Charisse Smith: How to Increase Student Inquiry in Elementary Social Studies Classrooms
Description
Making Social Studies Come Alive Through Inquiry
In this week’s Podcast episode, I sit down with Charisse Smith Ph.D. —CEO of Sankofa Educational Consulting and former K–6 Social Studies Supervisor in Trenton Public Schools, NJ—to dig into why inquiry-driven social studies is essential for today’s learners.
We talk about:
✨ Moving beyond facts + dates to real student thinking
✨ Why elementary students can handle complex history
✨ Powerful examples of informed action (2nd graders contacting City Hall!)
✨ How IDM creates space for civic engagement, critical thinking & SEL
✨ Supporting teachers through the shift from “sage on the stage” to inquiry facilitator/
If you want social studies to be relevant, joyful, and transformative, this is the episode.
🎧 Listen now and lean into inquiry. Our students—and our democracy—benefit.
Sankofa Educational Consulting
C3 Teachers Blog: Implementing IDM
Music by Aylex
United States
