Starting and Ending with Thinking in Social Studies: Utilizing Historical Thinking Skills in the 21st Century Paperback – April 10, 2022

Starting and Ending with Thinking in Social Studies offers teachers a holistic system for incorporating historical thinking skills as the focus for instruction and assessment in a social studies classroom. Leveraging over two decades of teaching experience, this research-based approach to teaching critical thinking offers formulas, scaffolding, graphic organizers, and troubleshooting advice that create a unique and systematic approach to the discipline.This work offers a master class in seven historical thinking skills: causation, comparison, contextualization, change and continuity over time, interpretation, evaluation, and synthesis. It also offers techniques for implementing these skills in argumentation through meta-cognitive reflection and digital learning, culminating in increased life-long personal and professional success for both teachers and students.This model will clarify the teacher’s approach to skill based instruction in social studies by generating a paradigm shift from recalling facts to performing rigorous critical thinking. In a world where students and employees can Google anything, it should be the primary goal of teachers to ensure that students instead learn to be discerning and creative in leveraging information. When implemented in the classroom, this ground-breaking system helps all students develop a growth mindset and abstract thinking flexibility that transcends the classroom and enhances employ-ability in the 21st century.As many educators can attest, abstract and complex thinking skills that are often passed on through modeling by affluent, educated parents are frequently missed by disadvantaged or at risk students. This work will also help students from disadvantaged backgrounds to overcome socioeconomic academic and achievement gaps through thorough scaffolding and spiral teaching techniques.Incorporating backwards planning, this book serves as a comprehensive manual, as well as a quick reference tool, to guide and support teachers in implementing instruction, assessment, and reflection that evolves the discipline of social studies. Read more