From the Editor

Social Studies Review, Fall 2004 by Rocca, Al M

A big thanks to Professor Stanley Burstein, California State University, Los Angeles, for guest editing the Spring/Summer issue entitled, "History in the Age of Standards." His summry review of the purpose and extent of the History-Social Science Standards paved the way for a better understanding of why the Standards are such an important part of the current curriculum. Also, I want to thank all of the teachers and scholars who contributed their wonderful knowlege and skills in the theme-based articles that followed Burstein's lead article. Practical suggestions poured out of every article, giving teachers from a variety of grade levels, insightful teaching ideas and resources for more closely matching their curriculum to the Standards.

Michelle Zachlod, a professor of education at California State University, Bakersfield, and I teamed up to guest edit the current issue entitled, "The Changing Classroom World." With so many challenging new requirements coming through for training new teachers we thought is was a good time to investigate SB 2042 and determine its impact on preparing new social studies teachers. Interestingly, many of the new requirements, such as the Teacher Performance Assessments, provide an excellent guideline for established teachers to learn new methods and procedures for "differentiating" the history-social science curriculum in order to better serve the needs of individual students. As a special treat we have include Jack Fraenkel's "Hilda Taba's Contribution to Social Studies." Hilda Taba was one of California's great history-social science educators and this reprint of Fraenkel's tribute will help remind everyone of Taba's work and how it has impacted the way we still do social studies.

Our Fall issue, "Professional Development" will be guest edited by CCSS Past-President, Ruben Zepeda and promises to be chock-full of wonderful new professional development opportunities.

As usual, please feel free to contact me about this journal with your questions or comments. My contact information can be found on page 1. Have a wonderful and rewarding school year-as you continue to make history-science curriculum "A Story Well Told."

Al M. Rocca, Editor