Pryor Middle School is proud to recognize 8th-grade Problems of Democracy teacher Mrs. Heather Braucher, who recently represented Oklahoma on the national stage of social studies education.
Mrs. Braucher is serving a one-year term as the Oklahoma Delegate to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). Earlier this month, she traveled to Washington, D.C., to represent the Oklahoma Council for the Social Studies (OCSS) in the NCSS House of Delegates.
During the December meeting, Mrs. Braucher joined educators from across the nation to consider and vote on nine resolutions that help shape the future of social studies education. Resolutions are the primary way NCSS members bring important issues forward for debate and action within the organization.
Mrs. Braucher highlighted two resolutions that especially resonated with her work in the classroom: civil discourse and place-based education.
“We need to be able to look at both sides of a story—see it from both points of view,” Braucher said.
She emphasized that practicing active listening, respectful discussion, and thoughtful consideration of differing perspectives are essential skills for students growing up in a democratic society.
Mrs. Braucher also stressed the importance of helping students understand how place and environment shape history and civic life.
“Place-based education is more than going to a specific site or learning local history and geography,” she explained. “It’s seeing how our communities connect with greater events in history.”
To help students make these connections, Mrs. Braucher invited her colleague, middle school counselor Kristi Ross, to share her experience participating in the 2024 Remember the Removal Bike Ride. The ride included ten Cherokee Nation citizens—six cyclists and four mentor riders—who pedaled 950 miles across seven states, retracing the northern route of the Trail of Tears back to the Cherokee Nation capital.
Ross described the ride as a leadership experience that educates through experience.
“It is a leadership program,” Ross said. “The experiences on the ride help keep Cherokee culture alive.”
In addition to the professional learning, Mrs. Braucher reflected on the opportunity to experience Washington, D.C. during the winter season. She shared her appreciation for seeing the monuments dusted with snow and illuminated by holiday lights, as well as learning from an engaging tour guide who, she said, “created a tapestry of American history by weaving together our shared values.”
Mrs. Braucher returned home with new resources, meaningful reflections, and fresh inspiration to share with her students and fellow educators. 