Social Studies throughout the semester has been a very interesting and very enjoyable. I started the semester dreading this class almost as the worst. However, it has quickly grown on me. I was always the person who thought social studies did not need to be in elementary school. I never understood why these young children needed to memorize all of this information and never use it. I felt that I was going to incorporate social studies with research. I always thought that students could be just as well off if they knew how to research the material.
With all of this said, this semester has changed my mind completely. I still do not feel that the students should have to memorize the presidents in order, or know where all the different countries are, or even know the capitals to all of the states in the U.S. Now, I feel that the students need to be involved in active learning. They need to participate in hands on activities to help them evaluate all of the materials we are discussing. I want students to see the main idea of the important events in history. I also want to get away from the politically correct versions of social studies. I want my students to understand what really happened at the first Thanksgiving, or what Christopher Columbus really did. I realize this is going to be very difficult in an area like this one. Most peoples’ minds in this area are very closed, and there is only one way to be right. However, this is where my critical voice will come in. I want the students to not feel deprived in their education.
I really want to have a culturally responsive classroom. Even though in this area there is not much diversity involved, I want the students to be aware of all the different cultures that they may one day be in contact with. I really hope to integrate social studies into all the other subjects in my classroom. I think reading stories with the students about other cultures is the perfect way to have a culturally responsive classroom. Art, music, science, language arts, all of these subjects will be perfectly capable of being integrated into my social studies segment of the class. I plan to use the NCSS standards as well as the TN (or whatever state I happen to reside in) standards to make sure my students are well rounded.
Students really need social studies to make them well rounded learners. If I do not teach them social studies, how will they ever decide to go into a history major in the future? The love of history starts at such a young age and I don’t want to turn a student off to any type of learner. I intend to develop classroom rules democratically and let the students help vote and create the procedures in the class. These students need the responsibility of this and it will lead into a perfect lesson of government.
So with all of this said, the students need social studies. This class has definitely changed my perspective of it. I had such a terrible experience with social studies in all of the classes I have had it in. I want to make sure all of my students can have a fun and exciting learning time with social studies. I think we need to get past dates and memorization and turn social studies into a much more active and fun lesson to keep the students interested and involved. Besides, are we not teachers for the students? If the students need social studies, it is our job to present it in a way that is beneficial to them. This only makes sense to keep it fun and active and to incorporate it into everything we do! Put social studies back into the classroom!
