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1. First Use of Social Studies (Summary & Impact)
Jones first implemented social studies curriculum at the Hampton Institute, wherein he developed subject matter that moved away from solely teaching the past but implementing social sciences that he believed would further help black Americans and immigrants in society. Jones' curriculum had a lasting impact in that many educational scholars agreed with the inclusion of the other important social sciences into in education in addition to old school history. -
1. First Use of Social Studies (Quote and Source Only)
Johnson, D. (2000). W.E.B. DuBois, Thomas Jesse Jones and the struggle for social education, 1900-1930. The Journal of Negro History, 85(3), 71-95. “Jones wanted to abandon the old history curriculum, which he believed was both irrelevant to real life needs and too mentally demanding to be understood by "negroes and Indians," proposing in its place courses which would serve "the actual needs" of his students” (Johnson, 79) -
2. "New Education" and Progressive Thinking (Summary and Impact)
During the early 1900s there were a slew of progressive educational theorists that determined that the U.S. educational system's use of teacher centered instruction was not the most beneficial. Reformers, such as Dewey, published their findings in a fight to push student centered learning. Dewey's book was published in 1915, but had little impact on the trends of instruction during this time period, but started a movement of progressive teaching practices. -
2. "New Education" and Progressive Thinking
Cuban, L. (1984). How teachers taught: Constancy and change in American classrooms, 1890–1980. Longman. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED383498.pdf “In America the conversion of these reformers' ideas into schools that viewed the child, not the teacher or subject, as the proper focus for instruction, can be found in the work of Edward Sheldon, Francis Parker, John Dewey, and their earnest disciples who spread interpretations of each man's work throughout the country." (Cuban, 44) -
3. NCSS Established- Source: Evans, R. W. (2004). The 1916 compromise: The report on Social Studies. In The Social Studies wars: What should we teach the children? (pp. 21–45). Teachers College Press.
"Creation of a consensus definition was an understandable response to the turmoil created by social studies insurgents in the 1916 report and by the response of critics. What emerged was a lasting definition that weathered a number of storms over the curriculum, but, unfortunately failed to adequately defend and promote a vision of social studies as a strong alternative to traditional history and the social sciences.” (Evans, 37) -
3. NCSS Established (Summary & Impact)
During this time period the NCSS was developed in response to the development of several other councils that created a myriad of outlines and standards for social studies curriculum that led to confusion and many different camps to develop. The NCSS was able to provide a more concrete definition of social studies and the outline the subject matter included within the study of social sciences. -
4. Student Tracking in Education (Source, Quote & Summary)
Race Forward. (2015, October 8). Historical timeline of public education in the US. https://www.raceforward.org/research/reports/historical-timeline-public-education-us "1932- A survey of 150 school districts reveals that three quarters of them are using so-called intelligence testing to place students in different academic tracks." During this era, it was found that despite many reform movements students were tracked and placed into classes based off of their IQ and continued for decades. -
5. Rugg's Textbook and Conservative Backlash- (Quotes and Source) Source: Evans, R. W. (2004). The social studies wars: What should we teach the children? Teachers College Press.
“Although it is clear that progressivism meant different things to different people, there were definite meanings to the term. The mainstream progressives stressed instruction emphasizing student activity participation, and growth. The reconstructionist wing stressed education to foster a new social order.” (Evans, 48) “But the “new” questioning of the social order was short lived, as substantive critiques and challenges from patriotic groups began by earnest in mid-decade” (Evans, 69) -
5. Rugg's Textbook and Conservative Backlash (Summary & Impact)
During the 1930s there were many new progressive ideas being implemented into social studies curriculum. There was a lack of uniformity in materials being produced for consumption, one of which being Rugg's textbook that was seen by many critics as anti-capitalist or pushing democratic socialism. Social issues were implemented in social studies curriculum but due to the immense push-back from patriotic groups it appeared classrooms experienced little change at this time. -
6. Impact of WWII: Death of Progressive Movement (Source & Quote)
Evans, R. W. (2004). War and the war on Social Studies. In The Social Studies wars: What should we teach the children? (pp. 70–95). Teachers College Press. “The war also had an immediate impact on progressive educational trends, casting a pall over experimentation and, in the long term, leading to the death of progressive education as an organized force, at least in the form of the PEA.” (Evans, 70) -
6. Impact of WWII: Death of Progressive Movement (Summary & Impact)
During and after WWII the NCSS and other groups rallied together to push back even more on the previous decades progressive ideas and moved toward curriculum that was patriotic in nature. There was a shift and a higher focus on history and geography rather than social sciences, which took a large hit on progressive education/reconstructionists as an organized force. -
7. Anti-Communist Reform in Education (Source and Quotes) Spencer C.J. Gregg, (2016) "Crisis in Education -- The Effect of the Cold War on the American Education System" Young Historians Conference. Paper 22
“In 1951 John T. Flynn published an article in Reader's Digest claiming that current social studies texts presented a “seductive form of propaganda for collectivism-chiefly the type we call socialism.” Flynn’s position was supported by authors Kitty Jones, Robert Oliver, and Mary Allen all of whom eventually published books mirroring Flynn’s claim.” (Gregg, 9) -
7. Anti-Communist Reform in Education (Summary & Impact)
This movement in education was a push again towards patriotic social studies education in response to fear of communism and social ideas that were spreading rapidly around the world. This shift in curriculum was focused on principals of democracy and emphasized American freedom. -
8. "Newer Social Studies" & Civil Rights (Source & Quote) Source: Evans, R. W. (2004). War and the war on Social Studies. In The Social Studies wars: What should we teach the children? (pp. 122–147). Teachers College Press.
"The newer social studies were driven by the very societal change and turmoil that had upset the new social studies. Where the earlier program focused on the structure of the disciplines, the newer trend championed valuing, relevance, and social activism. In the context of civil rights marches, antiwar protests, student sit-ins, and the sex and drug revolts, the new social studies seemed archaic." (Evans, 146) -
8. "Newer Social Studies" & Civil Rights (Summary & Impact)
The 1960s was a time of great change and revision (through many research projects) in social studies curriculum, much of which was tailored to include social movements and current issues of the time. Unfortunately the “new” and “newer” forms of social studies that developed throughout the 60s failed to be implemented, and again there was a conservative push back to the old ways of learning in the next decade. -
9. Back to Basics- Neoconservatism (Source & Quote) Source: Evans, R. W. (2004). The 1916 compromise: The report on Social Studies. In The Social Studies wars: What should we teach the children? (pp. 150-174). Teachers College Press.
“The neoconservative, centrist philosophy lay behind much of the educational agenda of the 1980s and 1990s, and it was the driving force behind many of the reports on educational reform during the time. Much of this conservative activism was a backlash against the legacy of the 1960s, for its political sins, or in some cases, against declining standards.” (Evans, 159) -
9. Back to Basics- Neoconservatism (Summary & Impact)
The 1980s and 1990s were a time where neoconservative ideals prevailed and pushed a “Back-to-basics” approach to social studies curriculum. This stemmed from the perceived low testing scores of students and fear that America was falling behind globally in education. This, coupled with the federal government having more of a hand in education nationally than before, resulted in a conservative approach to education that which had the opposite goals of social studies in the 1960s. -
10. Political Conservative Ideologies Continued Effect
Race Forward. (2015, October 8). Historical timeline of public education in the US. https://www.raceforward.org/research/reports/historical-timeline-public-education-us "1994- Proposition 187 passes in California, making it illegal for children of undocumented immigrants to attend public school. Federal courts hold Proposition 187 unconstitutional, but anti-immigrant feeling spreads across the country." This proposition passed in shows the dominance of neoconservatism in the U.S. at this time