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© 2025 Connecticut Council for the Social Studies
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Social studies education inspires all students for lifelong inquiry and informed civic action. Join social studies leaders, Steve Armstrong and Tony Roy, as they connect with educators and advocates from across the state. Each episode will include entertaining dialogue, insights into best practices, and practical connections to social studies standards. Produced by the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies.
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The 2005 Connecticut Teacher of the Year, Julia Miller is a proud New Haven Public Schools teacher, parent, and alumni. Julia is a social studies teacher committed to anti-racist education and project based learning. Her goal for her students is for them to become informed and active community members who feel empowered to make change.
Greg Frank is a social studies teacher from South Windsor who has taught high school and middle school history for 30 years. Greg used to be a Civil War reenactor and is now Revolutionary War re-enactor. He met Brian Zawodniak in college, when they were members of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history Honor Society. A teacher at JFK Middle School in Enfield, Brian has taught geography and U.S. History for 17 years. He is a Revolutionary War loyalist reenactor. The two discuss teaching t...
Rhonan Mokrisi is a native of Connecticut, who graduated from Boston College undergraduate and Southern Connecticut State University as a grad student. For 29 years, he has been teaching at his alma mater, Salisbury School, in the far northwestern part of Connecticut. During Covid, Rhonan made some changes as a teacher, moving from focusing on content to skills to embrace authenticity with students in the role of historian, as he himself was learning about the often forgotten or overlooked ro...
Matt Warshauer returns to the podcast. He's been working as a history professor at Central Connecticut State University, as the host to the Connecticut History Day, and a member of the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies Board of Directors. On this episode, Matt discusses his new book, “Creating and Failing the 9/11 Generation: The Real Story of September 11”.
Melissa Zablonski has taught social studies at Putnam High School for nine years, including U.S. History, AP U.S. History, Psychology, Anthropology, and the Black, African-American, Puerto Rican and Latino studies class. In 2022, she earned her doctorate degree in education after completing research on building capacity of teachers to serve English learners in their mainstream classrooms.
Steve Thornton has spent his adult life as an activist and organizer, working with various groups for social, economic, racial, and environmental justice. He is the author of A Shoeleather History of the Wobblies: Stories of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in Connecticut (Red Sun Press, 2013), Wicked Hartford (The History Press, 2017), and Good Trouble: A Shoeleather History of Nonviolent Direct Action (Hard Ball Press, 2019).
Snigtha Mohanraj is a rising senior and volunteers with local climate groups, conducts independent research regarding water contaminant removal and works on addressing educational disparities in New Haven. She enjoys the intersection of civics with other fields such as environmental science. Yasmeen Galal, who graduated high school in May of 2024, took on various advocacy roles, including serving as the president of Connecticut Student Council and as a student representative on Connecticut's ...
Having taught many secondary social studies courses, Wesley Hedgepeth currently teaches AP U.S. Government, AP Comparative Politics and World History at Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia. In 2023, he was elected to be the National Council for the Social Studies President.
Returning to the podcast, Larissa Babij, was born in the United States to Ukrainia-American parents, and attended school in Manchester, CT where she was taught by co-host Steve Armstong. Living in Kyiv, Ukraine since 2005, Larissa chronicled the first year of Russia's unilateral, full scale invasion of Ukraine through vivid dispatches that she posted on her website, now collected and published as "A Kind of Refugee: The Story of an American Who Refused to Leave Ukraine".
Lynn Mervosh is the Site Administrator for the North Central Region for Connecticut Landmarks, which includes historic sites such as the Butler-McCook House & Garden and the Isham-Terry House, both in Hartford, and the Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden in Suffield. Impacted by her youth growing up during the bicentennial celebration year of the United States and witnessing the celebration of history, Lynn has worked in historic preservation for the past 15 years and enjoys maintaining hi...
Having worked in public education for over 20 years, Jessica Blitzer currently serves as the secondary supervisor for history and Social Studies in West Hartford, Connecticut. She supports quality teaching and learning through developing professional learning, evaluating coaching and developing a curriculum in which all students see themselves as history and social studies learners. She works with districts to enable schools and individual teachers to eliminate structural inequities thr...
Continuing our series to learn more about the hosts of CCSS CONNECTion, the focus turns to co-host and CCSS Board President, Anthony Roy. A passionate social studies educator, Tony discusses how his interest in history began as a student and developed into designing and implementing curricula grounded in inquiry, regional studies, and real-world applications.
The focus turns on regular cohost Steve Armstrong as he reflects on his time growing up in the Manchester Public Schools to eventually teaching in the same school system that educated him. He shares a lifetime of not only teaching social studies, but being witness to some of historical moments.
During her time in high school, Nicole Jones did not find social studies that engaging. However, through her lifelong love of reading and writing, she used her talents of influence to connect with students and promote education.
Garrett Griffin, Jr. Rayna Walters, and Kurt Zimmermann reflect on their collaboration with the Greater New Haven African American Historical Society through the CCSS school-museum partnership program.
Eira Prakash and Angelina Li, high school students both, join us this week to discuss their experiences with representation and inclusivity in education and the realities of "othering" in the classroom and curriculum.
Lauren Francese, Social Studies Department Chair in Westport Public Schools and standards project leader, discusses the importance of historical contextualization to understand the actions and thoughts of individuals in the past.
Kasey Dunn, Teaching and Learning Specialist at Cooperative Area Services and CT Social Studies standards project leader, joins us this week to discuss her transition from the classroom to affecting educational reform at the district level and beyond.
Harman Singh, Education Director of the Sikh Coalition, joins our show to explain the origins and mission of the Sikh Coalition. With the rise of bullying cases of students within the Sikh community, Harman explains the efforts that the Sikh Coalition has put into action for Sikhism to be recognized and taught in schools with advocacy and amply prepared tools and resources for educators.
Stefanie Wager, past president of the National Council for the Social Studies, provides meaningful insight on approaching inquiry in the classroom. Stefanie works to support teachers by developing strategic practices to apply inquiry skills for students to engage with primary sources and ultimately become more engaged as citizens.
Federico Fiondella, high school teacher & adjunct professor at Southern CT State University, joins us to provide insight on teaching student teachers and current high school students in today's age. Federico explains the importance of engaging in the community to unveil historical connections that students and staff have in their lives and how this can encourage students to dig into the subject outside the classroom.
Kathy Swan, project director and lead writer of the C3 Framework, joins us to promote the power of inquiry in social studies education. Dr. Swan explains how inquiry aids students by skillfully navigating historical concepts and adeptly facilitating civic engagement by questioning the world around them.
Tom Broderick, middle school social studies teacher & housing abundance advocate, joins us on our podcast to discuss education from academic and socioeconomic perspectives. Tom's passion for equity in CT's educational system is evident through his love for civic engagement and community outreach for students to have a more fulfilling school experience.
Dennis Culliton, the founder and Executive Director of the Witness Stones Project, provides a fascinating insight into how school districts across Connecticut embark on a journey into our state's dark past. Dennis's work in the Witness Stones Project not only commemorates the lives of those who endured enslavement but works to honor those of the past and help students and educators appreciate localized history coming to life.
In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Stern, historian, writer, and history education consultant, digs into the purpose of standards in education and their significance in assuring moderate teaching and learning of social studies content. Dr. Stern elucidates apparent conflict in teaching hard history and how to resolve it for students to have a more well-rounded, centered view of historical interpretations.
Rebecca Taber, Director of CT History Day, speaks about her journey within the world of museum studies and how it lead her to become a part of an exhilarating historical experience for students in social studies. Listen to Rebecca speak on the origin of CT History Day, how to get students and educators involved, and its impact on classrooms across the state!
Adrian Solis, an Abbott Technical High School teacher, explains his experience working in the beginning stages of the African American/Black & Puerto Rican/Latino Elective Course. Adrian also describes the numerous setbacks he encountered on this journey and how he overcame them with the support of personal and historical connections and student encouragement.
In this episode, Dr. John Tully of Central CT State University joins our show to elaborate on our part as educators and advocates of social studies. From building the skill of inquiry to the selection of sources teachers provide, Dr. Tully emphasizes the significance of viewing social studies through multiple lenses for students to become better citizens in the society they hope to change.
Dr. Benjamin Foster speaks about the importance of teaching culturally-centered history. As one of the initiators of the African American/Black & Puerto Rican/Latino course, Dr. Foster explains the successes and roadblocks leading up to its current placement in education. He also defines the course's purpose: to inform CT youth of the unknown perspectives of minorities throughout history.
In this episode, Social Studies ConneCTion brings music to our listeners! Eric Finland dazzles us with the history of instruments and music in the United States--specifically, African-American/Black music originating in the countries of Africa. Eric dives into his musical background leading him to become the Creative Director of the "Blues and Beyond" program across CT.
Samantha Cholewa Tondreau, Director of Curriculum & Instruction for The Mohegan Tribe, guides us into a reflective mindset on how the education system in Connecticut teaches Native American history. To debunk the assumption of a shared narrative, Samantha recommends educators acquire and utilize resources from locally-based Tribes to motivate inquiry-based thinking for lessons in local history.
Daisha Brabham, educator, public historian, and curriculum writer, enlightens us about engaging students and teachers in the conversation of race, community-building, and student-centered learning. Daisha's message includes the hope for teachers to focus more on what students can bring to the table and how they can guide students to use their strengths for local activism and civic engagement.
In this episode, Allison Norrie, President of the Association for the Study of CT History (ASCH) and Teacher at Fairfield Warde High School, explains her experience working on the CT Social Studies Standards and how it has affected her perspective of teaching and learning history. Norrie describes the significance of this trailblazing document by defining its position in education today for classrooms to be safe spaces to learn, evolve, and act upon the social studies for tomorrow.
In this episode, Dr. David Bosso, teacher and current President of the Connecticut Teacher of the Year Council, digs into the foundation of purposeful teaching. He astounds us by defining the art of classroom instruction from the perspective of teacher advocacy and how it sets an example for students to take action and pursue the change they yearn to see.
Dr. Carmen Coury, Associate Professor of History and the Director of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Southern CT State University, captivates us with her informative and intriguing philosophy on Latin American History and its place in our education system. Dr. Coury advises educators on possible approaches to teaching this crucial part of history and the importance of grasping and emphasizing a multinational lens for our students to embody empathetic skills in the classroom and society.
Jennifer Heikkila Díaz (or JHD), K-12 public school teacher, school administrator, educator coach, and currently the CT Council for the Social Studies Professional Learning Coordinator, describes their passion for culturally sustaining classrooms and school communities. Jennifer amplifies the importance of teacher-student relationships by focusing more on the backgrounds of students to formulate valuable connections with social studies content.
In this episode, Christine Pittsley, the Special Projects Director for the Connecticut State Library, unveils the magic of anthropological fieldwork and its connection to social studies. As a leader in the field of research, Christine explains the benefits of her award-winning program "Digging Into History" and how it positively affected student perspectives of history. Visit https://ctinworldwar1.org/dih/dih2023/ for more information about the program!
Mary Skelly, a University Supervisor at Central & Southern CT State University, shares her inspirational journey in the educational field of Social Studies. In this episode, Mary shares crucial advice for those considering the teaching path and the inevitable obstacles that come with it. Her roles as a teacher, a key CCSS Board Member, and now University Supervisor helped foster a vision for the future of social studies teachers and the classroom environments they seek to improve.
Social Studies, Music & Martin Scorsese?! WELCOME TO SEASON 2! In the first episode of our second season, we invited Bill Carbone, Executive Director of TeachRock.org, to speak about his experience with music and how it affected his relationship with Social Studies. Carbone explains the importance of music in education and how it keeps students engaged in Social Studies & other school subjects taught across CT.
In this special episode, Larissa Babij, a former student of Steve Armstrong, tells her unique experience during the war in Ukraine and details her crucial role in aiding Ukrainian citizens in a time of turmoil and bloodshed. As she plans to return to the country soon, she describes some possible outcomes for Ukraine's future and how we can support Ukrainians from our end of the world. Further Ukraine-related reading: An excellent recent article by American journalist George Packer in The Atl...
In this episode, Dr. Randa Elbih emphasizes the significance of introducing the concept of multiple perspectives from the elementary level of education. Based on her research, Dr. Elbih utilizes her knowledge to expound on the conversation of cultural inclusivity by explaining how teachers can approach the idea of embracing unique stories with their students to build relationships.
Thomas Thurston of the Gilder Lehrman Center shares his experiences in working with school, museum, and university educators to network and access resources to better tell the American story.
Jennifer Vienneau, Project Associate for the Connecticut social studies standards project and Director of Social Studies K-12 at Hamden Public Schools, offers her perspective on developing the requisite skills students need for civic life.
Kevin Staton, Fairfield Warde High School Library Media Specialist, shares his experiences with politically motivated efforts to ban books in school libraries and offers his approach to helping students deal with controversial subjects.
Dr. Michael Bartone joins us this week to share his experience preparing elementary teachers, especially as it relates to gender and sexual identity awareness.
As Executive Director of the National Council for the Social Studies, Dr. Larry Paska takes time to describe Social Studies and its intricate position in today's schools and society from a national view. He thoroughly describes how educators, students, and families can utilize social studies as a tool to navigate through political polarization and foster a bigger vision of the importance of social studies.
Liberty Swift, classroom teacher in Region 14, shares her experience with building an inquiry-focused classroom where students develop informed perspectives and shared understanding.
Tammy Michel, recent alum of Southern Connecticut State University, reflects on student teaching and her nascent journey as an educator.
Jennifer Murrihy shares her research on the power of teaching social studies at the elementary grades and calls on us all to advocate for high quality social studies.
Mary Hanna, from New Canaan Public Schools, shares her in sights as a Project Associate on the CT Social Studies standards writing project and how the social studies can ensure that everyone has a seat at the table.
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