Online Archive of University of Virginia Scholarship
Middle School Social Studies in Summer School: A Case Study of Teacher Practices and Perceptions of Educative Curriculum in a Local Texas School District112 views
Author
Brimhall, Dawn, Curriculum and Instruction - School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia
Advisors
Salerno, April , School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia
Abstract
In response to growing expectations for academic recovery and enrichment, many school districts in Texas have turned to summer school to provide students with additional instructional time. While most existing summer school programs prioritize literacy and mathematics, there is a need for summer school offerings in social studies as part of a broader effort to provide accelerated instruction in all core content areas. Within Patton Independent School District (ISD) (a pseudonym), this effort includes district-developed educative curricular materials to support middle school social studies instruction during the summer. This qualitative exploratory case study investigated how middle school social studies teachers in Patton ISD approached and experienced implementing the district-provided curriculum in a summer school context. Using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and drawing from research on summer school programs, curriculum use, and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), the study explored teachers’ instructional decision-making and perceptions of the curriculum’s usability and value. Teachers valued the educative curriculum for its flexibility and instructional supports, adapting it strategically to meet diverse student needs while using it to strengthen both planning and teaching skills. By highlighting both instructional decision-making and teachers’ experiences using provided curricula, this research may offer practical information for district leaders and curriculum developers seeking to enhance the quality and impact of summer learning experiences beyond the traditional school year.
Brimhall, Dawn. Middle School Social Studies in Summer School: A Case Study of Teacher Practices and Perceptions of Educative Curriculum in a Local Texas School District. University of Virginia, Curriculum and Instruction - School of Education and Human Development, EDD (Doctor of Education), 2025-11-15, https://doi.org/10.18130/a8zm-c206.
