Caffrey, G., & Journell, W. (2019). Humanizing disciplinary civic education at the elementary level: An exploration of immigration and the humanitarian crisis at the U.S./Mexico border. The Oregon Journal of the Social Studies, 7(2), 26–54.
Research & publications
Research & Publications
My scholarship focuses on critical social studies curriculum design, teaching controversial and contemporary political issues with young children, and critical literacy and social action in elementary classrooms.
Doctoral dissertation · 2025
Designing Critical Social Studies Curriculum: How the Synthesis of Critical Theories, Curricular Frameworks, and Teacher Practice Generated the P.O.W.E.R. Framework
Ed.D., Learning, Teaching and Curriculum · University of Missouri–Columbia · Dissertation supervisor: Dr. Antonio J. Castro
The P.O.W.E.R. Framework that grew out of this research now guides my curriculum work at OPALIS Curriculum House. A ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global listing is forthcoming.
Journal articles
King, L. J., Vickery, A. E., & Caffrey, G. (2018). A pathway to racial literacy: Using the LETS ACT framework to teach controversial issues. Social Education, 82(6), 316–322.
Caffrey, G. E., & Rogers, R. (2018). Students taking social action: Critical literacy practices through school-as-museum learning. Berkeley Review of Education, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.5070/B88134957
Book chapters
Henderson, K. I., Martín-Corredor, L., & Caffrey, G. (2019). Issues of equity in dual language bilingual education. In N. Avineri, L. R. Graham, E. J. Johnson, R. Conley Riner, & J. Rosa (Eds.), Language and social justice in practice (pp. 63–71). Routledge.
Caffrey, G. E., & Simmons, G. (2020). How do conceptions about the Trojan War linger and shape our conceptions of war and conflict today? In S. Roberts (Ed.), Hollywood or history? An inquiry-based strategy for using film to teach United States history (2nd ed., pp. 80–97). Information Age Publishing.
Book review
Caffrey, G. (2017). Teaching literacy and social justice-oriented social studies as complementary subjects in the elementary classroom [Review of the book Social studies, literacy, and social justice in the Common Core classroom: A guide for teachers, by R. Agarwal-Rangnath]. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 41, 167–169.
Selected presentations
Caffrey, G. E. (2025). Thinking with P.O.W.E.R.: How the synthesis of critical scholarship and critical teacher practice generated a theory-based, yet practical framework for critical social studies curriculum design. CUFA/NCSS Conference, Washington, D.C.
Caffrey, G. E. (2025). Crafting P.O.W.E.R.ful curriculum: A framework for enhancing the criticality of social studies curriculum. NCSS Conference, Washington, D.C.
Caffrey, G. E., & Adu-Gyamfi, M. (2023). “Breaking (not watering) it down”: Scaffolding teachers to think with critical theory using a Critical Inquiry Template. CUFA/NCSS Conference, Nashville, TN.
Caffrey, G. E., & Adu-Gyamfi, M. (2022). “Is this critical enough?”: Criticality and dysconsciousness in preservice teacher unit-planning and instructor feedback. AERA Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Caffrey, G. E. (2019). Exploring the border wall controversy with third graders using an inquiry-based approach. CUFA/NCSS Conference, Austin, TX.
Henderson, K., Martín-Corredor, L., & Caffrey, G. E. (2018). Teacher perspectives on issues of equity in dual language bilingual education implementation. AERA Annual Meeting, New York, NY.
Media
Teaching Racial Literacy and Controversial Issues. Visions of Education podcast, Episode 100, 2019.
Educating for Community Empowerment. Activist Hub Radio interview, 2011.
Educators for Social Justice Curriculum Fair. Channel 5 News interview, 2013.