Keywords
early childhood social studies, preservice teacher education, identity development, play-based learning, materials-based learning
Abstract
This practice-based article explores how materials-centered, play-based learning experiences support preservice teachers’ understandings of identity as a foundational component of early childhood social studies. Situated within a 15-week teacher education course, the article describes a preservice-teacher-designed learning center focused on faces and identity. Through engagement with open-ended materials, preservice teachers explored self-awareness, perspective-taking, and belonging through construction and dialogue. Reflections and artifacts from the experience illustrate how identity emerged through doing rather than abstract discussion alone. The article suggests that materials can mediate social studies learning in early childhood teacher education. By designing experiences that position identity, relationships, and belonging as central to social studies pedagogy, future teachers are prepared to share the same opportunities with young children.
Recommended Citation
Christian, Elizabeth N. Dr.
(2026)
"Faces of Identity: Materials-Based Social Studies Learning in Early Childhood Teacher Education,"
The Great Lakes Social Studies Journal: Vol. 6:
Iss.
1, Article 7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25035/glssj.06.01.07
Available at:
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/glssj/vol6/iss1/7
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25035/glssj.06.01.07