2011

Long Island Conference for the Social Studies

Mark Rothman Teacher Mentoring Award

Dr. Alan Singer won the 2015 – 2016 New York Distinguished Social Studies Educator Award, which is given to an individual who exemplifies the best in professional social studies education in New York State.

2015 – 2016 New York Distinguished Social Studies Educator Award

Creating a Museum of Family Artifacts

Asking the BIG Questions

Now in its 4th edition, this popular text for secondary social studies methods courses integrates discussions of educational goals and the nature of history and social studies with ideas for organizing social studies curricula, units, lessons, projects, and activities. A major theme throughout is that what teachers choose to teach and the way they teach reflect their broader understanding of society, history, and the purpose of social studies education. Advocating an inquiry and activity-based view of social studies teaching that respects the points of view of students and teachers, and based in practice and experience, it offers systematic support and open, honest advice for new teachers.   Each chapter addresses a broad question about social studies education; sub-chapters begin with narrower questions that direct attention to specific educational issues. Lesson ideas and materials in the book and online are especially designed to help new teachers to address common core learning standards, to work in inclusive settings, and to promote literacy and the use of technology in social studies classrooms. Chapters include highlighted Learning Activities, Teaching Activities, nd Classroom Activities designed to provoke discussion and illustrate different approaches to teaching social studies, and conclude with recommendations for further reading and links to on-line essays about related social studies topics. Activities are followed by four categories: "Think it over," "Add your voice to the discussion," "Try it yourself," and "It’s your classroom." All of these are supported with online teaching material. Designed for undergraduate and graduate pre-service social studies methods courses, this text is also useful for in-service training programs, as a reference for new social studies teachers, and as a resource for experienced social studies educators who are engaged in rethinking their teaching practice.   New in the Fourth Edition   Provides a number of new lesson ideas paired with online lesson plans and activity sheets in every chapter   Takes a new focus on data-driven, standards-based instruction, especially in relation to the common core curriculum   Addresses the interactive nature of learning in updated technology sections    Reflects current trends in history education    Includes more of what the author has learned from working teachers   Offers a wealth of additional on-line material linked to the text

Social Studies for Secondary Schools: Teaching to Learn, Learning to Teach

Teaching to Learn, Learning to Teach uniquely addresses three problems that frequently concern pre-service and beginning teachers: classroom control, satisfying state and federal mandates, and figuring out exactly what is the role of the teacher. Integrating practical, theoretical, and critical teaching considerations, it presents a model student-centered approach for designing lessons, developing personal connections with students, and building classroom communities: PRO/CLASS Practices (Planning, Relationships, Organization, Community, Leadership, Assessment, Support, Struggle). Pre-service teachers are encouraged to reinterpret the principles and continually redefine them as they develop their own reflective practice.  Changes in the Second Edition • Updates throughout with attention to the Common Core State Standards, high stakes testing, the possibilities and limitations of technology use in the classroom, and preparing for the job market\ • Fully revised chapter on literacy  • New interviews with teachers  • Companion Website: Supplemental planning, teaching, and assessment materials; 32 extended essays including a number of the author’s widely read Huffington Post columns; interviews with beginning and veteran teachers; Ideas for Your Professional Portfolio, Resume, and Cover Letter; Recommended Websites for Teachers 

Teaching to Learn, Learning to Teach: A Handbook for Secondary School Teachers

Challenges readers to  rethink the way we view the nation’s past and race relations in the present.Blending  historical narrative with ideas for engaging young people as historians and  thinkers, Alan J. Singer introduces readers to the truth about the history of  slavery in New York State, and, by extension, about race in American society. Singer’s  perspective as a historian and a former secondary school social studies teacher  offers a wealth of new information about the past and introduces people and events  that have been erased from history.New York, both the city and the  state, were centers of the abolitionist struggle to finally end human bondage;  however, at the same time, enslaved Africans built the infrastructure of the  colonial city. The author shows teachers how to develop ways to teach about  this very difficult topic. He shows them how to deal with racial preconceptions  and tensions in the classroom and calls upon teachers and students to become  historical activists, conduct research, write reports, and present their  findings to the public.“An inspired high school teacher … unearths the  long-buried history of slavery, complicity, and resistance in New York state,  from the Wall Street slave market to the fiery rhetoric of Frederick Douglass.  Singer provides useful strategies to help teachers navigate racially charged  curriculum and discussions, making this an invaluable resource.” —Chronogram“Singer sheds light on slavery by providing an insightful  historical examination.” — CHOICE“New York and Slavery is a singular gift  to New York teachers and children, and a milestone in the battle for historical  truth. How else, Singer’s book seems to ask, are we ever going to solve our  racial nightmare, educate our children for a multicultural world, and provide  future citizens with the knowledge they need?” — In Motion Magazine“Alan Singer has produced a  wonderful teaching resource for those interested in New York State history, the  history of slavery and abolition within the state and in the North, and African  American history. The book will be useful to teachers at all levels and to a  general audience for several reasons. Written in lucid, accessible prose, the  book addresses methodological and pedagogical issues with candor and  transparency at a conceptual level and simultaneously provides many helpful  examples and models for constructing practical lesson plans. The historical  content reflects the author’s comprehensive review of the secondary scholarly  literature and familiarity with pertinent primary sources. The book is an  excellent guide for instructors wishing to supplement standard textbook  treatments of slavery in the northern United States, New York State, and New  York City.” — Myra Young Armstead, author of Mighty Change, Tall Within: Black Identity in the Hudson Valley“Slavery helped forge America’s political economy, culture, and race relations. In clear, thoughtful, and accessible language, Alan Singer has helped us better understand and teach the ‘peculiar institution.’ This excellent guide is not just for teachers or New Yorkers, it is for all of us.” — William H. Watkins, author of The White Architects of Black Education: Ideology and Power in America, 1865–1954

New York and Slavery: Time to Teach the Truth

Hofstra University's primary mission is to provide a quality education to its students in an environment that encourages, nurtures, and supports learning. At Hofstra, new ideas take shape through collaboration, engagement, and interaction. Hofstra students create their success with small classes and dedicated faculty, alongside a beautiful campus, plus all the opportunities of New York City within easy reach.

Our faculty are Fulbright Scholars, Emmy Award winners, successful entrepreneurs, groundbreaking scientists, pioneering educators, best-selling authors, and C-suite business executives. They are contributing to significant advances in bio-medical engineering, researching new ways to bring technology into the classroom, leading disaster response and conflict resolution efforts across the globe, and inspiring students to use their talents to serve the community.

Hofstra University

Alan J. Singer Professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology Degrees PHD, 1982, Rutgers University; MA, 1974, Rutgers University; BA, 1971, CUNY City Coll Bio Alan Singer is a professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology and the director of social studies education programs. Dr. Singer is a former New York City high school social studies teacher and served as editor of Social Science Docket, a joint publication of the New York and New Jersey Councils for the Social Studies. He is the author of Teaching Climate History (Routledge, 2022), Teaching Global History (Routledge, 2nd edition, 2020), New York and Slavery: Time to Teach the Truth (SUNY Press, Excelsior Editions, 2008), Education Flashpoints, Fighting for America's Schools (Routledge 2014), Social Studies for Secondary Schools (Routledge, 4th edition, 20015), New York's Grand Emancipation Jubilee (SUNY Press, 2018) and editor of a 268-page secondary school curriculum guide, New York and Slavery: Complicity and Resistance. He is co-author with Hofstra University alumni Pablo Muriel of Supporting Civics Education with Student Activism (Routledge, 2021). In 2011, the Long Island Conference for the Social Studies awarded Dr. Singer the Mark Rothman Teacher Mentoring Award, for his commitment to students and continued excellence in education and he was the New York State Council for the Social Studies 2016 Social Studies Educator of the Year. He has twice been selected as a Hofstra University "Teacher of the Year." He received his Masters and Doctoral degrees from Rutgers University.

Social Studies Education

United States History

History of Slavery

Teaching race. ethnicity and class

Hofstra University Faculty Profile

Huffington Post Blog Homepage

edTPA Sample Lesson

EAS/ALST Review Session

New FAFSA form launches: What you need to know to apply for financial aid

Israel-Hamas war: In Long Island schools, much has been left unsaid, observers say

New York considering making Regents exams optional for students

How to make Long Island more affordable? Experts say add housing, consolidate schools, find tax relief

U.S. students in grades 3-8 slipped further behind in math, reading in 2022-23, NWEA report finds

Record book ban attempts in 2022, American Library Association reports

The great student loan forgiveness debate

Black history class revised by College Board after criticism

Reading, math scores fell sharply during pandemic, federal data shows

Reading, math scores for 9-year-old plummeted after pandemic

The Heat: U.S. gun violence epidemic

School district budgets show wide disparity in funding per pupil

Proud Boys Rally on LI

Racial demographics rapidly shifting in Long Island schools

Mayor, chancellor expand NYC's Gifted and Talented Program

LI's teachers are overwhelmingly white and mostly female — but resignations, retirements could change that

State: Hempstead, Wyandanch making progress, but still not at performance targets

How race is taught in LI schools — and why some educators feel they're under siege

As U.S. Remains Polarized Over Jan. 6 Capitol Attack, Educators Offer Tips On How To Talk To Young People About It

Alan Singer on WABC-TV News

Back to School: Learning During a Pandemic

What LI high school students want from this year: Not just a pre-pandemic normal

Critical race theory as critical thinking

Allendale Students Demand Diversity Awareness Curriculum On Anti-Asian Bias, Black Lives Matter Movement

Transition to high school becomes more troublesome because of COVID-19

In Capitol riot, educators see a teaching moment

2020's Best and Worst States for Teachers

N.Y. Fire Department Replaces Name on Its Highest Award, Citing Racist Past

Citizen’s Arrest - How Is This Still a Law?

Hard Post-Pandemic Lessons Ahead for NY Schools

Reimagining Education: How Big Will Technology’s Role Be When Students, Teachers Return To Class?

Education “Reformers” Jump on Online Instruction

Lesson 1 for parents trying to fill the days

Remote learning is lesson plan for LI schools due to coronavirus

News Closeup: Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

Longwood High School criticized for 'racist' depiction of black students

Hempstead School Board Members Take Exception To Intervention Proposal, Fight For Independence In Albany

Back-to-school means state math test for grades 3-8

Educators place onus on Long Island school boards to improve staff diversity

Gun Safety in Schools

Make-believe at Hempstead schools

An Interview with Alan Singer: A Statue For Shirley Chisholm

Alan J. Singer: Event at Hofstra

Common Core politics: State drops Pearson for 3rd-to-8th grade tests

Dr. Alan Singer on Fliers Recruiting for the KKK in LI Communities

Days after a gunman killed 17 people in parkland, fla., sandy phillips, who advocates for gun restrictions, was encouraged by how openly student survivors wanted to discuss the shooting and push measures to try to prevent similar incidents. that's not the case in santa fe.

2 school shootings, 2 different gun debates: unlike parkland, santa fe response is more muted

The May 18th school shooting that killed 10 people in Santa Fe, Texas comes just three months after a gunman opened fire and killed 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. While the Florida shooting galvanized its students into activists for stricter gun control and sparked a national movement, teens in Texas have been less willing to point the finger at guns as the cause of mass violence. They argue that those who want to do harm will find ways around gun laws, and instead say issues such as school security and mental health issues should be examined. 

The stark differences in their response reflect how the gun control debate has deeply divided the country.  Will students across the nation who marched under the banner of #NeverAgain and spoke out against the National Rifle Association be able to sustain their movement?  Will it have any impact on NRA-supporting politicians in the November mid-elections? Can student activism advance an agenda that adults have been unable to achieve? 

Hofstra has experts who can help you put this movement, as well as the gun control debate behind it, into political and social context:

•	Aashish Kumar, co-director of Hofstra’s Center for Civic Engagement, can discuss how student activism is crucial to the active citizenship that is at the heart of any thriving democracy.

•	Tomeka Robinson, associate professor of rhetoric and director of Hofstra’s speech and debate team, can address the role of rhetoric and public advocacy in swaying public opinion and shaping policy.

•	Alan Singer, professor in the School of Education and expert on social issues in public education, can discuss the measures proposed to improve school safety, including the president’s suggestion to arm school teachers. Professor Singer was also a high school teacher for 15 years.

•	Constitutional law professor Eric Freedman can discuss the gun control debate as it relates to the Second Amendment. 



Student Activism and the Gun Control Debate 

Keynote Presenter

Dr. Alan Singer on WABC-TV Eyewitness News Virtual Town Hall 'Learning During a Pandemic" - 9/9/2021

understanding-the-significance-of-juneteenth

Professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology

Alan Singer, professor of education, is featured in a USA Today article about the historical significance and observation of Juneteenth.

The article notes that Juneteenth marks the day the last African American slaves were notified that they had been freed from their masters, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Dr. Singer said that during this time, an estimated 250,000 people were kept enslaved in Texas despite the Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan 1, 1863.

While Juneteenth is becoming more widely known and understood, Dr. Singer explained that there was a time when Black History was not widely discussed within the educational system.

 “I didn’t learn it (until) I was an adult, really (in the) 1990s, when as a teacher, I started studying more, so I (could) incorporate it into my lessons,” he said. “I went to City College in the 1960s, and they had first introduced a course called ‘American Negro History’ and that was the first time I had learned about any of these things. I took the course because I became a political activist while at City College and I needed to know more about the African American civil rights struggles.”

Alan Singer is a Professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology. He is available to speak with media - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.


Understanding the Significance of Juneteenth

hot-topic-regents-not-mandatory-for-graduation

Professor of Education Alan Singer spoke to WNYW-TV Fox 5 about a move to make the Regents exams optional in New York.

 “I agree younger students are over-tested, but I don’t think they’re being over-tested in high school,” said Dr. Singer. “The exams shouldn’t be abandoned until after assessments are developed.”  Alan Singer is a Professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology. He is available to speak with media - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.


Hot Topic: Regents Not Mandatory for Graduation


Professor Alan Singer discusses the Common Reading for 2016, 
"Are We All Scientific Experts Now?" by Harry Collins.

For more information, visit http://www.hofstra.edu/commonreading

Common Reading: Alan Singer

Ahmaud Arbery’s killers evaded arrest for way too long because of a law created in the era of slavery. Roy Wood Jr. investigates the citizen’s arrest policy and what’s being done to stop it. #DailyShow #TrevorNoah #RoyWoodJr

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Citizen’s Arrest - How Is This Still a Law? | The Daily Social Distancing Show

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