Teaching Controversial Topics in Social studies Danielle Brookover W&M SOE Research Symposium March 20, 2015

What is a controversial issue? Generally speaking, a controversial issue is any topic that create polarized viewpoints between people. Examples: -Terrorism -Islam -Press censorship -Evolution/creationism -Immigration reform -Gun control -String theory -Current events

Whey they aren’t taught Major reasons controversial issues are not addressed in schools: A) Teachers do not feel comfortable addressing them B) Concerns/lack of support from administration C) Classroom management concerns

Why they should be taught Many benefits for students including: -Prepares students to be twenty-first century citizens -Awareness of multiple perspectives and more tolerant to other ideas -Skills-based learning: critical thinking, justifying reasoning with evidence -Communication skills

Cautions when teaching -Be aware of the demographics in your school district -Know your school’s policies -Consult with your administration -Be conscious of your personal and educational experiences that can affect your teaching

How to successfully implement In order to make studying controversial topics worthwhile, it is important to: -Have organized learning goals -Prepare in advance! -Establish a safe and open classroom community -Be very clear in your expectations and directions -Use your school counselor as a resource in the classroom!

For further research… Byford, J., Lennon, S., and Russell, W. B. (2009). Teaching controversial issues in the social studies: A research study of high school teachers. Clearing House 82(4), 165-170. Camicia, S. P. (2012). Deciding what is a controversial issue: A case study of social studies curriculum controversy. Theory & Research in Social Education 36(4), 298-316. Fournier-Sylvester, N. (2013). Daring to Debate: Strategies for Teaching Controversial Issues in the Classroom. College Quarterly, 16(3). Hess, D. E. (2002). Discussing controversial public issues in secondary social studies classrooms: Learning from skilled teachers. Theory and Research in Social Education 30(1), 10-41. Tannebaum, R. P. (2013). Dialogue, discussion, and democracy in the social studies classroom. Social Studies Research and Practice 8(3), 99-110.