Alan J. Singer
Professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology | Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY, UNITED STATES
Alan Singer specializes in social studies education and United States history.
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Biography
Alan J. Singer Professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology Degrees PHD, 1982, Rutgers University; MA, 1974, Rutgers University; BA, 1971, CUNY City Coll Bio Alan Singer is a professor of Teaching, Learning and Technology and the director of social studies education programs. Dr. Singer is a former New York City high school social studies teacher and served as editor of Social Science Docket, a joint publication of the New York and New Jersey Councils for the Social Studies. He is the author of Teaching Climate History (Routledge, 2022), Teaching Global History (Routledge, 2nd edition, 2020), New York and Slavery: Time to Teach the Truth (SUNY Press, Excelsior Editions, 2008), Education Flashpoints, Fighting for America's Schools (Routledge 2014), Social Studies for Secondary Schools (Routledge, 4th edition, 20015), New York's Grand Emancipation Jubilee (SUNY Press, 2018) and editor of a 268-page secondary school curriculum guide, New York and Slavery: Complicity and Resistance. He is co-author with Hofstra University alumni Pablo Muriel of Supporting Civics Education with Student Activism (Routledge, 2021). In 2011, the Long Island Conference for the Social Studies awarded Dr. Singer the Mark Rothman Teacher Mentoring Award, for his commitment to students and continued excellence in education and he was the New York State Council for the Social Studies 2016 Social Studies Educator of the Year. He has twice been selected as a Hofstra University "Teacher of the Year." He received his Masters and Doctoral degrees from Rutgers University.
Industry Expertise (2)
Research
Education/Learning
Areas of Expertise (4)
Social Studies Education
United States History
History of Slavery
Teaching race. ethnicity and class
Accomplishments (2)
Mark Rothman Teacher Mentoring Award
2011 Long Island Conference for the Social Studies
2015 – 2016 New York Distinguished Social Studies Educator Award (professional)
2016-04-01
Dr. Alan Singer won the 2015 – 2016 New York Distinguished Social Studies Educator Award, which is given to an individual who exemplifies the best in professional social studies education in New York State.
Education (3)
Rutgers University: PhD 1982
Rutgers University: MA 1974
City University of New York-Brooklyn College: BA 1971
Links (4)
Media Appearances (45)
New FAFSA form launches: What you need to know to apply for financial aid
WNYW-TV Fox 5 tv
2024-01-02
Professor Singer was interviewed by Fox 5 WNYW-TV about changes to the FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and what parents should keep in mind when filling it out. Professor Singer explained that the new system was designed to simplify the process for some 15 million students who apply for aid each year. “The personal circumstances section where you plead poverty now has 18 questions which was reduced from 100,” he said.
Israel-Hamas war: In Long Island schools, much has been left unsaid, observers say
Newsday print
2023-11-26
Professor Singer spoke to Newsday for a story about how public school teachers are navigating the difficulties of addressing the Israel-Hamas War in their classes. Professor Singer said that teachers have become wary of people looking over their shoulder following recent controversies over the teaching of race and diversity. “There’s a sense of nervousness on how to proceed. Teachers feel they’re being monitored,” he said. “The war between Israel and Hamas is not the origin of that nervousness, just the latest step.”
New York considering making Regents exams optional for students
FOX 5 News NY tv
2023-11-14
Professor Singer was interviewed about the New York State Education Department possibly making Regents exams optional for high school graduation. The segment reports that students could still choose to take the regents to graduate, but they would also be given new ways to show their proficiency in skills, including projects and presentations. “I agree younger students are over-tested but I don’t think they’re being over-tested in high school,” said Professor Singer. “The exams shouldn’t be abandoned until after assessments are developed.”
How to make Long Island more affordable? Experts say add housing, consolidate schools, find tax relief
Newsday print
2023-07-31
Professor Singer talked about a lack of support for Governor Kathy Hochul’s push for more affordable housing across the state, and Long Island in particular.
U.S. students in grades 3-8 slipped further behind in math, reading in 2022-23, NWEA report finds
Newsday print
2023-07-12
Professor Singer discussed a report by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) that found students nationwide fell further behind in reading and math last school year despite billions of federal relief dollars spent to close achievement gaps that widened during the pandemic.
Record book ban attempts in 2022, American Library Association reports
Newsday print
2023-03-24
Professor Singer discussed attempts to ban books from public libraries and schools, which surged in 2022, according to a report from the American Library Association.
The great student loan forgiveness debate
Newsday print
2023-03-04
Professor of Education Alan Singer was one of the Long Island experts to be featured in the Newsday article: “The great student loan forgiveness debate.” President Biden is hoping the Supreme Court finds that Republican-led states and individuals challenging the plan lack the legal right to sue. Professor Singer said he believes the states do not have legal standing.
Black history class revised by College Board after criticism
WABC-TV Eyewitness News tv
2023-02-01
WABC-TV Eyewitness News interviewed Professor of Education Alan Singer about the curriculum for a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies that downplays components like the Black Lives Matter movement, slavery reparations and the LGBTQ+ experience. The inclusion of that subject matter drew criticism from conservatives including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who had threatened to ban the class in his state. “DeSantis says he wants to take ideology out of education,” Professor Singer said. “Well DeSantis is putting his ideology in.”
Reading, math scores fell sharply during pandemic, federal data shows
Newsday print
2022-09-01
Newsday interviewed Professor Alan Singer about reading and math scores falling sharply among 9-year-olds nationwide during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reading, math scores for 9-year-old plummeted after pandemic
FOX 5 News NY tv
2022-09-01
Fox 5 NY interviewed Professor Alan Singer about a new study that showed the pandemic had a major impact on education, and teachers are still trying to catch students up.
The Heat: U.S. gun violence epidemic
CGTN America online
2022-05-26
Dr. Singer was a part of the broadcast discussion “US Gun Violence Epidemic” on CGTN America about a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, TX, where 19 children and two teachers were killed.
School district budgets show wide disparity in funding per pupil
The Island Now online
2022-05-25
The Island Now interviewed Dr. Singer for the article “School district budgets show wide disparity in funding per pupil” about spending per pupil in local Long Island school districts and and if state aid is being effectively allocated.
Proud Boys Rally on LI
PIX 11 tv
2022-05-23
Professor of Education Alan Singer was featured in a PIX11 segment about a recent rally held on Long Island by the Proud Boys, which has been accused by civil rights organizations of being a hate group. Professor Singer discussed the local history of hate groups, like the Proud Boys, Nazis and the Klu Klux Klan, and their public displays.
Racial demographics rapidly shifting in Long Island schools
Newsday print
2022-05-21
Dr. Singer is featured in the Newsday article “Racial demographics rapidly shifting in Long Island schools” about the changing demographics among K-12 students. Over the past 20 years, students of color shifted from being the minority to the majority in 32 public school districts on Long Island. “You’re looking at a demographic shift in schools because you are looking at a demographic shift in populations,” said Dr. Singer.
Mayor, chancellor expand NYC's Gifted and Talented Program
WABC-TV Eyewitness News tv
2022-04-14
School of Education Professor Alan Singer was interviewed by WABC-TV Eyewitness News about an announcement from New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor David Banks to reboot and expand the public school’s Gifted and Talented program.
LI's teachers are overwhelmingly white and mostly female — but resignations, retirements could change that
Newsday print
2022-03-20
A Newsday article looks at how COVID-19 has stalled progress in diversifying Long Island’s teacher workforce, but expected end-of-school-year resignations and early retirements may create hiring opportunities for school districts. The front-page story features interviews with Lawrence Levy, Vice President of Economic Development and Professional Studies and Executive Dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies, and School of Education Professor Alan Singer. In 2019 Levy and Dr. William Mangino, Professor of Sociology, authored a study, Teacher Diversity in Long Island Public Schools, that found that minority teacher recruitment in Long Island’s public schools has lagged far behind the surge in enrollment of students of color, depriving students of a richer cultural experience in the classroom and minority educators the opportunity for well-paying jobs.
State: Hempstead, Wyandanch making progress, but still not at performance targets
Newsday print
2022-03-13
A recent report details how the Hempstead and Wyandanch school districts, while making progress, are not meeting performance standards set out by the state. Newsday spoke to Dr. Alan Singer, a School of Education professor of teaching, learning and technology, about his perspective, having studied how yearly board elections can disrupt operations within a school district. “In affluent communities, the low-paying school jobs — in cafeterias, in buildings and grounds — are not desirable,” Dr. Singer said. “But in poorer communities, they are. So what happens is that school board candidates are part of the political machine. Every time a board majority shifts, we get a change in direction. There becomes no consistency in direction.”
How race is taught in LI schools — and why some educators feel they're under siege
Newsday print
2022-01-17
Alan Singer, professor in the School of Education and an expert on public education issues, was interviewed by Newsday for the article, “How race is taught in LI schools — and why some educators feel they’re under siege.” The article discusses the complexities of teaching race and racism in public schools and the heated disagreements between those who want more instruction on diversity, equity and inclusion, and others who say such teaching is biased. Dr. Singer said, teaching about race “varies widely,” and that “The state guidelines say you need to learn about Malcolm X, but it doesn’t say what you need to learn.” He explains how discussions of race are approached at different grade levels.
As U.S. Remains Polarized Over Jan. 6 Capitol Attack, Educators Offer Tips On How To Talk To Young People About It
WCBS-TV tv
2022-01-05
On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the insurrection at the US Capitol, CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff spoke to educators, including Dr. Alan Singer, who offered tips on how parents and guardians should talk to children about what transpired on Jan. 6, 2021.
Back to School: Learning During a Pandemic
WABC-TV Eyewitness News tv
2021-09-09
School of Education professor Alan Singer, an expert on K-12 school issues, participated in a virtual town hall for WABC-TV Eyewitness News on Thursday, September 9. “Back to School: Learning During a Pandemic,” offered guidance for parents, students and teachers and answered viewers’ questions.
What LI high school students want from this year: Not just a pre-pandemic normal
Newsday print
2021-08-27
In a Newsday article about the challenges facing schools as they reopen this fall, School of Education professor Alan Singer, an expert on K-12 school issues, discussed the importance of using the lessons learned during the pandemic to improve education for all students.
What LI high school students want from this year: Not just a pre-pandemic normal
Newsday print
2021-08-27
In a Newsday article about the challenges facing schools as they reopen this fall, School of Education professor Alan Singer, an expert on K-12 school issues, discussed the importance of using the lessons learned during the pandemic to improve education for all students.
Critical race theory as critical thinking
Long Island Herald online
2021-06-24
An op-ed in the Long Island Herald by Alan Singer, PhD, discusses the ongoing controversy about teaching critical race theory in schools across the country.
Allendale Students Demand Diversity Awareness Curriculum On Anti-Asian Bias, Black Lives Matter Movement
CBS 2 NY tv
2021-04-01
Alan Singer, professor in the School of Education and an expert on public education issues, was interviewed by WCBS-TV news for segment focused on students in a New Jersey high school who are demanding to be taught about anti-Asian bias and the Black Lives Matter Movement. Dr. Singer said addressing these issues in the classroom is important to promoting awareness of these societal problems.
Transition to high school becomes more troublesome because of COVID-19
Newsday print
2021-02-28
"The two big things that they are missing are the collaboration among students and the direct academic, emotional support" from teachers, said Alan Singer, a Hofstra University professor of secondary education. "It's hurting their education."
In Capitol riot, educators see a teaching moment
Newsday print
2021-01-07
School of Education professor Alan Singer, a former high school social studies teacher, spoke with Newsday about how teachers can approach discussing the US Capitol riot with students. “It’s crucial to teach about this right away,” Dr. Singer said. “Kids are learning about American society and government firsthand, they’re nervous about the COVID vaccine, they’re anxious about online learning and dealing with the isolation — and in the midst of all this, they see a riot attacking the United States Capitol.”
2020's Best and Worst States for Teachers
WalletHub.com online
2020-09-21
School of Education Professor Alan Singer was featured in a WalletHub.com feature on “2020’s Best and Worst States for Teachers.” Dr. Singer shares his expert advice on the biggest challenges facing teachers, performance-based compensation, and how communities can attract and retain the best teachers, among other topics.
N.Y. Fire Department Replaces Name on Its Highest Award, Citing Racist Past
The New York Times print
2020-09-08
"For 150 years, the James Gordon Bennett Medal has been one of the highest honors in the New York City Fire Department. Since 1869, the award has been given to firefighters who climb awnings to save families from burning buildings, or pull children from flames. Awarded annually for valor above and beyond the call of duty, it is akin to a Medal of Honor for the fire service. But the medal was not named for a firefighter or a public servant. Mr. Bennett, who endowed the award in 1869 after firefighters saved his upstate home from a blaze, was the publisher of The New York Herald newspaper, where he pushed racist and segregationist views during the Civil War. On Tuesday, the Fire Department announced it would strip Mr. Bennett’s name from the medal, citing his history of using racist language. 'The United States is in the midst of a Civil War. And James Gordon Bennett, to discredit the Civil War effort to unify the nation, employs racist rhetoric,' said Alan J. Singer, a professor at Hofstra University who has studied Mr. Bennett’s history. 'That is unacceptable at that time and any time.'"
Citizen’s Arrest - How Is This Still a Law?
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah tv
2020-08-11
School of Education Professor Alan Singer was featured recently on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah in a segment titled “Citizen’s Arrest – How Is This Still a Law?” The piece looks at the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and why those accused of his murder were able to evade arrest for an extended period of time.
Hard Post-Pandemic Lessons Ahead for NY Schools
Long Island Press print
2020-06-07
In an op-ed for the Long Island Press, School of Education Professor Alan Singer discusses the post-pandemic needs that are ahead for K-12 schools, including additional funding and a smooth transition back to classroom learning.
Reimagining Education: How Big Will Technology’s Role Be When Students, Teachers Return To Class?
WCBS-TV News tv
2020-05-19
It’s almost certain the face-to-face learning students have always known is not what they’ll encounter in the fall. Education policy expert and Hofstra University professor Alan Singer, a former high school teacher, believes increasing remote learning could be devastating. “All of a sudden we have champions emerging who are claiming that online instructino is the wave of the future,” said Singer. “What they’re proposing is that online instruction can be done for the cheap, and the reality is when you invest in the cheap, you get substandard.”
Education “Reformers” Jump on Online Instruction
Daily Kos online
2020-05-11
In his Daily Kos blog, School of Education Professor Alan Singer, a former high school teacher and an expert on education policy, discusses why plans by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to “reimagine” traditional school settings in favor of using more technology and distance learning will never replace the benefits of in-person schooling.
Lesson 1 for parents trying to fill the days
Newsday print
2020-03-29
Alan Singer, professor in the School of Education and an expert on public education issues, wrote a column for Newsday offering tips for parents who are agonizing over how to keep their children engaged and occupied while K-12 schools are closed for the coronavirus crisis. “I know you can’t replace their teachers. Relax,” he writes. “Your kids will survive and will catch up on missed instruction when they go back to school.” Among his tips are to set up a flexible schedule; allow older children to help teach younger siblings; negotiate screen time; use baking as a means to teach math and measurement; and set up a weather station in the backyard.
Remote learning is lesson plan for LI schools due to coronavirus
Newsday print
2020-03-19
Alan Singer, professor in the School of Education and an expert on public education issues, was quoted in a Newsday article about coronavirus forcing the statewide closure of K-12 schools and requiring districts to implement remote learning. Dr. Singer said this may cause the school year to extend into the summer.
News Closeup: Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.
WPIX tv
2020-01-17
Alan Singer, PhD, a professor in the School of Education, was a guest on WPIX’s Sunday program, “News Close-Up,” to discuss the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Longwood High School criticized for 'racist' depiction of black students
Newsday print
2020-01-07
Alan Singer, a historian and professor of education at Hofstra University, said the racist trope of comparing African Americans to apes — therefore making them less human than whites — dates back generations and was used to justify slavery and Jim Crow segregation. "Comments like this should never be made, particularly by a science teacher, even in jest," Singer said. "The wounds are just too deep."
Hempstead School Board Members Take Exception To Intervention Proposal, Fight For Independence In Albany
WCBS-TV News tv
2019-06-19
Dr. Alan Singer, School of Education professor and expert on public education issues, weighed in on the recent proposal for state intervention in the Hempstead School District in a CBS 2 News segment. Dr. Singer commented on the severity of the district’s academic situation and the need for assistance.
Back-to-school means state math test for grades 3-8
Newsday online
2019-04-29
Hofstra University education professor Alan Singer, who has closely followed the issue, said the boycott movement is strong in middle-class districts, with parents believing the testing regimen has distorted education for their children. "What I see is that in some districts the movement is much weaker and there are multiple factors," he said. Affluent parents often pay for test prep for college-entrance exams and "they want their kids tested." "In poor communities, such as Roosevelt and Wyandanch, I think there is a fear that their children will be left behind and they are afraid to pull their kids out," Singer said. In addition, "these communities have a large number of immigrant parents and they are afraid to pull out of tests. They don’t want to attract attention."
Educators place onus on Long Island school boards to improve staff diversity
Newsday online
2019-03-09
Local educators said the relative absence of minority teachers in Long Island public schools will continue until school boards adopt programs with features that have worked elsewhere, such as financial incentives and mentorship to encourage minority students to enter the profession, and recruitment drives that result in hiring... "There are districts that will give people interviews so they can say they gave interviews, but the hiring committees are looking for people they are comfortable with,” said Alan Singer, a Hofstra professor of teaching, learning and technology who was not involved in the report. “So if you’re black or Latino, it’s harder to get in.”
Gun Safety in Schools
WNBC News 4 NY tv
2019-02-14
One year after a school shooting in Parkland, Florida left 17 dead and sparked a national debate on gun control, Dr. Alan Singer, a professor of education and history, was interviewed by NBC News 4 NY about the safety of using armed security in schools. He is an expert on social issues in public schools and a former high school teacher.
Make-believe at Hempstead schools
Newsday online
2019-01-07
In this op-ed for Newsday, Alan Singer, a professor in the School of Education and an expert on public education issues, discusses how the district’s state-appointed special adviser’s latest student performance review glosses over deep district challenges.
An Interview with Alan Singer: A Statue For Shirley Chisholm
Education News online
2018-12-04
Dr. Alan Singer, professor in the School of Education and an expert on social studies, was interviewed by Education News to discuss New York City’s plan to erect a statue of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to be elected to Congress in 1964, in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. “Shirley Chisholm is a great choice for a new New York City statue,” said Dr. Singer. “Chisholm was the first African American woman to serve in the United States House of Representatives where she represented Central Brooklyn. In 1972, she was the first woman to seek the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination and the first black woman to seek the presidential nomination of either of the major political parties.”
Alan J. Singer: Event at Hofstra
Education News online
2016-09-23
Dr. Alan Singer granted an interview with Education News three days before Hofstra hosted the first U.S. presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on Sept. 26, 2016.
Common Core politics: State drops Pearson for 3rd-to-8th grade tests
Newsday online
2015-07-12
Dr. Alan Singer is quoted in this Newsday article about New York dropping Pearson Education for its school state exams and selecting a new vendor, Questar Assessments. He calls Pearson “one of the most aggressive companies seeking to profit from what they and others euphemistically call educational reform.” He adds that replacing Pearson with the lesser-known Questar leaves open wider issues involving these exams, raised in the recent “opt-out” movement.
Dr. Alan Singer on Fliers Recruiting for the KKK in LI Communities
WNBC-TV tv
2014-09-09
Dr. Singer, a professor in the School of Education who helped develop a middle school and high school curriculum on the Civil Rights movement on Long Island, was interviewed by WNBC-TV about the history of the KKK in the region and the possible reasons why recruitment fliers for the hate group have been surfacing. He said while this is a fringe movement and not a Long Island-wide problem, it does present an opportunity to open a dialogue between communities to better understand one another.
Event Appearances (1)
Keynote Presenter
45th annual New York State Foundations of Education (NYSFEA) Conference SUNY Cortland, NY
Articles (2)
Creating a Museum of Family Artifacts
Social Studies and the Young Learner2004 Students at all levels need to have opportunities to represent themselves in their work in ways that are meaningful to them. The Family Artifact Museum Project provides an opportunity for students to accomplish this as they bring their family stories into the classroom and see how the lives of ordinary people are part of history. This project came about as a creative way to address New York's social studies and literacy learning standards and national social studies thematic strands. This article gives several examples of these types of projects, from pre-school up to fifth grade, and describes how students of different ages were able to participate in a developmentally appropriate way. Teachers can use this type of project to introduce social studies themes and to build a sense of community in the classroom. It was found that the Family Artifact Museum can support multicultural and culturally-relevant pedagogy, transform social studies classrooms into "laboratories of culture," promote literacy, and introduce children to what it means to be an historian.
Asking the BIG Questions
Social Education2001 Teaching about the Great Irish Famine and World History IN MARCH 2001, an educational columnist for Newsday (New York) dismissed the New York State Great Irish Famine Curriculum Guide as another effort to promote ethnocentric history and the idea that the United States is little more than "a pastiche of different peoples, linked mostly by a Constitution and a system of interstate highways." The columnist cited Chester Finn, Jr., a long-term opponent of multiculturalism, who insisted, "If we invite every faction in our society to insert their own best or worst episode from history, there will be no end of it."(2) The New York Times had a different take on the curriculum guide...
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