Schools will punish students who do not display proper behavior, but they rarely model the right behavior, rendering the punishment useless. Social studies content allows for character exploration as a reasonable tangent, making it the social studies teacher's responsibility to incorporate it when possible.

We expect our students to use higher level thinking, but too often we don't explain to them what that means. Showing them how easy it is to use critical thinking skills will assist them in using those skills throughout the year.

Whether you're a new teacher entering the classroom for the first time or a veteran teacher with experience to spare, we're all looking for ways to improve our performance and better serve our students. Setting goals for development before the year begins enables you to track your evolution and share your progress with colleagues.

Great sites to enhance your lessons!

Free social studies worksheets and activities with images - economics, European and US history, geography, government, and more. All grade levels