LAUSR

Abstract By comparing and contrasting the first televised seasons of Room 222 (1969–1974) and Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) through the lenses of critical pedagogy and inquiry and forging connections to the 2018 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) standards for teacher-candidates, the deliberately crafted fictional teacher identity can foster teacher reflection toward enacting a culturally responsive pedagogy, necessary today for equal opportunity for learning for a diverse student population. Examining these past media images of the social studies teacher, during the late 1960s/early 1970s social transformations, can guide our present teaching about historical knowledge, inquiry, and civic responsibility among contemporary changes. These media images become useful tools to help teacher-candidates define their own pedagogical goals and methods during the first “season” of their teaching professions.