Rate My Professor Amy Allen

Allen's research centers on elementary social studies education, encompassing place-based learning, discussion-based pedagogies, in-service teacher professional development, religious literacy, and the use of children’s literature to address diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Her dissertation investigated elementary teachers' beliefs regarding discussion-based practices and the impact of professional development on sustaining such methods. Key publications include "Interrogating Belief: Linking Religious Instruction and Children’s Historical Fiction in Elementary Social Studies" (2025), "In-Service Teacher Understanding and Use of Sacrificial Listening During Morning Meeting" (2025), “Nothing compares to actually listening”: experiences with sacrificial listening and place-based education (2024), "Included, but how? A critical investigation into elementary social studies standards about religion" (2024), and "Pre-service teachers’ understanding of sacrificial listening as a pedagogical framework" (2023). She contributes to an online methods textbook by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), emphasizing the C3 Framework, primary sources, and discussion strategies. Allen serves on the board of the Social Science Education Consortium (SSEC) and chairs its upcoming conference in Dublin, Ireland, themed "Moving beyond a single story." She also offers consulting, workshops, and supervises doctoral students and teacher candidates at Virginia Tech.