The Spring/Summer 2009 issue of the Social Studies Review is about inspiring hope in our students and encouraging them to make a difference in the world.
Students need to feel hopeful about their lives and their world. Students need to believe that what they think, what they do, how they feel, and who they are, is important. Students need to feel they have a purpose, but they may need help in setting appropriate and satisfying goals. They need to feel a sense of belonging, of being an essential part of their world. They need to understand that they can make choices, influence others, and shape attitudes about existing conditions, so they can feel empowered and motivated to make …