Professor Emeritus, School of Education
I am a professor specializing in secondary curriculum and instruction in social studies and language arts.
I am particularly interested in democratic citizenship education, especially the role of classroom talk in fostering the knowledge, skills, and dispositions a democratic society requires. I do comparative work, examining how other societies understand and enact their constitutional values in schools.
I teach several undergraduate courses which address a variety of issues in education. I also teach courses as part of the M.A.T. program.
K-12 School Experience Classroom
- Teacher, Grades 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 (suburban and reservation classrooms)
- Gifted Education Specialist, Grades 3, 4, 5, 6
- Computer Coordinating Teacher, K-12 (part time)
- Public School Principal, two schools (nine years)
Recent Publications (*Juried) and Presentations
*Beck, T.A. & Parker, W.C. (expected Jan/Feb, 2017). “Now let’s decide”: Using current events to practice democracy. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 29(1).
Parker, W.C. & Beck, T.A. (2017). Social studies in elementary education (15th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
*Beck, T.A. (2015, Winter). Joining the national discussion: A plan for discussing same-sex marriage with secondary students. Oregon Journal of the Social Studies, 3(1), 40 – 54. http://www.oregonsocialstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OJSS-Journal-0301.pdf
Beck, T.A. (2014). Learning to hear the unspoken, learning to see beyond myself: One man’s journey to a more caring masculinity. In L. W. Watson (Ed.), It takes team effort: Men and women working together to enhance children’s lives (p. 61-70). New York, NY: Information Age Publishing.
*Beck, T.A. (2013). Identity, discourse, and safety in a high school discussion of same-sex marriage. Theory & Research in Social Education. 41(1), 1-32. doi: 10.1080/00933104.2013.757759
*Beck, T.A. (2013). Conceptions of sexuality and coming out in three young adult novels: A review of Hero, Sprout, and In Mike We Trust. Journal of LGBT Youth. 10(3), 249-255. doi: 10.1080/19361653.2031.799908
Beck, T.A. (March, 2008)
"Too many people lost their heads! Religion and the schools: Lessons from France." Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
Beck, T.A. (November, 2007)
"Liberty, equality, and secularism: Lessons and challenges from France." Paper presented at the annual meeting of the College and University Faculty of the National Council for the Social Studies, San Diego, CA.
Beck, T.A. (September, 2006)
"Paradoxes of a white man teaching race." Paper presented at the Race and Pedagogy National Conference, Tacoma, WA.
Beck, T.A. (2008)
Behind the mask: Social studies concepts and English-language learners. Social Education.
Beck, T.A. (2005)
Tools of deliberation: Exploring the complexity of learning to lead elementary civics discussions. Theory and Research in Social Education, 33 (1), 103–119.
Beck, T.A., Kline, C., Ryken, A.E., and Hamel, F.L. (2004)
Mirror accountability: Using data to see ourselves and to show ourselves to others. AILACTE Journal, 1 (1), 69–89.
Beck, T.A. (2003)
"If he murdered someone, he shouldn’t get a lawyer": Engaging young children in civics deliberation. Theory and Research in Social Education, 31 (3), 326–346.