Four current and former Rockwood School District social studies educators have contributed to Social Education, the flagship K–12 social studies journal of the National Council for the Social Studies.
Katie Smith of Eureka High School, Brittany Trott of Lafayette High School, district 6-12 social studies coordinator Dr. Jordan McGaughey and recently retired Rockwood Summit High School educator Mary Jo Bauer were featured in the September and October editions of Social Education, according to the Rockwood School District. The journal is the flagship publication of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). Articles are reviewed by a panel and professionally edited before going to print.
The four co-authored a September article titled "AI Makes Inquiry More Urgent: Recommendations for Responsible Use in Social Studies Education." The piece grew out of their work with the C3 Teachers Leadership Academy AI Working Group. C3 refers to the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards.
Smith and Trott were also featured in the October edition through interviews and classroom examples in an article titled "C3 Teacher's Double Dog Dare Inquiry Challenge: 'How Does War Shape a Country's Future?'"
The classroom projects stand out. Smith's example showed her leading Wild Horse Elementary students through a research project about the Civil War's aftermath and how Americans remember the conflict. She began her C3 work as a fifth-grade teacher at Wild Horse before moving to Eureka High. McGaughey and K-5 coordinator of science and social studies Nicole Willmann helped provide that opportunity.
Trott's Lafayette High students collaborated in groups to become subject-matter experts on how the arms race, economic alliances or propaganda became lasting impacts of the Cold War. Trott said partnering with nationwide colleagues and learning from University of Kentucky professor Dr. Kathy Swan were especially rewarding parts of her C3 experience.
McGaughey said the district's work with the Library of Congress has produced inquiry-based learning projects "now available widely throughout the United States." He called it "one of the honors of my career to see our teachers in Rockwood working hand-in-hand with the writers of our national social studies standards … to develop practical and relevant projects for teachers throughout the United States."
In 2024, Rockwood was one of 12 districts nationwide chosen for the C3 Leadership Academy. As participants, the educators helped develop mini-lessons with the Library of Congress that teachers across the country can now use in their classrooms.
