Dr. James Duplass, with his new text The Essence of Teaching Social Studies, has provided teachers and teacher educators with an invaluable resource for the modern classroom. In a time where critical thinking skills, civic literacy, and democratic values have never been more important, Dr. Duplass' book serves as a pragmatic, comprehensive foundation for fostering essential skills and knowledge in our students. Teachers will find particular value in strategies for developing hybrid and internet-ready classes, as well as Dr. Duplass' emphasis on the importance of civics education throughout the K-12 spectrum. The Essence of Teaching Social Studies represents a valuable platform for the development of an effective social studies classroom. Mark Pearcy, Professor of Teacher Education at Rider UniversityGiven the polarized nature of today’s society, learning and practicing democracy has never been more important. In The Essence of Social Studies, James Duplass provides a comprehensive, yet flexible resource for implementing elementary and secondary social studies methods while expertly weaving in philosophy, technology and research-based best practices. Designed with an emphasis on professors’ needs and a focus on the unique characteristics of young learners, this text should be a part of every social studies teacher’s repertoire. Daniel Stuckart, Professor of Social Studies Education, City University of New York, Lehman CollegeDr. Duplass has crafted a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to 21st Century social studies education in The Essence of Teaching Social Studies. Woven throughout the book are philosophical rationales and pedagogical solutions appropriate for teaching content knowledge and skills, including critical thinking and civic literacy, to K-12 students in the era of standards-based education. Dr. Duplass has wisely chosen a malleable format for his methods book that is responsive to the needs of professors, instructors, and students of social studies education in numerous contexts. Most importantly, Dr. Duplass’ book is exceptionally relevant today because of its unique focus on issues related to democratic ideals and ideology, including how the development of students’ personal identity ultimately shapes their civic identity. Natalie Keefer, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education, University of Louisiana at Lafayette"Duplass connects timeless philosophical questions to the present in a practical map for social studies educators in an accessible format. This text is a must read for any teacher or teacher candidate interested in thinking deeply about how intentional choices play out in K-12 social studies classrooms. Read this text – it will make you a better teacher and a better person." Nick Bardo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, Colorado Mesa UniversityThe Essence of Teaching Social Studies is a methods book that goes beyond methods and will assist social studies teachers in developing their craft. Pre-service teachers will benefit from the inclusion of foundations of social studies as a point of departure to develop their understanding of the field and the role of a social studies teacher. The accessible nature of the book further provides a map for teachers that interweaves the NCSS C3 Framework with concepts and strategies that set the stage for successful teaching. Lastly, Duplass thoughtfully reinforces the importance of focusing on their students as individuals in a pluralistic society. Brandon J. Haas, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education, Plymouth State UniversityThis is the first social studies methods textbook to integrate key NCSS position statements starting with the NCSS’ "Democratic Beliefs," "Themes," "Essential Skills" and "C3 Framework," professional organizations standards, and Common Core into a coherent presentation. Combining these will allow me to use this text with both my elementary and secondary preservice teachers. Duplass' writing style is clear and will be beneficial to all of my students as their primary methodological resource. Jason L. O'Brien, Associate Professor of Education, University of Alabama in HuntsvilleThe Essence of Teaching Social Studies would be a good choice for a professor wishing to have a textbook that is both readable and efficient. The length of the individual chapters, with the accompanying on-line materials, provides the instructor a solid base upon which to build their class discussions and instructional practice. I know that my students would appreciate reading a text that is as accessible and as succinct as this one is Caroline Sheffield
