This book attempts to narrow the gap between the rhetoric of social studies reform and the realities of most classrooms. It focuses on strategies for engaging students in the learning process. Practical and workable guides are provided for improving classroom instruction with new techniques and materials for innovative strategies. Although the teaching strategies draw their content from history and political science, the lessons are designed as models to be adapted and modified for other courses. Chapters in the book include topics on deciding what is worth teaching, organizing a course, conducting class discussion, utilizing the small group, getting students involved, developing and using inquiry models, individualizing instruction, lecture writing, team teaching, and evaluation of what has been learned. (Author/DE)