Rate My Professor Amy Allen

Amy E. Allen serves as an Assistant Professor of Social Studies in the Elementary Education Program within the School of Education at Virginia Tech. She holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, with an emphasis in social studies education, from the University of Oklahoma (2022), and a master’s degree in education technology from the University of Central Missouri. Before joining Virginia Tech in 2022, Allen worked as an instructor and field supervisor at the University of Oklahoma, supporting preservice elementary education majors. Concurrently, she was the Director of Education Development at a private school in Oklahoma City, delivering professional development to in-service teachers. Her earlier career included teaching at the elementary level, where she emphasized engaging young learners in thoughtful discussions and weaving social studies concepts across the curriculum.

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.