An inquiry into the pedagogical practices of high school social studies teachers: Imagining and re-imagining becoming a teacher

Abstract

On three days in 2017-18 two university professor-researchers gathered with three high school teachers to talk about the experience of teaching social studies and about the insights, questions, and wonderments therefrom derived. The intent was to research the life and work of social studies teachers. The gatherings were funded by the Brandon school division (Brandon is a small city in the southwestern Manitoba (Canada). The research was conducted under the auspices of the Manitoba Education Research Network (MERN) with support from Manitoba Education and Training (MET). The underlying premise was that teachers, through their lived experience in the classroom and beyond, were able to access understandings unique to teaching and learning. This article chronicles, in part, what one teacher revealed about his conception of being a social studies teacher and his teaching experience and how, thereby, the understanding of social studies teaching is increased and provides a signal as regards what it might be to be a social studies teacher.