the reconciliation of traditional and emergent knowledge.