The Social Studies Journal
“I don’t want to bow down to the almighty lesson plan and I don’t want to lose the importance of having a teacher in the classroom who is a thinking, feeling, unique individual.”
(Ayers & Alexander-Tanner, 2010, p. 75)
Social Studies Journal, a peer-reviewed publication of the Pennsylvania Council for the Social Studies, issues a call for manuscripts for our Spring 2022 themed special issue entitled “My Favorite Lesson.” Authors are invited to submit articles that discuss their favorite lessons for the purpose of a) celebrating excellent pedagogy and b) inspiring new classroom (and out of classroom) practices. Social Studies Journal welcomes submissions from established and emerging social studies scholars, including K-12 social studies teachers, methods instructors, and other education professionals in the field of social studies.
Many teachers spend years developing and refining learning experiences that are special, affect profound change, and leave students and teachers alike with lasting memories and unique bonds. Our ideal issue will include such teaching examples from elementary teachers, middle and secondary teachers, and undergraduate and graduate methods instructors.
Papers submitted must include a rationale for the lesson (i.e., what the lesson topic is and why; why the lesson’s particular methodology/ies), ties to existing scholarship, and examples of enactment with students. Rather than seeking the scripted, mechanical “lesson plan,” we encourage authors to wade into the messiness and complications inherent in the process of teaching, to push beyond the traditional lesson plan. Like the Ayers & Alexander-Tanner (2010) quote at the top of this call, we hope authors share the ways in which they “liberate the curriculum” through their thinking, feeling, and unique individualism.
Submission deadline: March 15, 2022
Notes to Authors:
- Manuscripts should be sent by email attachment to the editors at: [email protected] Receipt of manuscripts will be acknowledged by email within one week.
- Articles must relate to the theory and/or practice of teaching and learning in social studies and may relate to K-12 education, teacher education, or professional development of practicing teachers. Please see detailed guidelines for manuscripts, including aims and scope, in the preface of a recent issue of SSJ available online at www.pcssonline.org.
- Manuscripts should be double-spaced, 12-point font, with standard margins.
- Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format.
- Manuscripts must follow the current edition of APA formatting for all text including references (see note on references below). Manuscripts that do not follow APA will not be sent for peer review.
- References should follow APA format MINUS indents/spacing. Please write all references without using tabs for the ease of our editing process.
- Name, institutional affiliation, title, email address, and phone number for ALL authors should appear on the cover page only, and nowhere else in the manuscript, including in references. For manuscripts with multiple authors, a contact author should be designated.
- In general, Social Studies Journal accepts manuscripts between five and twenty double-spaced pages long (excluding references), but exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
- Please retain copies of anything you send to the editors. Materials are not returned.
- If the manuscript includes images, appendices, etc., these should be included at the end of the manuscript in the same document. Authors are responsible for obtaining permissions for, and properly crediting, any images used.
- Social Studies Journal is a peer-reviewed publication and all manuscripts are read by two or more blinded peer-reviewers.
Editorial Team:
Jessica Schocker, Editor
Associate Professor of Social Studies Education and Women’s Studies
Penn State Berks
Mark Kissling, Associate Editor
Associate Professor of Education
Penn State University Park
Stephanie Schroeder, Associate Editor
Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education
Penn State University Park