Turning Pragmatism into Practice: A Vision for Social Studies Teachers

Despite the founding of the modern social studies curriculum nearly a century ago based on John Dewey’s pragmatism philosophy, the field has never achieved a significant and broad implementation of his ideas. Dewey’s instrumentalism offers social studies educators a tool for addressing vexing problems such as whether they should design classroom experiences using a traditional or a social studies approach to learning history, the role of digital technologies, the purpose and challenges of younger learners working with an expanding horizons curriculum, and many more. At the same time, Dewey’s time-tested theories describe how students use the social studies curriculum to make meaning as well as provide teachers a blueprint for implementing engaging and interactive lessons. We have neglected Dewey, which has led to confusion, student disinterest, and widespread teaching methodologies contrary to theoretical and research best practices. Revisiting Dewey provides the why and how of what we do, an ideal for creating a challenging and rigorous social studies curriculum while engaging students’ interests.

Table of Contents:
CHAPTER NatureFrom Humble Origins to Greatness His Works Organizational Strategies Related to Dewey’s Writings Ideological Trends and Major Works Dewey and the Social Studies A Paradox or Misunderstanding? A Radical Turn in PhilosophyGreek and Early Modern Metaphysics Dewey’s Theory of Nature The Social Studies Wars Revisited Dewey’s Philosophy in Action The Instrumental Nature of Social Studies and the Social Sciences Misunderstanding the Middle Position Developing a Democratic Vision for Teaching Social Studies The Central Problem of the Social Studies Developing a Rationale for Teaching Social Studies SummaryCurriculumHuman Participation in Nature’s Rhythms The Unity of Teaching and LearningThe Social Studies Teacher’s InteractionTeacher Beliefs and Enacting a Social Studies CurriculumThe Intersection of Beliefs and Teacher PreparationAims Talk RevisitedThe Three Pedagogical TraditionsThe Traditional Approach: Citizenship Transmission TeachersDisciplinary Tools: Social Scientist Approach TeachersDewey in Action: Reflective Inquiry TeachersDesigning and Implementing a Reflective Inquiry CurriculumActive OccupationsCurriculum StructuresLong-Term ProjectsThematic UnitsIssues-Centered Units and LessonsReverse Chronology UnitsThe Social Studies Curriculum Continuum Using the Curriculum to Enlarge an Experience SummaryExperienceExperience and the Natural World Having an Experience The Denotative Method: Evolution Versus Intelligent Design Scientific Principles The Public and Its Social Beliefs Dewey, Experience and Education Educative Experiences Characteristics of Educative Social Studies Experiences Psychologizing the Social Studies Curriculum with Experience Experience and Judgment Moral Development as Judgment Historical Judgment History Education as Instrumental Summary MoralityImpulse Psychology Interest and Growth in Education Maslow’s Hierarchy Developing Student Interests Interest and Pleasure Effort, Motivation and Thinking Valuation and Ethics Valuation Theory Primitive Valuations Valuings, Desires and Interests Means-End Relationships Contextualism Moral Philosophy Dewey’s Moral Life Habits A Moral Self Teacher Character Traits and Attitudes Character Education A Social Studies Reflective Moral Inquiry Model Summary InquiryA Return to Dewey’s Ontology The Nature of Inquiry The Unification of Theory and Practice in a Problematic Situation Knowledge as Production Inquiry and Tools A New Terminology for Old Ways of Doing and Undergoing Inquiry as Continuous Doing the Social Studies Social Studies Inquiry Inquiry is More than Big Investigations Digital Tools and Artifacts The Problem The Curious Case of the Common Core State Standards Summary CitizenshipDewey’s Democracy Social Naturalism The State as Instrument Young Persons’ Publics Publics, Officials and Government Publics and Democracy Public Officials as Experts Public Problems The Social Studies Controversial Public Issues Refining Your Rationale with CPI and Local Values Building a CPI Curriculum Enacting a PPD Curriculum Discussion Democracy in Schools Summary References

About the Author :
Daniel W. Stuckart is an Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at Lehman College in the Bronx, New York with research interests in urban education, technology and student-centered practices. He is co-author of Revisiting Dewey: Best Practices for Educating the Whole Child Today (2010).

Review :
John Dewey’s pedagogical concepts are timeless and Dr. Stuckart has delivered the preeminent writing on Dewey for the social studies classroom. His book provides social studies educators with the mechanisms for using Dewey’s instrumentalism philosophy to facilitate student learning towards an informed democratic populace. This should be on the bookshelf of every social studies educator! Daniel Stuckart’s Turning Pragmatism into Practice: A Vision for Social Studies Teachers, a text aimed at pre-service and practicing teachers, provides a vision for turning the philosophic constructs of John Dewey into a vision of what a secondary social studies curriculum and classroom might look like. By providing the reader an understanding of inquiry-based learning Professor Stuckart hopes to guide educators towards the establishment of democratic norms as part of secondary social studies classroom experiences. In his new book, Daniel Stuckart provides a comprehensive yet accessible treatment of how Dewey’s philosophy can inform social studies teachers tending the curricular-instructional gate. In many ways, the social studies has been turning in circles for a century. In this engaging book, Daniel Stuckart revisits, revitalizes, and returns the field to the educational ideas of John Dewey that might enliven classrooms. Stuckart takes the rather dense works from Dewey's long career and makes them accessible for educators and applicable to the classroom. Pre-service to veteran social studies educators would be wise to engage with these pragmatic ideas as they prepare the next generation of citizens for democratic living.