ERIC Number: EJ1273136
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Oct
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0037-7724
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Teaching about the 2020 Presidential Election
Journell, Wayne
Social Education, v85 n5 p267-271 Oct 2020
Presidential elections have been described as "the quintessential example of teaching social studies" due to the authentic connections teachers can make between the formal curriculum and the political world in which students live. Yet current events often do not fit neatly into state curriculum standards and, as a result, some teachers miss out on the opportunity to make these connections and capitalize on student interest in the election. COVID-19 has made classroom teaching this fall more challenging than normal. Masks, social distancing, and remote learning make instruction both difficult and unpredictable for all educators. Social studies teachers, though, are navigating an additional source of tension: the 2020 presidential election. In this article, Wayne Journell outlines some important considerations for teachers as they navigate the election this fall. These recommendations are aimed at middle and high school classrooms, but many could be adapted for younger learners.
Descriptors: Social Studies, Teaching Methods, Presidents, Elections, Political Attitudes, Middle School Students, High School Students, COVID-19, Pandemics, Disease Control, Student Interests, Distance Education, Trauma, Self Disclosure (Individuals), Thinking Skills
National Council for the Social Studies. 8555 Sixteenth Street #500, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Tel: 800-683-0812; Tel: 301-588-1800; Fax: 301-588-2049; e-mail: membership@ncss.org; Web site: http://www.socialstudies.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A