Abstract
Counts (1939) encouraged educators to sustain our democracy through engaging in “new ventures” and the “launching of a bold and vigorous program of action” (p. 11). As a graduate student and social studies teacher I have questioned, and heard colleagues question, the relevance of education theory in the realities of classroom practice. Many authors suggested that linking theory to practice could be done through inquiry (Dewey, 1910; Marano, 1998; LaBoskey, 2004a; Russell, 2004). Through engaging in self-study, I have seen the power and witnessed the promise of self-study to connect these two aspects of my teaching and learning. As well as this, I have seen the ways in which collaborative self-study helps you frame and reframe (Schön, 1983; Hamilton & Pinnegar, 1998; Loughran & Northfield, 1998) experiences and bring out new themes and emerging lines of inquiry for continued self-study, essentially leading to sustained professional development (Feiman-Nemser, 2001).
The survival of democracy in America requires, above all else, launching of a bold and vigorous program of action. If democracy is to continue to live, it must show signs of life; if it is not to face the immediate prospect of senility and death, it must go forward to new ventures and conquests. It cannot preserve itself by standing still and clutching to its breast the achievements of the past.
(Counts, 1939, p. 11)
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Hostetler, A.L. (2010). Self-Study’s Influence on Graduate Studies and Social Studies Teaching: Bridging Intent and Action. In: Crowe, A. (eds) Advancing Social Studies Education through Self-Study Methodology. Self Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices, vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3943-9_9
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