University Press of America
Pages: 231
•
Trim: 6 x 9
978-0-7618-6224-6 • Hardback • December 2013 • $91.00 • (£70.00)
978-0-7618-6225-3 • eBook • December 2013 • $81.50 • (£63.00)
Tony R. Sanchez is Professor of Social Studies Education at the University of Toledo. He is also a former middle grades/high school social studies educator, where his interest in historical storytelling began, and has taught social studies on the public school and university levels for over thirty years. He has previously published many articles dealing with character/values education in leading educational journals.
Tales Worth Telling is a significant addition to an adolescent’s education. The book’s importance is multiplied when one considers contemporary influences in the lives of adolescents. Individualism and celebrity exert a strong influence in the popular media. Tales Worth Telling carefully separates the hero from the celebrity. Professor Sanchez’s biographies skillfully develop the lives of flesh and blood heroes who contend with their weaknesses and failures, successes and triumphs, to devote their lives to the improvement of social conditions for other individuals and the betterment of society.
— Lynn R. Nelson, Ph.D, Purdue University, Retired
Tales Worth Telling stands as an example of new and exciting curriculum for the middle and high school social studies teacher. Sanchez presents an interesting and effective strategy as he first explains the importance of hero stories and examines the art of storytelling. Then he presents examples of American men and women heroes… who are not always present in textbooks to make the stories fresh… Each hero story chapter has a set of follow-up discussion questions which can help the student come to understand the often complex dynamics of living in a democracy.
— Randy Mills, Professor at Oakland City University