Social Studies

Dr. Barbara C. Cruz

Dr. Barbara C. Cruz

• Dr. Barbara C. Cruz is a professor at the University of South Florida.
• Her teaching mainly focuses on the preparation of Social Studies teachers.
• She has coauthored several texts including: Teaching Social Studies to English Language Learners and Gateway to Social Studies.
• She has also published young adult biographies about inspiring Hispanics.

Ryan Carlisle -8th- Social Studies
1. How do you teach Social Studies to students while making the information relevant?
"I think you have to use modern day events to bridge the gap. When you use modern events and relate it to what you are teaching, it becomes more real for the students."
2. How do you differentiate for ELL or struggling learners?
"I try to make learning as visual as possible. I sometimes exchange academic terms for more conversational words to help students grasp the meaning of certain topics."

3. Do you believe that Social Studies is a valuable subject that every student needs to learn? "Absolutely, everything around us has been impacted by history. It is interesting to learn about the people and events that helped mold our country, state, or city."
4. Do you focus on strengths or weaknesses?
"I think it is important to know each child's strengths and weaknesses, but I focus more on a weakness because it will take more time for a student to improve in this area."

High School Social Studies

The previous video is an exemplar lesson for several reasons. The teacher is actively engaged in the learning. She has students grouped and seems to know each individual students' strengths and weaknesses. She asks higher level thinking questions and lets the students discuss with peers to come to a logical answer. She is not simply feeding them the information. She is guiding them and allowing them to discover the answers on their own.

Stacy Yung - Twitter @stacyyung
Stacy Yung updates her twitter feed almost daily with fun and engaging ways to make Social Studies instruction relevant for its learners. She shares videos, games, and professional development opportunities related to the field.

References:



http://www.coedu.usf.edu/main/departments/seced/Faculty/Cruz.html