Charlie Rodrigues
CCSS 2026 ELECTION
At-Large Candidate
Charlie Rodrigues
Bio
I am an Associate Professor of Education at Concordia University Irvine, where I teach in both the Teacher Credential and Master of Arts in Education programs. Much of my work focuses on preparing future teachers, including teaching social studies methods, developing curriculum and instructional methods courses, and supervising student teachers as they move from their university coursework into the classroom. Before moving into higher education, I spent over 10 years teaching in elementary and middle school classrooms. My experience as a classroom teacher continues to shape the way I teach and work with future educators today, particularly in helping them develop practical and engaging ways to bring social studies into their classrooms.
Position Statement
Throughout my career, social studies education has remained an important part of my work as both a classroom teacher and teacher educator. After teaching in elementary and middle school classrooms, I moved into higher education, where I now have the opportunity to help prepare future teachers to make social studies meaningful and engaging for their students. One area that is especially important to me is advocating for social studies at the elementary level. Too often, social studies is pushed aside to make room for other subjects, even though it provides students with important opportunities to understand history, government, geography, and the world around them. In my work with pre-service teachers, I focus on practical strategies they can actually use in their classrooms while helping them see the importance of making social studies an essential part of their instruction. I would welcome the opportunity to serve on the CCSS Board of Directors and contribute my perspective as both a former K-8 classroom teacher and a current teacher educator. I would also value the opportunity to work with other educators who are committed to supporting strong social studies instruction throughout California.
What strengths will I bring to the CCSS Board of Directors?
One of the strengths I would bring to the CCSS Board is the variety of experiences I have had throughout my career. I spent 10 years teaching in K-8 classrooms before moving into higher education, where I now work primarily with future teachers. Having experience on both sides gives me a good perspective on what teachers need and how we can better prepare new teachers to make social studies an important part of their classrooms. I also bring experience in collaboration, organization, and problem solving. In my current role, I work with faculty, students, schools, districts, and other educational partners. I enjoy looking at a problem, figuring out what needs to be done, and finding a practical way to get it done. I would also bring a strong interest in advocating for social studies, particularly at the elementary level, where it can easily get pushed aside for other subjects. One area where I would like to grow is in statewide advocacy. Most of my experience has been at the classroom, university, and local school and district levels, so I would like to learn more about advocating for social studies across California. I would also appreciate learning from other board members who have experience with statewide organizations and nonprofit governance.