From Story to Judgment: The Four Question Method for Teaching and Learning Social Studies

by Jonathan Bassett

The Four Question Method identifies the questions that drive the thinking that real people do when they take the human world seriously. The authors, Jonathan Bassett and Gary Shiffman, have figured out how to describe and teach what it takes to answer those questions well. This inquiry method gives educators a way to integrate content 'coverage' – through storytelling! – with practice in thinking skills that are central to history and its affiliated academic disciplines, together called social studies. The Four Question Method helps teachers to plan more effectively and students to learn more effectively. It provides guidance for writing research essays. And it the skills our students practice will work for them when they encounter and make their own history.

Genres: Education

Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2021

About the author

Jon Bassett has wanted to be a history teacher since he was in middle school. He has a BA in history from Columbia University, an MAT in history from Brown University, and an EdD in curriculum and teaching from Boston University. Jon has taught history in grades 9-12 on all academic levels, from Advanced Placement to at-risk students. He has taught in a Catholic girls' high school in the South Bronx, at district public schools in the suburbs of Boston, and at a charter public school in the city of Boston. He was the department chair in history and social sciences at Newton North High School in Newton Massachusetts for seventeen years, where he also founded and directed a teacher residency program. He is the founding partner, with Gary Shiffman, of 4QM teaching, an organization dedicated to engaging students in the thinking skills of history and social studies through the Four Question Method.

Reviews

[Tatiana Schumacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the book “From Story to Judgment. The Four Questions Method for Teaching and Learning Social Studies” by Jonathan Bassett and Gary Shiffman is a very useful and interesting guide for social studies teachers and students. It introduces a simple and effective inquiry method that helps learners to understand and analyze the human world through four key questions: What happened? What were they thinking? Why then and there? What do we think about it? The book provides practical examples and tips on how to apply the method to various topics and themes in U.S. and world history. It also shows how the method can improve critical thinking, writing, and communication skills. The book is based on the authors’ experience and research in social studies education. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about how to teach and learn social studies in a rigorous and engaging way.

[Joe McCluney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting framework for teaching Social Studies. The authors explain their process deeply, which is especially useful if you teach high school courses like theirs, but it would've been helpful to have a middle school example for comparison. The authors are obviously very passionate (and good) at what they do, thus they get into the weeds about how to plan a unit, whereas I'd be more interested in a broader view about the different kinds of story units you could tell and how they fit together into an expanded curriculum. To that end, I look forward to tinkering with their ideas at different grade levels, and thank them for sharing their work.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven’t started this yet but Natalie Wexler just personally recommended it and that’s good enough for me to put it on my radar!

https://nataliewexler.substack.com/p/...

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The graphis are very helpful. It can get a bit redundant at times. I wish the personality if the authors could be seen through the book. I had the pleasure of being taught this method by them and it was an ABSOLUTE pleasure. Very grateful 🫀