Welcome
My name is Joe Schmidt and I am the founder of Joe Schmidt Social Studies LLC. My passion is supporting educators and districts as they work to provide quality social studies education for students. This site is intended to give you more information about my work, provide resources, and connect with me to support you.
About Joe
Advocating for Social Studies
Joe is proud of his work that spans from teaching in the classroom to district, state, and national level leadership where he supports educators that teach grades PK-12. He strives to connect social studies educators regardless of grade level, content area, geographic location, or political leanings. He has worked with Colonial Williamsburg, Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance), the National Council for Geographic Education, ThinkerAnalytix, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Finance, iCivics, National Geographic, and has taught Elementary Methods at the University of Maine.
Joe is a frequent presenter at state, regional, and national conferences with presentations focusing on civil discourse, disciplinary literacy, inquiry, assessment, and the use of primary sources among others. He has presented for or consulted with organizations and school districts in states representing more than half the country, including giving featured talks at conferences in Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Wisconsin, Kansas, Delaware, and Oklahoma in addition to presenting at more than fifteen different state conferences.
Background in Education
Joe served as a high school social studies classroom teacher for nine years in rural Wisconsin before leaving the classroom to be the Social Studies Teacher Leader for the Madison Metropolitan School District for three years. Joe was the Social Studies Specialist for the Maine Department of Education for five years and is now the Director of Programs for the Bill of Rights Institute, a 501(c)3 non-profit based out of Arlington, Virginia. He is the Vice President for the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and can be found on almost all social media @madisonteacher.
Memberships and Recognition
Joe currently holds leadership positions or serves in an advisory capacity with the following organizations:
- Vice President-Elect National Council for the Social Studies
- National Council for Geographic Education
- iCivics
- ThinkerAnalytix
Throughout his career, Joe has lead or served in support of the following committees or organizations:
- Alliance for Decision Education
- Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance)
- NCSS Task Force on Advocacy
- NCSS Task Force on Standards
- NCSS Task Force on the C3 Framework
- NCSS Task Force on Inquiry
- NCSS Government and Public Relations Committee
- NCSS Social Education Select Subcommittee
- NCSS Development Committee
- NCSS Innovation Committee
- NCSS House of Delegates
- Maine Commission for Community Service
- Maine Bicentennial Commission - Education Subcommittee
- National Geographic: Maine Advisory Council
- Maine Council for the Social Studies
- Maine Jump$tart Alliance
- Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies
- Colonial Williamsburg
- Wisconsin Media Labs
- Center for the Study of the American Constitution
- European Union Center for Excellence
Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities
Build civil discourse with courage, understanding, belonging, and empathy.
Discomfort lies at the heart of all learning and growth, especially concerning discussions on difficult and complex topics like climate change, slavery, and police brutality. This book presents ways to help teachers become strong facilitators—not endorsers—of contentious conversations to promote a stronger sense of community.
There are four themes that arise when exploring civil discourse: courage, understanding, belonging, and empathy. This book is organized around these themes, each chapter providing resources for educators to teach the skills of discourse with:
- How-to tips for bringing work beyond the classroom
- Chapter checklists to guide progress and assess learning
- Exploration of different types of discourse (dialogue, discussion, debate) and when to use each
- Steps for preparing a classroom for contentious conversations
- Activities to practice discourse and disagreement
Addressing the problem of how to have politically and emotionally charged conversations in the classroom, this book guides 6-12 educators – particularly teachers of history, civics, ELA, and other social studies and humanities disciplines -- in facilitating discussions based on fact, intellectual reasoning, and mutual respect.
The Social Studies FIELD Guide
Your roadmap to creating engaging and impactful social studies lessons that prepare students for the adventures and challenges of tomorrow
In today's rapidly changing society, it is essential for students to develop critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning skills. The traditional model of rote memorization of dates and facts in social studies classrooms no longer engages students or adequately prepares them for the complexities of the modern world.
This comprehensive guide delves into the heart of inquiry-based learning, integrating the rich tapestry of primary sources and the cutting-edge potential of educational technology. As the educational landscape evolves, this FIELD—Foundational Evidence, Inquiry, EdTech, and Lesson Design—Guide is a beacon for teachers seeking to bring history and civics alive for their students.
Step into the future of social studies education with The Social Studies FIELD Guide, an indispensable resource that distills decades of teaching expertise into actionable insights, empowering educators to craft meaningful and engaging lessons without the burden of sifting through overwhelming resources. Each chapter is a wellspring of tools, examples, and practical ideas, ensuring that social studies teachers can navigate the wilderness of modern education with confidence and creativity.
Learn more at socialstudiesfieldguide.com
Hire Joe for Professional Development!
Joe offers professional development to fit the needs of your school or district, with a variety of synchronous and asynchronous professional supports available.
What professional development participants are saying:
National Civic Education Organization
"Joe brought tremendous energy to the two-hour workshop about civic discourse at NCSS 2022. This session was on the final morning of the conference, and his session definitely energized me and will help me in my work with educators and students." - Caitlin, Head of Growth & Implementation, at Local Civics
District Social Studies Manager (Florida)
"Joe brings with him a knowledge, insight and passion for social studies that can compliment and elevate a state or district mission. He is a heart-first educator who champions students and educators in all of his endeavors. I am lucky to know Joe and to have collaborated with him." Jaclyn Holimon
Middle School Social Studies Teacher (Maine)
"One of the absolute best presenters I have ever had for a conference." Jada Diket
6-12 Building Principal (Wisconsin)
"Joe will bring with him a passion and excitement for Social Studies that will quickly be passed on to your staff that attend his training. I highly recommend reaching out to Joe for your professional development needs in the area of social studies." Jared Deshane
Middle School Teacher (Michigan)
"Joe's energy and enthusiasm for learning are contagious. It is always inspiring workign with him. His passion for social studies and his experience leading students and adults is appreciated. He continually strives to be a catalyst for positive change and improvement wherever he is. " Michelle Knauf
High School Social Studies Teacher (Wisconsin)
"Joe was incredibly knowledgeable and did a great job of explaining new concepts and practices with us. I am very appreciative of everything Joe did for us that day, and our students are certainly benefiting from it." Matt Parkansky
High School Social Studies Teacher (Maine)
"Joe came to speak to our group of dual enrollment social studies instructors while we were reading Civil Discourse. He was energetic and interesting (not news anyone who knows him) and unafraid to tackle hard questions about both his book and larger themes of social studies education. I appreciated his willingness to get into the weeds of participant’s questions with useful solutions and (like any social studies educator worth their salt) an occasional tangent." Anthony Feldpausch
High School Social Studies Teacher (Wisconsin)
"I found Joe to be very engaging and a wealth of knowledge in the area of social studies. This planning session took place several years ago and I still use many of the sites, concepts, and ideas that he shared with us." Sue Stoltenberg
Interviews, Podcasts, and Webinars
TED Talk Style - Teacher Take
2023 NCSS Conference - None of Us is as Smart as ALL of Us!
Maine Calling
Podcasts
11/28/2020 - Racism and Bias w/ Joe Schmidt & Deqa Dhalac - Maine Education Matters Podcast
1/21/2021 - Courageous Conversations About Contentious Topics - Teaching History, Politics, and Stuff Podcast
10/26/2021 - "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without expecting it." - Aristotle - The Teach Different Podcast
3/10/2022 - Belonging, Empathy, and Civil Discourse - Conceptually Speaking Podcast
4/13/2022 - The Importance of Civil Discourse - Teaching History, Politics, and Stuff Podcast
4/17/2022 - “The First Duty of Society is Justice” - Wendell Phillips - The Teach Different Podcast
5/13/2022 - Let's Talk About Civil Discourse - Let's K12 Better
5/17/2022 - Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities - First Amendment Unscripted w/ the First Amendment Museum
11/4/2023 - The iCivics EdNet Podcast - Episode 3: Joe Schmidt
5/13/2024 - It's Not About Winning - Chalk Talk with Steph and Jen
5/7/2025 - Reflection in Action: Listening to Our Inner Voice - Corwin Press/Teacher-to-Teacher
Webinars
2/24/2022 - A Republic if We Can Keep It: Civil Discourse in Our Classrooms - Western States Civics Coalition
5/17/2022 - Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities - First Amendment Museum
7/23/2023 - Civil Discourse Book Talk - Connecticut's Old State House
9/17/2023 - Civil Discourse Book Discussion - Constitution Day Live w/ the Bill of Rights Institute
10/24/2024 - Civil Discourse in Our Classrooms and Communities - iCivics
Blogs
7/20/2021 - Reflecting on 100 Years of NCSS - National Council for the Social Studies
1/31/2022 - Questions Are the New Answers - Social Studies School Service
3/10/2022 - Disciplinary Literacy in the Social Studies Classroom - Social Studies School Service
4/28/2022 - CUBED Classrooms Support Civil Discourse - Corwin Connect
9/2/2022 - Research Based Best Practices - Social Studies School Service
4/1/2025 - Four Big Ideas for Making Social Studies Instruction More Engaging - Corwin Connect
4/3/2025 - Level up your Social Studies classroom with the FIELD Guide - Ditch that Textbook
#VoteJoe4President - National Council for the Social Studies
Support Across the Map and Roles in Social Studies Education
Joe Schmidt is proud that his experience in social studies education bridges divides across job titles, geography, content area expertise, and grade levels.
Check out the links below to see what people are saying about his leadership!
Teacher of the Year Award Winners and Classroom Teachers
CUFA Members and Higher Education
Candidate Bio
Joe Schmidt is proud of his work that spans from teaching in the classroom to district, state, and national level leadership where he supports educators that teach grades PK-12. He strives to connect social studies educators regardless of grade level, content area, geographic location, or political leanings. He has worked for and with the Bill of Rights Institute, Learning for Justice, the National Council for Geographic Education, ThinkerAnalytix, the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Finance, iCivics, National Geographic, and the University of Maine.
Joe leads by serving in multiple leadership roles with NCSS, including the Board of Directors and previously on the Board’s Executive Committee. He is currently or has served as chair or co-chair for the Government and Public Relations Committee, the NCSS Advocacy Task Force, the C3 Framework Task Force, the 2020 NCSS Summer Leadership Institute, the Task Force on Inquiry, and the select subcommittee for the Social Education Journal.
Joe is honored to be a member of the College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA), and currently represents the National Social Studies Supervisors Association (NSSSA) and the Council of State Social Studies Supervisors (CS4) on the NCSS Board of Directors.
Position Statement
We find ourselves in the center of a nationwide battle over what social studies is and what should be taught, and educators and students are paying the price. To do more than just survive, we need to bring our social studies communities together to thrive. As author Audrey Lorde says, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”
We must lean into our similarities instead of allowing others to divide us based on differences. It is with pride that I held leadership roles across content areas and grade levels. It is an honor to work with organizations that some believe represent conflicting sides of the political spectrum while writing a book about civil discourse. I value having classroom experience and raising the voices of teachers and students from across our country while holding roles representing districts, states, and national organizations. This diversity of experience continually reminds me that when we remember it is our passion for social studies that unites us, we can celebrate our differences.
I believe our best chance to thrive is as a social studies community with all voices at the table, together!