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This research study: (1) looks at what happens in social studies classrooms; and (2) attempts to determine the characteristics and behaviors of effective teachers. To collect data, the researcher observed several high school (grades 9-12) social studies classes since the fall semester of 1991 in the San Francisco (California) Bay Area for 3 months and in five other countries (Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Poland, and Korea). In addition, teachers and students answered questionnaires and were interviewed. Teachers were asked about their expectations for students, what good or effective teaching is, how they characterized today's students, and whether or not they treat honors classes differently than they treat non-honors classes. Students were asked whether or not they liked social studies, and to define good and poor social studies teachers. Tests, lesson plans, teacher's notes, and student notebooks and assignments were examined. The study found that effective teachers behave similarly and share certain characteristics. They tend to maintain high expectations for their students, are able to explain things clearly to their students, and vary their teaching methods and classroom activities. The study also showed that effective teachers saw their courses as having an impact on their students' lives, and were concerned with not only course contents, but also with student learning processes. Tables throughout the paper describe types of research activities, compare classroom activities of effective teachers to those of ineffective teachers, show evidence of student learning, compare how frequently various classroom activities occurred in United States and overseas schools, list student ratings of classroom activities, and list characteristics and behaviors of effective social studies teachers. (LP)

This report summarizes research on teacher effectiveness in social studies classrooms. Observations were conducted in a large urban school district on the west coast of the United States, as well as in selected classrooms in Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and Germany since 1991. Effective teachers are those for whom there is evidence that students are not only learning, but also express an interest in the subjects they are taught. Observations were reinforced with end-of-semester questionnaires and in-depth interviews with each teacher and with randomly selected students in each class observed. The purposes of the research was two-fold: (1) to gain as accurate and detailed an impression as possible of what happens on a more or less regular basis in these classroom; and (2) to document how effective and non-effective teachers in these classrooms differ. Behaviors and characteristics of effective social studies teachers include: (1) they all have high (sometimes extremely high) expectations for their students; (2) they all stress depth rather than coverage of the course content; (3) they all are able to explain things clearly to their students; (4) they all are good listeners; (5) they all demonstrate remarkable patience; (6) they all vary the kinds of things they do and the kinds of activities in which they engage students in class; (7) they all possess incredible amounts of energy; and (8) they all display a considerable command of their subject matter and are able to relate to a variety of daily life examples. (EH)