What Classroom Teachers Have To Say

 Joe Schmidt is a tireless champion for social studies education. His good nature and deep pedagogical knowledge turn any gathering into a positive environment. Joe puts student learning first and is a friend to the teacher. I endorse Joe Schmidt for president of the NCSS. 

I highly recommend Joe!  His commitment to Social Studies and Civil discussion is very needed today.  He truly cares about the subject and ensures teachers have the tools to do so effectively.  I have appreciated his sessions and help as I attempt to teach civil discussions. 

 Joe Schmidt is a passionate educator and leader. Joe cares deeply about supporting his colleagues and educators everywhere. He has committed himself to providing the highest quality resources and learning experiences for students and teachers around the country. Joe embodies what the NCSS is all about and would be a phenomenal representative for our profession in a rapidly changing world. 

"Let’s go with Joe!” Joe Schmidt is the perfect educator to fill the role as our next NCSS President! Joe has been involved in the social studies world at various levels for nearly 20 years. From his time as a classroom teacher to his work at both the state and national levels, Joe has shown his invaluable commitment to our social studies community. In his most recent role as Director of Student and Teacher Programs with the Bill of Rights Institute, we’ve seen his experiences come full circle to aid not only teachers but also promote civic education among students across the country. And with the release of his 2022 co-authored book, Civil Discourse: Classroom Conversations for Stronger Communities, Joe literally put his practices into print for future generations to use. Look no further for the most qualified person to fill the role as NCSS President. “Let’s go with Joe!” 

 Joe Schmidt is the one of the hardest working people I know in the area of Social Studies. Whether it is leading a professional development, visiting with pre-service teachers or developing strategies for building classroom conversations for stronger communities, Joe not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. Social Studies teachers would be lucky to have Joe as the next president of NCSS!! 

 Joe Schmidt is one of the best educational leaders that I have ever known in my career. In every social studies leadership position, Joe consistently supports teachers to create the best strategies for practical and effective application in the classroom.  He is a team player, and has the ability to see and work with perspectives of all kinds. His demeanor enables people to approach him easily and his outgoing personality is infectious. I give my full support to Joe’s candidacy for President of NCSS. 

 Joe’s love, passion and knowledge for social studies education is truly inspiring. He is constantly learning and growing so that he can help anyone in any way. He has a way of working with people that gets them equally excited about learning and growing. He gives his all to everything he does and has a way about him that rejuvenates and exhilarates the teacher/administrator within us! That is why I support him for NCSS President.

I have had the pleasure and honor of working with Joe Schmidt for the past year at the Bill of Rights Institute where he serves as the Director of Programs.  While in this particular role, he is charged with the high responsibility of bringing resources and training to teachers across the country as it relates to teaching and engaging the foundational documents of our country, I have grown to realize that it is his great passion and mission.  I have watched and learned from him how to utilize the art of dialogue, especially on the hardest issues, to bring educators from various backgrounds, experiences and content to a unified table.  He has challenged me in my craft as an educator and professional development instructor to build relationships and allow those commonalities to extend the hand of purposeful discourse so that voices can be heard and change happen.  In the current climate of our country, this wisdom and ability is crucial to the leadership of the National Council of Social Studies as it seeks to equip and empower teachers to bring this capacity to our young people and classrooms.    

 I am thrilled to endorse Joe Schmidt for the position of NCSS President. Joe has consistently demonstrated a commitment to the bettering of social studies education across the country with his involvement in Bill of Rights Institute, his professional development workshops, and his efforts to connect teachers across the country that are early in their careers (like myself!). Joe has proven that he is capable and willing to do what it takes to improve teachers and improve social studies education as a whole. Joe exemplifies a leadership style that is not only visionary but action-oriented. I am confident that Joe Schmidt is the ideal candidate to lead the NCSS for the next year and will bring positive and transformative change to social studies education.

Joe Schmidt is an extraordinary individual - a scholar, teacher, and immensely talented leader. These qualities make him uniquely qualified for the position of President of NCSS. Joe is a gentleman who leads by example and is very skillful at leading team members in a warm and collaborative environment. His book "Civic Discourse" is a model of scholarship and established his bona fides as an intellectual on the national stage. The most important thing I can say about Joe is that he is a man of exceptional character and one of the nicest people I have ever worked with! The NCSS membership would be truly fortunate to have Joe at the tiller of leadershi

It is my honor and pleasure to recommend Joe Schmidt for the position of President of NCSS. Joe’s people skills, leadership qualities, ability to communicate ideas, and problem solving would make him a valuable player as the President of such an education-based organization. 

While Joe has found great success in multiple venues such as, Bill of Rights Institute, Author, Curriculum specialist, and speaker, he is looking to maximize his skills by adding a new challenge as a leader within a large company that puts teachers first.  Joe has always impressed me with his commitment to lifelong learning and to social studies education. In a role at NCSS he will be able to use all his prior skills acquired and continue to grow personally and professionally.

Joe has my highest recommendation for the position of President of NCSS.  I'm excited to see the directions in which the National Council for Social Studies will grow under his leadership.

 I support Joe Schmidt for NCSS President. Joe’s knowledge of and enthusiasm for Social Studies is evident in his conversations, both formal and casual. His experience speaks for itself, but it is Joe’s care for the craft and relationships with educators that mean the most. Vote for Joe!