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Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to share findings from research on preservice social studies teachers' visions of themselves as they prepare to enter their student teaching experience.


Design/methodology/approach
The guiding research question for this study asked, "How do preservice social studies teachers articulate their visions of themselves as powerful social studies teachers just before their student teaching experience?"


Findings
The authors found that their visions of themselves emphasized aspects of powerful teaching, yet lacked explicit and important connections to social studies teaching. In their discussion and conclusions, they share the implications of these findings for their social studies teacher education program and other social studies education programs generally.


Originality/value
The authors contend that while powerful teaching is important, without an emphasis on powerful social studies teaching, they may struggle to achieve social studies teaching goals and purposes, such as teaching for democratic living, the common good, or citizenship. The distinction between powerful teaching and powerful social studies teaching, the authors believe, should be of concern for social studies teacher educators interested in positioning student teachers to create classroom spaces focused on the common good, national and global societies, or the deepening of democracy.