Annie McMahon Whitlock

I have been an active member of MCSS for 11 years, since I began my career teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade social studies. I have frequently presented at the MCSS Conference, and I currently serve on the conference planning committee and the editorial board for the MCSS Journal. After serving as a social studies curriculum specialist for three years, I am now an Assistant Professor of Elementary Education at UM-Flint. I teach the elementary social studies methods course there and do research on the integration of social studies with other subjects and project-based learning in elementary classrooms. My passion is children's literature that can be used to teach social studies at all levels, and I am the Chair of the NCSS Notable Trade Books Committee. I attend NCSS every year, and often present.

I would like to serve as President of MCSS because I have enjoyed being a part of this organization for over a decade. It was a tremendous resource for me as an early teacher, and I would love to work on ways we can expand our reach into K-12 classrooms as social studies is becoming increasingly marginalized. I would love to see expanded attendance for the MCSS Conference and expanded readership for the MCSS Journal. I would like to see our state chapter become a presence at NCSS, and find more ways for K-12 teachers to attend. I also think MCSS could support teacher educators within our state to help better prepare the future generation of social studies teachers.

Bruce Brousseau

Bruce Brousseau became a member of MCSS in 1995, shortly after he was hired by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to act as the state’s social studies assessment consultant. Bruce worked closely with Karen R Todorov (MDE’s social studies curriculum consultant) for the next seven years, as this team led the state’s efforts to bring the first statewide social studies test to fruition.

During this time Bruce served as co-chair – with Dr. Joseph Stoltman of Western Michigan University – of the Social Studies Assessment Team, and as the state’s assessment liaison to the Michigan Social Studies Education Project, led by Dr. Michael Yocum of Oakland Schools. In his capacity as “the social studies MEAP guy”, Bruce arranged for, and helped run scores of meetings designed to fashion a state-level assessment that was aligned with the NEW (circa 1996) Michigan Social Studies Content Standards and Benchmarks.

Bruce left the Michigan Department of Education in 2003 to work for the Livingston Educational Services Agency in Howell Michigan. There he focused on providing workshops on using test results to inform improvements in curriculum and instruction, and Assessment For Learning.

Since his retirement in 2011, Dr. Brousseau has taken a more active role in MCSS as their Director of Research and Special Projects, and as a coordinator for the Michigan Social Studies Olympiad Quiz Bowl along with Dr. Tom Webb.

My Goal for Social Studies:

Continue to improve social studies education across Michigan

By. . . 1) soliciting and listening to social studies teachers’ (and other stakeholders) ideas about how to make history, geography, civics and economics instruction a more central part of our education system – and our students’ lives. And by . . .

2) strengthening the alignment between social studies curriculum, instruction and assessment in Michigan classrooms.

My Driving Belief about Social Studies Education:

I realize that my goal and sub-goals, as stated above, are simplistic, vague, and perhaps a bit naive. But, they represent a starting point guided by my unshakable belief regarding how critical social studies education is to the development of well-rounded and engaged citizens of our communities, state, nation, and world.

Like our colleagues in the STEM disciplines, I too believe in the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to our nation’s continued economic growth. I also know, however, that a relatively small percentage of our graduates will become scientists, computer programmers, mathematicians, or engineers when they enter their adult lives.

We must understand that nearly ALL of our students will still be citizens of a complex – ever changing – democratic republic when they graduate and become full-fledged adults in our society. As citizens of the United States this new generation will also be expected to keep learning and stay informed about their role in keeping our democracy and economy strong.

So, to sum up, my driving belief is that ALL social studies educators have a critical role to play, and MCSS should do everything in our power to make sure our teachers, students and parents get the resources and support they need to educate future generations of responsible citizens. Citizens who will keep our democracy strong, and continue to build that “more perfect union” we all seek.

Marsha Lewis

My name is Marsha A. Lewis and I am interested in running for president of the Michigan Council of Social Studies (MCSS). I am confident that my work experience and professional experience make me a candidate that will be effective in this position.

Over the last 20 years as an educator my involvement in professional development, MDE test question bank, and many other trainings and in-services. I have been honored to not only facilitate professional developments but to participate in workshops and conferences throughout the United States. Because of these experiences I am encouraged that as the president one of my goals would be to facilitate collaborations across districts and ISDs to grow the importance of social studies throughout the state as a body of people with a shared goal in educating our students. Creating initiatives in bridging students from around the state as a means of broadening project and service based learning to engage students in their role as citizens. I envision through working across districts and ISDs it will not only grow the membership and provide a means of advocating through MDE but will also grow interest in MCSS conference and community partners.

I am currently an Instructional Specialist in the Detroit Public Schools Office of Social Studies. In this position I have been charged to support teachers across the district through school visits, PDs and trainings. I facilitate the districts Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Academy and trainings. In this capacity I create opportunities for students to attend and support the pilot school and teachers. I also have formed a professional relationship with other ISD professionals working with David Hales, Amy Bloom and Sean McBrady on curriculum and collaboration across districts. Through this relationship I have worked on standard creation, Michigan History Day and the Social Studies Olympiad.