WOW! I can’t believe the semester is already over. I have enjoyed my social studies class very much and was able to learn so much from it. I feel as though the knowledge I have gained from this class will help me throughout the next few years as a venture into the teaching world. I have so much input on social studies and how to teach it, how not to teach it and its importance. I will try to hit the high points of my personal beliefs throughout this blog.
I want to start by asking, why social studies seems to put on the back burner in so many school systems across the nation. I do not understand why people think that it is not a valuable or important subject to teach our young children. Social Studies is such a broad topic and covers so much, it really is ignorant to deprive kids of this type of knowledge. For most children, if they are not taught about something in school there is a very good chance that they will never learn it. I feel as though it is my job to advocate for this forgotten subject and use my critical voice within the school system. As an educator I feel strongly about the importance of teaching social studies in the elementary classroom and I do have a responsibility to stand up for my beliefs even when others may disagree with me. I am very aware that using my critical voice may be harder than it seems, especially during the first few years of teaching. I do not want to cross a line and lose my job for speaking my mind but at the same time I am a firm believer in standing up for myself and what I feel is in the best interest of the students.
There are several reasons that I believe social studies should be taught. First, it teaches us history. I think that all children should know a little bit about their heritage and how America was founded. I also believe that children should be taught that our freedom was not free and several men had to fight for our freedom. This not only teaches them history but teaches kids how to be patriotic and appreciate how lucky they really are and that leads kids to grow up to be better US citizens. History is often a recall subject and kids usually do not enjoy history because of this, they are expected to recall dates and places and I honestly think that it is obsurd to ask kids to be able to do this. I would much rather kids specific event took place. By asking kids to remember all this information, we put their minds on overload and it takes away from the actual learning process. The way that history is currently taught is cheating children from learning. We also cheat them by teraching them inaccurate information. I was always taught that Columbus founded America and that he was nice to the Indians but that is not true. I feel as though we should be sensitive in the ways we teach but that we should provide kids with the truth.
Social Studies is also a class that teaches children how to be culturally responsive. Without social studies children would not learn the ways of others and how to respect them. In order for the world to be a happier and more peaceful place, respect is necessary. All children should be taught how to respect others, no matter what the race, color and religion of that person. This is a topic that some people feel should be taught in the home, but the sad reality is that there are several children who are not taught manners or respect at home. It is my job as a teacher to ensure that these values are met within my classroom.
Social Studies is underestimated. It is more than just history and geography, it also encompasses an entire other spectrum that teaches children how to grow into responsible adults. Social Studies teaches kids about economics and how the world’s economy really works. We tend to assume that adults just figure these things out as they grow up but it’s not true. People do not just figure out how business works and they usually do not just learn how to have good work ethics. These are things that they must learn as they grow up. It is easy to incorporate these topics into a classroom, by assigning a job to each students you are promoting good work ethics and teaching kids how to handle responsibilities. You can also have a democratic classroom setup that allows kids to take a vote in how they would like their class to run smoothly. A democratic classroom not only actively involves the children but it instills so many good morals in them as well. It helps create a community of learners, it teaches them how to use their own critical voice and make their own decision, it teaches them the importance of voting. The possibilities are endless when teaching social studies.
I could write for hours about my views on social studies and how it should be used in the classroom, but these were a few things that I feel strongest about. I have learned so many activity ideas that can actively engage children rather than just teach form the textbook, which can be very boring for kids. Activities are a fun exciting way for children to participate in social studies. There are also several literature selections for kids that are social studies based and can easily be incorporated into the social studies curriculum. I plan on using such books, because it focuses on reading as well. I want to teach my students social studies in my classroom. I feel as though it is just as important as math and reading. It does not need to be forgotten and I truly feel as though the values that are taught in social studies are things that help children grow and develop into mature and well rounded adults. I will do everything I can to stand up for my beliefs and incorporate social studies into the everyday curriculum in my classroom.
