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The absence of social studies curriculum is a problem because it undermines the essential purposes of schooling: to prepare participatory, contributing members of a democratic society. In this arti...

Elementary preservice teachers (N = 69) were asked to write about their memories of elementary school and reflect on the meaning of those memories in combination with course material. Based on the theory-driven thematic analysis, students reported memories that worked to create their desired and/or feared teacher self. Some students recognized a conflict between their memories and the effective teaching practices learned in the course, and only a few were able to negotiate their past memories with current practices and describe a plan of action. Findings elucidate the power of memories as preservice teachers prepare for the classroom.

Using data from a national social studies survey, the authors examined instructional trends among Illinois elementary and middle school social studies teachers. The authors found that teachers preferred whole-group and teacher-centered instructional strategies over more active, student-centered methods. While surveyed teachers predominately indicated that one of the primary goals of teaching social studies was to improve critical-thinking ability, their pedagogical preferences were more conducive to teaching basic facts. The authors also found that middle-level teachers were more likely to use teaching strategies that promoted critical thinking than were used by their elementary school colleagues.