Fostering Effective Communication Among Social Studies Communities

Supported by: New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois

Co-Sponsors: California, Oregon, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Wisconsin,

New Mexico, New York State

RATIONALE: Numerous organizations including economic councils, historical councils, geographic alliances, and civic education communities currently exist and independently work toward a common goal. However, the communication between these distinct groups is often inarticulate, informal, or ineffectively shared.

WHEREAS: local and regional institutions such as historical societies, museums, and archives serve as valuable potential resources for social studies educators, and

WHEREAS: multiple and varied positions currently exist and communication between these groups is inconsistent and informal, and

WHEREAS: social studies communities working independently can develop a myopic view to their immediate concerns in the absence of a greater discussion, and

WHEREAS: communication among colleagues is imperative and necessary, and

WHEREAS: national, state, and regional conferences are excellent ways for professionals to communicate and share ideas, and

WHEREAS: it is important that NCSS take a lead role to support and promote national, state and regional conferences, and

WHEREAS: conferences are excellent venues to advance and promote social studies education, and

BE IT RESOLVED, that, in order to improve the quality of social studies teaching and learning in every classroom, the NCSS national, state, regional, local councils and special interest communities relating to social studies, will open a clear dialog between these diverse groups through joint endeavors including conferences, publications, and/or sponsorships to better address a theoretical, practical and standards-based approach to the teaching of social studies.