Applying the Jigsaw Technique to the Mississippi Burning Murders: A Freedom Summer Lesson

The purpose of this article is to assist social studies teachers with integrating the Jigsaw technique to the Civil Rights movement. Designed in 1971, the Jigsaw Technique was created to combat racism and assist with encouraging cooperative learning. It is the sincere hope of this author that this sample lesson will ultimately assist educators in the creation of stronger units dealing with civil rights. An overview of the Jigsaw Technique, review of the Mississippi Burning Murders and teaching strategies are provided

Public School Principals’ Perceptions Concerning the Hiring of Social Studies Teachers

The authors employed a qualitative research design to explore issues pertaining to the selection and interviewing of social studies applicants for teaching positions in public secondary schools. They specifically focused on the quality of the applicant pool, characteristics of desired candidates and the school principals’ perspectives of a desired interview. Analysis of the principals’ responses to the interview questions yielded two primary categories related to their perspectives regarding potential social studies teachers: (a) personal and professional educator attributes and (b) a candidate’s actions within the formal setting of an interview. Subcategories were developed that further delineated the expectations administrators have concerning their potential social studies teachers. The authors address implications for social studies teachers seeking employment and the establishment of stronger teacher training programs to assist with the alignment of the candidate’s interview skills with the desires of school administrators