Eddie Bennett, Ed.D., is the Executive Director of
the Georgia Council for the Social Studies. Dr. Bennett is a retired Cobb County Social Studies Coordinator and educator.
1. How
and/or when did you get hooked on history?
I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t
interested in history. As a child our
family vacations always included stops at state and national parks/historic
sites. On Sunday afternoons, our family
drove around our community and my Dad would talk about the people and places he
knew as a child. Also, I was fortunate
enough to live near grandparents and would listen to their stories of life
before cars, planes, TV, radio, etc.
With great interest I looked at old photographs and asked a million
questions.
2. What
role does history play or has played in your personal life?
I travel just as much as possible inside and
outside of the U.S. On these trips I
always visit museums and sites of historical interest and significance. My summer 2016 major trip was to Cuba. When people visit my home in North Georgia,
they walk around and look at “stuff” just like in a museum because of the
collection of old objects from both sides of my family.
3. How
is/How was history a part of your professional life/career?
I majored in history at Mars Hill
College. I taught middle school for
almost 9 years. I taught social studies
for all but the first year when I taught reading. Of course, I found an old set of history
books that were ideal for reading, so in reality I taught history the first
year as well. When I went to Pioneer
Regional Educational Services Agency I was the social studies specialist in
addition to being the Director of Staff Development. After almost 2 years at the Georgia
Department of Education as the Program Specialist for Social Studies, I was the
Social Studies Supervisor in the Cobb County School District for 10 years. After retiring in 2011, I went back to work
in Cobb County in the ESOL/Foreign Language Department as a Graduation
Specialist working with ESOL and immigrant students helping them to complete
high school and get into college or technical college. I have taken advantage
of many opportunities to travel and to work in various educational programs in
the area of history and social studies.
I have been the Executive Director of the Georgia Council for the Social
Studies since 1998.
4. Why
is studying/knowing history important?
I believe that studying and knowing history
helps me to understand my place in time.
I look back at the lives of my grandparents and parents and understand
that who they were helped me to become who I am. For example, my grandparents and parents
lived through the Great Depression and World War II. I come from a long line of farmers who
struggled during the Depression to make enough money to raise their children,
pay property taxes and hold onto their property. Also, my Dad lost his younger brother in the
South Pacific during WWII and my Mother lost her older brother in Germany during
WWII. All of these historical facts have
shaped the way I think about the world and my place in it.
5. What is your favorite period or
aspect of history to learn about and why?
My favorite period changes according
to what I am reading or where I am traveling.
When I was at Mars Hill College, I accompanied a group of fellow
students and our history professor Dr. Jolley (who at 96 is still reading,
researching and writing) on a couple of trips.
The first one was “The Winter of 76”, north to Williamsburg,
Philadelphia, Boston, Monticello, Vermont and various stops along the way. The 2nd trip with Dr. Jolley was
“Wonderlands South”, all the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyland Drive, Monticello, Mt.
Vernon, Williamsburg, Jamestown, Norfolk, Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah, St.
Augustine, the Everglades, and Atlanta.
Just before I retired, I was able to participate in several outstanding
Teaching American History grant trips including many periods and places in
American History. Those included the
American West, the East as well as people and places in our own state of
Georgia.
6. What
is the mission of the Georgia Council for the Social Studies?
The Mission of the Georgia Council
for the Social Studies is to advocate for, support, and celebrate the
advancement of quality social studies teaching for Georgia Students.
The Vision of the Georgia Council for
the Social Studies is to prepare students to be knowledgeable, effective
decision makers and engaged citizens in a globally interdependent world.
7. How is social studies education
changing and how does GCSS reflect and support these changes?
For many, many years, history was taught as something that students should sit
quietly, listen to the teacher’s lecture and take notes. Of course, this is not the way we teach
history any more. Today, the best teachers
look for ways to directly involve their students in learning about history
through technology, primary source documents, travel to historic sites, etc.
GCSS supports the work of history teachers by providing opportunities for
teachers to learn new things at the GCSS Conference as well as allowing
teachers to share the good things that they are learning. Also, GCSS members were very involved in the
work of standards revision this past year.
Also, GCSS keeps its members informed about professional learning
opportunities as well as changes on the legislative and state board levels that
affect the work of teachers.
