Chapter 9: Wise Practice in High School Social Studies: The Case of Joe Gotchy

The call for portrayals of teaching that meet Shulman’s request for research-refined examinations that proceed beyond simple descriptions of planning, organizing, and carrying out a lesson is impressive. Descriptions of the teachers’ conceptual frameworks, decision-making processes, and strategies for engaging students in learning content, as well as embracing and utilizing student diversity, constitute mindful responses to Shulman’s request. To that end, this chapter examines the practice of one high school social studies teacher who exemplifies wise practice by engaging his students in inquiry-based projects. He makes social studies compelling for his students. His work with students not only provides insight into the “look and feel” of how a teacher might have a positive impact on student learning, but it also provides an example of what Fred Newmann has called “authentic intellectual work” (Newmann & Wehlage, 1993; Scheurman & Newmann, 1998).