Why Social Studies Matters
Recent state wrangling over social studies standards, divisive as that may be, offers some indication that educators and the society at large recognize the importance social studies, which includes history, geography, and civics, among other fields. Amid cries of "whose history" and scoring political points that standards debates provoke is the recognition that students—future voters and leaders—are influenced by how they understand past and present societies, the workings of government, and cultures worldwide.
ASCD Express is looking for short, 600 to 1,000-word essays on the theme "Why Social Studies Matters." Guidelines for