The Marginalization of Social Studies
What is Happening?
The following infographics contain data collected from elementary teachers and administrators from across the state of Michigan. Districts in every Michigan county participated in this survey, with over 1,000 survey responses collected. A team of social studies leaders in Michigan– representatives from the state department of education, intermediate school districts, regional educational service agencies, content area organizations, and Michigan universities–designed the survey and analyzed the data.
Survey question topics included school and district demographic data, amount of time spent teaching social studies, amount of time spent teaching academic subjects other than social studies (English-language arts, science, mathematics), instructional resources used to teach social studies, the use of inquiry when teaching social studies, professional development opportunities, and barriers to teaching social studies.
Overall, the results highlighted the importance of “time” in teaching social studies and the marginalization of social studies at the elementary level. These data illustrate the need for a deeper commitment to social studies education from school districts, a reconceptualization of K-5 standards, more opportunities for teachers’ professional development, and a mindshift among the public about why social studies for our youngest learners is critical.
What Do We Do About It?
Why is it Happening?
Provide professional development for elementary educators on social studies inquiry and integration within contracted hours.
Intentional integration of social studies into other elementary subjects can be done through effective social studies practices, such as inquiry, discussion, and critical thinking. Effective integration requires teachers to be not only proficient in pedagogy, but social studies content knowledge, which many teachers in our study say is lacking for themselves, with limited time to rectify that by learning more. Districts can promote and encourage professional development in social studies by making it a focus of their yearly PD offerings, offer incentives for attending professional conferences, and providing released time to attend professional development during contracted hours. Social studies professional development providers and coordinators, social studies professional organizations, and teacher preparation programs should make professional learning specifically tailored for elementary students a priority in their offerings and experiences.
Simply adding time for more social studies would not solve the problem of elementary social studies marginalization by itself. In addition to allocating more time to social studies curriculum in a daily schedule, we believe it is important to mandate more attention to social studies so that districts and curriculum makers can consider how best to integrate and capture social studies moments throughout the day, beyond official social studies blocks. Intentionally embedding social studies into existing curricula can be done in large- and small-scale ways. Teacher preparation programs can structure elementary programs to focus on both literacy and social studies integration (Shifflet & Hunt, 2019), and K-5 state standards in all subject areas ought to be more disciplinarily integrated so that curricular specialists at the district or in the building can help teachers integrate between and amongst existing curriculum more effectively. In turn, this can help teachers better teach in interdisciplinary ways that ensure more robust social studies instruction alongside literacy, math, and science.
In small ways, social studies concepts can be incorporated into non-academic times of the day (after lunch, snack time, etc.) This represents one small way teachers have squeezed social studies into their day when there would not otherwise be any academic work done (Whitlock & Brugar, 2019). On a larger scale, research has shown that students learn best when content is contextualized (i.e., see How People Learn, 2018), and elementary classrooms are full of the type of context for students to learn about social studies. Research shows us this is possible, as other models of this work exist for science and literacy (Wright & Gotwals, 2017), and some have even gone as far as to integrate multiple disciplines within one holistic curriculum (e.g., the Great First Eight curriculum, see https://greatfirsteight.org/).
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What is Happening?
In addition to professional learning, elementary teachers need time to reflect on their learning and plan for its implementation in their instruction. Teachers in our study reported that the lack of planning time is a large barrier to teaching social studies. We recommend that school leaders include structured planning time and space to collaborate with colleagues that are specifically devoted to social studies.
Including more social studies in an elementary school day will require a commitment to centering social studies as opposed to looking at the subject as an “extra” or “if we get to it.” This reconceptualization goes beyond any individual teacher’s decisions, as our survey showed that context matters. So let’s change the context! Click on the triangles for more information
Build in more planning time for teachers with an intentional focus on social studies preparation and collaboration.
Why is it Happening?
What Can We Do About It?
Rethink elementary school scheduling to focus attention on intentional integration.
Students’ Background Knowledge - perceived lack of skills and emotional readiness.
Lower socioeconomic status/Low-achieving contexts - abilities are underestimated.
Race/Racism - contextual factors, teacher’s beliefs influence their approach to social studies.
34.5% of respondants indicated that ELA and Math are prioritized more by administrators. This is due in part because of a testing focus heavily weighted on ensuring ELA and Math are taught with fidelity and comes at the cost of social studies.
Divisive concepts - Debats and legislation proposals seeking to limit teaching of “divisive” concepts.
Defensive teaching - simplyfying content and reducing demands for control and compliance (especially in contexts with large marginalized populations.
Respondants were asked specifically about barriers to implementing a fair number of instructional minutes toward social studies instruction.NOTE: Participants could select more than one response on this question. NOTE: Please edit this text. Dave wrote it in 30 seconds.
Hover your mouse over each reason for more information.
What do we do about it?
Prioritization of Instructional Time
10 Percent of Respondants felt this was the most important thing. We know this because it appears like magic when you hover over something. It also can pop up anywhere so if you don’t like it here, we can explore other options (like underneath the other explanation box)
Why Is This Happening?
Lack of Teacher Preparedness
Teacher’s Perceptions
School Context
4% of responses were centered around the amount of time for planning social studies. Some responses described teacher preparation programming focusing on test-taking skills and strategies. Others indicated a lack of time to plan and develop inquiry based lessons and resources. Others indicated a lack of planning time and background knowledge.
8.7% of respondants indicated a barrier in building background knowledge. Responses centered around a lack of existing skills in students, as well as emotional readiness. Some responses were more centered around the socioeconomic status of students. Some responses indicated a fear of teaching potentially divisive concepts.
Testing - Focus on ELA, Math
Teaching with Fidelity - teaching ELA and Math with fidelity at the cost of social studies (read, write, and understand math-takes away time for science and social studies
Beliefs/Dispositions - Negative view of social studies (recall boring social studies experiences in teachers’ own background
Narrowing of curriculum and instruction - teacher preparation prorams often focus on test-taking skills and strategies and maintaining the status quo.
Inquiry - Lack of time spent on developing inquiry based teaching and learning.
Planning Time - Due to lack of resources and teachers knowledge planning for social studies takes extra time.
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What is Happening?
Survey respondents were asked about how many minutes per day were dedicated to social studies instruction. Their responses corroborate other research across the country that consistently shows social studies receiving less instructional time in elementary schools than ELA and Math. The largest group of respondents—45.4 percent—reported teaching social studies between 21-40 minutes per day, while the second largest group reported teaching social studies for only 1-20 minutes per day. Compared to social studies, the number of minutes that respondents reported dedicating to ELA and Math per day was greater. For ELA, 46.8 percent of respondents reported that they teach between 81-120 minutes per day, and for Math, 57.8 percent of respondents reported that they teach between 41-80 minutes per day. Survey responses show Science being similarly marginalized alongside social studies. Notably, elementary teachers report wanting to teach social studies more often than they currently do.
200+ min/day
161-200 min/day
121-160 min/day
81-120 min/day
41-80 min/day
21-40 min/day
1-20 min/day
0 min/day
Answer left blank
I’d prefer not to answer
Not applicable
I’m not sure
10 people who filled out the survey indicated they were not sure how much time they spent. (<1%)
21 people who filled out the survey indicated they spend 0 minutes per day. (2.7%)
41 people left this question blank (5%)
187 people who filled out the survey indicated they spend 1-20 minutes per day. (24.4%)
6 people who filled out the survey indicated they spend 121-160 minutes per day. (<1%)
347 people who filled out the survey indicated they spend 21-40 minutes per day. (45.4%)
127 people who filled out the survey indicated they spend 41-80 minutes per day. (16.6%)
Science Minutes
14 people who filled out the survey indicated they spend 81-120 minutes per day. (1.8%)
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5 people who filled out the survey indicated they spend 161-200 minutes per day. (<1%)
Math Minutes
3 people who filled out the survey indicated they spend 200+ minutes per day. (<1%)
Ideal Minutes
Why is this Happening?
3 people who filled out the survey indicated they would prefer not to answer. (<1%)
ELA Minutes
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
20 Respondants, 3% of the total
Lack of Time
80% (n = 594) Respondents listed the lack of social studies time as the biggest barrier.
24% (n =183) This includes a lack of support for resources, professional development, and in some cases, a deprioritization of social studies as a school culture.
Prioritization of ELA/Math
Resource Quality
5% (n = 36) Social studies and ELA are not able to be integrated effectively with scripted ELA programs.
Lack of Prep Time
3% (n =20) There is not enough time for elementary teachers to plan quality social studies lessons with prioritization of other subjects.
Lack of District Support
Scope of Resources
71% (n = 530) The lack of availability of quality social studies resources at the elementary level such as textbooks and lesson plans was another barrier.
Respondents to the survey were asked: “What are the top three barriers to teaching social studies at the elementary level?” These are the most commonly mentioned barriers.
Hover your cursor over each reason for more information.
Lack of Resources
24% (n =182) This includes a lack of support for resources and professional development.
Lack of Integration
3% (n =20) Any social studies resources available are not accessible to students, do not meet standards, or are not quality.
27% (n = 204) ELA and math are given more attention in the school day than social studies.
Lack of School Support