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Expanding Civic Worldviews: Teaching for Citizenship in an Alternative School Setting

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Rethinking Social Studies Teacher Education in the Twenty-First Century

Abstract

The case study featured in this chapter investigated changes to pre-service teachers’ views on citizenship as they participated in a field-based experience designed to assist students in an alternative high school to conduct global action projects. Findings suggest that participants did alter their views and perspectives of teaching for citizenship. Central themes emerging from the data include: surprise at student capacity, awareness of differing worldviews between themselves and participants, and recognition of citizenship education as a tool for cultural relevance. This chapter informs teacher educators about a variety of ways to engage pre-service teachers in opportunities to reflect on teaching citizenship in diverse settings. Findings also attest to the importance of well-structured field experiences and building partnerships between university programs and local area schools.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

    Antonio J. Castro & Kari A. Muente

Authors
  1. Antonio J. Castro
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  2. Kari A. Muente
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonio J. Castro .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA

    Alicia R. Crowe

  2. Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

    Alexander Cuenca

Appendices

Appendix A: Randolph Alternative High School Civic Action Project Schedule

Randolph Civic Action Conference Schedule

  • Leave Randolph at 11:10

  • Lunch with First Generation College Students: 11:30–12:25

  • Campus Tour 12:30–1:20

    • Meet at the first floor of Main hall at 12:30

  • Civic Action Conference in Conference Room: 1:20–3:00

  • Leave at 3:30 pm

Randolph Civic Action Conference

Table 1 Human rights
Full size table
Table 2 LGBTQ issues, women’s rights and family issues
Full size table
Table 3 Political issues
Full size table
Table 4 Issues in history
Full size table

Appendix B: Recommended Readings for Teacher Education Curriculum

Main Texts

  • Merryfield, M. M., & Wilson, A. (2005). Social studies and the world: Teaching global perspectives. Silver Spring, MD: National Council for the Social Studies .

  • Rubin, B. C. (2012). Making citizens : Transforming civic learning for diverse social studies classrooms. New York: Routledge.

Articles

  • Banks, J. A. (2004). Teaching for social justice , diversity, and citizenship in a global world. The Educational Forum, 68(4), 296–305.

  • Ford, J., & Neville, E. (2006). Making democracy an active force in students’ lives. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 19(1), 8–11.

  • Hess, D. (2008). Controversial issue s and democratic discourse. In L. Levstik & C. Tyson (Eds.), Handbook of research in social studies education (pp. 124–136). New York: Routledge.

  • Ross, E. W. (2000). Redrawing the lines: The case against traditional social studies instruction. In D. Hursch & E. W. Ross (Eds.), Democratic social education: Social studies for social change (pp. 43–63). New York: Falmer Press.

  • Rubin, B. C., & Justice, B. (2005). Preparing social studies teachers to be just and democratic: Problems and possibilities. In N. M. Michelli & D. L. Keiser (Eds.), Teacher education for democracy and social justice (pp. 79–103). New York: Routledge.

  • Stanley, W. B. (2005). Social studies and the social order: Transmission or transformation? Social Education, 69(5), 282–286.

  • Westheimer, J., & Kahne, J. (2004). What kind of citizen ? The politics of educating for democracy. American Educational Research Journal, 41(2), 237–269.

Supplemental Book

  • Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Teachers College Press.

  • Wade, R. (2007). Social studies for social justice . New York: Teachers College Press.

Appendix C: Journal Topics

  • Journal 1: Think about a social studies teacher who had a positive impact on your sense of social studies teaching. Please describe the way that teacher taught. What was her/his approach to social studies content? How did that teacher engage students? What qualities of that person would you like to emulate?

  • Journal 2: What makes an ideal citizen ? In what ways should social studies help students become good citizens ?

  • Journal 3: What is a democracy? What role should social studies teachers play in promoting it?

  • Journal 4: Standardized tests exert a tremendous influence on the teaching of specific content in the social studies. What should determine how a social studies teacher plans what to teach? In other words, what types of social studies knowledge is of most worth? Why?

  • Journal 5: What role should teaching global issues be in social studies classes?

  • Journal 6: How should social studies teachers respond to the increasing student cultural, global and linguistic diversity in her/his teaching?

  • Journal 7: Focusing on your student’s reaction, describe your experience developing the global issue project in your field.

  • Journal 8: Reflect on the field project you completed with your student. What are your takeaways? Would you use this in a future class? Why or why not?

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Castro, A.J., Muente, K.A. (2016). Expanding Civic Worldviews: Teaching for Citizenship in an Alternative School Setting. In: Crowe, A., Cuenca, A. (eds) Rethinking Social Studies Teacher Education in the Twenty-First Century. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22939-3_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22939-3_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-22939-3

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