Citizenship education is not just about knowing facts; it is about shaping the habits of mind and heart that make democracy work. In this study, Thomas Misco and James Shiveley of Miami University explore how educators can consciously design curriculum frameworks that develop these essential dispositions for teachers and students. Published in The Social Studies, their work argues that dispositions such as open-mindedness, responsibility, and wholeheartedness are too often overshadowed by the push for testable content.

The authors build on John Dewey’s philosophy to define dispositions as learned orientations or “habits of mind” that guide ethical and intellectual behavior. They present a taxonomy that includes traits like curiosity, tolerance, compassion, and respect for others’ rights, all vital for effective citizenship education. The article offers practical strategies for teachers to weave these qualities into lesson design, from issue-centered discussions and community problem solving to global education projects that foster empathy and civic responsibility.

By focusing on dispositions alongside knowledge and skills, Misco and Shiveley argue that social studies educators can help students see the “forest” of democratic purpose rather than just the “trees” of content mastery, preparing them not only to understand democracy but to sustain it.

Faculty authors: Thomas Misco and James Shiveley, Miami University
Keywords: citizenship education, dispositions in education, dispositions for teachers, curriculum framework, democratic education
Publication details: “Seeing the Forest Through the Trees: Some Renewed Thinking on Dispositions Specific to Social Studies Education.” The Social Studies, Vol. 101, Issue 3, 2010, pp. 121–126. Taylor & Francis Online https://doi.org/10.1080/00377990903284039