Using the Textbook as a Curriculum Resource Center

As a graduate student in a teacher-training program, I saw firsthand the gulf between the methods suggested by my professors and classroom practices that are didactic and lack depth. My concern over these issues has led me to examine research related to them, and the findings suggest that the perception that social studies is in trouble is very real and that there are many teachers who do not attempt to teach social studies in a relevant, thought-provoking way. Researchers are not in agreement on the reasons for the decline in both the quantity and quality of social studies lessons. Many blame the restrictions placed on teachers by high-stakes testing, while others blame teachers themselves, and others blame teacher-training programs for inadequately preparing new teachers to present in-depth lessons. This article looks at research on these issues and considers what can be done to address the decline in the quantity and quality of social studies lessons.