A summary of university-level courses taught by Christopher Martell: 

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON (Current Institution)

EDC U 466/EDC G 662 Social Studies Methods
This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of teaching the social studies, 
including history, civics and government, geography, and economics, at the middle and 
secondary levels. Students will design units of study, individual lessons, and assessments 
in social studies attentive to the increasing socioeconomic, cultural, linguistic, and ability-level 
diversity of students in today’s classrooms. A required field experience component is included; 
students are responsible for securing access to a classroom at the level of licensure sought.

Syllabus: 
EDC466-662SyllabusMartell.pdf 


EDC G 676 Advanced Strategies for Teaching History, Social Studies, and Ethnic Studies
This is an advanced course in the theory and practice of teaching social studies, including history,
civics and government, geography, economics, and ethnic studies. Students will develop an 
understanding of social justice-oriented and inquiry-focused curriculum and develop equity-based 
pedagogies for history and the social sciences. Intended for pre-service or in-service history, 
social studies or ethnic studies teachers.

Syllabus: 
EDC676SyllabusMartell.pdf 


EDC G 626 Integrating Social Studies and the Arts 
This course is designed to engage prospective teachers in developing philosophical perspectives 
and practical approaches to teaching art, social studies, and language arts. Critical thinking about 
issues in art, social studies, and language arts education, including curriculum, instruction, and 
assessment, is integral to this course. Special emphasis is given to practices that are responsive 
to the needs and strengths of elementary students in social groups, classrooms, and schools.

Syllabus: 
EDC626SyllabusMartell.pdf 

EDC U 406/EDC G 606 Sociocultural Foundations of Education 
This course examines the interrelationships among students, schools, and society. 
Participants learn about the ways in which race, class, language, and ethnicity influence 
how we define ourselves and each other in our various encounters within the broader 
culture of US society. The course examines the historical antecedents influencing 
how the lives of the immigrant and colonized peoples in the US are defined. It is designed 
as a foundation for understanding the policies, goals, assumptions, strategies, and practices 
of multicultural approaches to education. It draws on a variety of models to construct 
educational curricula that are multicultural and socially reconstructionist. Readings 
are placed within the context of public schooling today in order to develop students' 
"cultural consciousness" and awareness of the individual and shared societal assumptions 
we bring to our teaching experiences.

Syllabus: 
EDC406-606SyllabusMartell.pdf 


EDC U 241 Introduction to Urban Education 
This course focuses on understanding the complexities of teaching in urban schools. 
We will explore the strengths, problems and issues that affect urban schools and examine 
how teachers can effectively respond to the issues that impact their students in this 
environment. The course covers four major topics. Understanding the Strengths and 
Challenges of the Urban Environment; Community Building and School Climate; Achievement 
Motivation: Working from a Strengths Based Perspective; Language Development as a Foundation 
of Learning.

Syllabus: 
EDC241SyllabusMartell&Avashia.pdf 

EDC U 460/EDC G 660 Using Data to Plan Curriculum and Instruction 
This course focuses on how to design and implement diagnostic, formative, and summative 
assessments and how to analyze the data from such assessments as well as formal, large 
group standardized assessments in order to improve curriculum and instruction to better 
assist middle and secondary students in meeting state and national standards. This is a 
field-based course in which students are asked to design curriculum units and lesson plans 
based on their observations of students and analysis of student work from their pre-practicum 
site. In addition to reflecting on the learning and teaching observed at their school site, 
students will practice using micro teaching to analyze their own teaching practices.
groups, classrooms, and schools.

Syllabus: 
EDC460-660SyllabusMartell.pdf


EDC G 643 Fostering Equitable and Affirming Classroom Environments 
This course explores a diverse range of dispositions and strategies that lead to equity-based 
and affirming classrooms and support all students' abilities to grow and thrive. The course focuses 
on the role of social inequity in the history of school discipline, examines routines and structures 
that create positive classroom environments, and offers ways to build better connections between 
the classroom and students' home lives and families. All students in this class should have a field 
placement in a public school classroom or be a teacher of record in a public school.

Syllabus: 
EDC643SyllabusMartell.pdf 


EDC G 689 Teacher Research 
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the methodology and methods of teacher 
research. Teacher research is characterized by a careful documentation and analysis of teaching 
practice over time. Participants ask critical questions, analyze methods, and develop a 
teacher-research project. 

Syllabus: 
EDC689SyllabusMartell.pdf 


EDC G 696 Independent Study: History Education 
Study of the historical, philosophical, theoretical, and curricular foundations of history education.

Syllabus: 
EDC696HistoryEdSyllabusMartell.pdf 


EDC G 696 Independent Study: Civic Education 
Study of the historical, philosophical, theoretical, and curricular foundations of civic education
/education for democracy.

Syllabus: 
EDC696CivicEdSyllabusMartell.pdf 



BOSTON UNIVERSITY (Previous Institution)

CH300/515 Methods of Instruction, Elementary 1-6: Social Studies 
This section of CH 300/515 is designed to increase teachers' confidence and enthusiasm for 
teaching elementary social studies. This course reviews traditional and recent curriculum 
materials in elementary school history and social studies and analyzes social studies 
curricular goals for grades 1-6. The course aims to help teachers develop new 
teaching materials and classroom techniques for social studies education at various 
elementary age levels.

Syllabus: 
CH300-515SyllabusMartell.pdf 


SO 566 Developing Historical Literacy 5-12
This course is designed to prepare students to teach history at the secondary level. 
It will explore teaching skills and classroom methods in the discipline of history and how 
the other disciplines of social studies (government, geography, economics, psychology) 
can be integrated into the history classroom. It focuses on historical inquiry and the 
development of historical thinking skills. This course has three aims: To learn about recent
research and conceptual work in history education to help guide practice, to create
history classroom methods, and to share lesson plans with your classmates creating a
repertoire for teachers entering the classroom. By the end of this course, teachers should 
have acquired a substantial number of lesson plans to consider using during their first year 
of teaching.

Syllabus: 
SO566SyllabusMartell.pdf


SO 572 Curriculum and Methods for History and Social Science 
Education 5-12 
This course is designed to build upon earlier courses in the teacher education 
program and prepare students to become secondary social studies teachers. It will 
explore how teaching skills and classroom methods relate to the subject of social 
studies and the disciplines of history, government, economics, psychology, as well 
as other social sciences and the humanities. This course has three aims: To learn 
about recent research and conceptual work in history and social studies education to 
help guide practice, to learn creative history and social science classroom methods, 
and to share lesson plans with classmates creating a repertoire for teachers entering 
the classroom. By the end of this course, teachers should have acquired a substantial 
number of lesson and unit plans to consider using during their first years of teaching. 

Syllabus: 
SO572SyllabusMartell.pdf 
 

SO 930 Doctoral Seminar: The Nature of Social Studies Education
Designed as a readings course, students are assigned readings covering the breadth 
and depth of social studies education. In weekly meetings, the students and 
instructor will discuss the readings, emphasizing ways to connect the topics to 
possible research interests. This course will cover the theoretical and historical 
foundations of and current issues in social studies education. The final assessment 
in this course is the creation of a literature review. 

Syllabus: 
SO930SyllabusMartell.pdf 


SO 933 Doctoral Seminar in History Education 
Designed as a readings course, students are assigned readings covering the breadth 
and depth of history education. In weekly meetings, the students and instructor will 
discuss the readings, emphasizing ways to connect the topics to possible research 
interests. This course covers theory and research on history education. It is organized 
around the three major perspectives found in history education: disciplinary, participatory 
democratic, and critical. The final assessment in this course is the creation of a 
ready-for-publication research or conceptual article. 

Syllabus: 
SO933SyllabusMartell.pdf 


SO 935 Advanced Doctoral Seminar in Civic Education and Engagement 
Designed as a readings course, students are assigned readings covering the breadth and 
depth of civic education and engagement. In weekly meetings, the students and instructor 
will discuss the readings, emphasizing ways to connect the topics to possible research 
interests. This course will cover theory and research in civic education. It is 
organized around the three major themes in civics education: civic engagement and 
political socialization, citizenship education, and global citizenship. The final 
assessment in this course is the creation of a ready-for-publication research or 
conceptual article. 

Syllabus: 
SO935SyllabusMartell.pdf 


RS 620 Action Research and Practitioner Inquiry
Overview of the foundations and techniques for conducting action research and 
practitioner inquiry. Intended for future and current teachers, special educators, 
educational leaders, counselors, and other school-based practitioners. Students 
engage in planning, collecting, and analyzing data through an action research 
project with the intention of improving their professional practice and developing 
an inquiry stance. Students will develop an understanding of inquiry questions, 
conceptual frameworks, methodology, data collection and analysis, and the 
process of presenting work inside and outside schools.
 
Syllabus: 
RS620SyllabusMartell.pdf


SO 210 Confronting Persistent Social Inequalities in American Schools
SO 211 Racial, Cultural, Gender, and Social Identities in Urban Classrooms 
Examines issues of race, culture, gender, and identity in urban elementary classrooms. 
Course taught at the Trotter School; transportation provided. Includes a field placement.
Almost 150 years after slavery was abolished in the United States and sixty years after 
the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, this nation continues to 
grapple with persistent social inequalities in schooling, often understood in terms of a 
racial achievement gap. This course examines the history, causes, and possible 
solutions for the achievement gap, or what has been astutely relabeled the opportunity 
gap and education debt. This course also examines issues of race, culture, gender, 
and social identity in the context of diverse urban student populations. It seeks to help 
young teachers, passionate about their mission and armed with best teaching practices, 
to thrive in urban classrooms by deepening their understanding of identity issues. 

Syllabus: 
SO210SyllabusMartell.pdf 
SO211SyllabusMartell.pdf 


CT 575 General Methods of Instruction 5-12 
This general methods course is for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in 
the Boston University teacher preparation program for middle or high school. It includes 
preservice teachers who seek licensure in numerous subject areas including math, 
English language arts, science, history/social sciences, foreign language/English as a 
second language, etc. It is required and a prerequisite for the subject-specific methods 
courses. 
 
Syllabus: 
CT575SyllabusMartell.pdf