The Social Sciences

The social science disciplines are anthropology, economics, geography, history, sociology, and political science. Each of these disciplines has a unique and important role in a solid social studies curriculum.

Anthropology- whenever I think of Anthropology I automatically think of the word "people" (okay, not entirely true... I actually think of the shop Anthropologie... they have the most adorable and eclectic clothes!). Where was I..? Oh yes, people. Anthropology is generally categorized as the study of culture or the scientific study of human beings. Anthropologists incorporate elements of behavior, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, and other social sciences into their investigation of people and cultures. In a nutshell, anthropology looks at all the diverse characteristics of a culture and how they interrelate to make that culture unique. As a person who has always been an avid traveler (I hate to stay in one place for too long!) I have always been fascinated by different people and cultures.

Economics- no one can deny (especially in today's environment) that economics are at the central hub of daily life. Of course the first term that springs to mind is "money"! But economics is more than just monetary distribution, it's also all about the production and consumption of all goods and services. Instruction in this area can span from teaching responsible money management to the idea of supply and demand and the role and necessity of taxes. I was never that enthusiastic about this particular strain of social studies because to me economics=numbers, and that meant math. It's a generalization that largely ignores many of the other areas of economics, but I can't seem to stop my mind from jumping straight from "economics" to "math". Yes, math is important. Yes, math is everywhere. I understood that (and still do) and always put forth my best effort when it came to our tricky number friends. But I just never have enjoyed math. So any extra math time is just plain too much.

Geography- geography is more of what I quintessentially consider "social studies." Every social studies class I've ever had has had some form of map on the wall. Geography goes further than simply describing location, however. It encompasses all of the concepts of space- including all human activity (past and present), the implications of the culture of a place, and the relationships among them, on top of the traditional concepts of landforms, capitals, and longitude and latitude. Geography and anthropology seem to go hand-in-hand, because the physical make-up of a place can have so much impact on the culture of the people living there, and vice-versa. Knowledge of geography also helps students feel a sense of global connectivity. When my parents told us we were moving from England to the United States, the first thing they did was grab a globe and show us where North Carolina was located on it. There was something reassuring about seeing my current home and my future home pinpointed on that little tabletop globe. After all, it didn't really look that far away at all! (Though now that I think about it, what looked like a 30 or 40 minute swim to my nine year old brain was a little closer to 3,000 miles of choppy Atlantic waters...)

History- this is probably the first thing people think of when they consider "social studies." It's the cornerstone of where we've been, and where we're going. History considers all areas of life. When I think of history I think of time lines, ancient documents, and cheesy video reenactments. No one event is isolated, and a knowledge of the past is essential to an understanding of both the present and the future.

Sociology- this is another one of the more elusive terms that I don't always think of right away when considering social studies. Our text describes sociology as "the study of groups and the subsequent norms of behavior that human beings exhibit as a result of their group memberships." Because it looks at both behaviors and people, I guess it's kind of a hybrid between anthropology and psychology. Sociology looks at the behaviors and structures of groups, and how they change and adapt. It also considers social norms and roles, such as gender roles, age relationships, and occupations. One problem I have with this particular area is I have a tendency to lump it under the anthropology umbrella (which I guess I just did, oops!).

Political Science- political science involves the study of human behavior as it relates to political systems, governments, laws, and international relations. Of course the key word that jumps out to me is politics (I mean, it's in the name!). It is easy to incorporate this strand into classroom learning by making it relatable to students. Mock presidential debates and elections are a great way for students to explore the election process. However it's also important that students gain a good understanding of the processes behind our political system and government. I think one of my weaknesses in this area is simply a lack of understanding in the structure of our government. Obviously it's something I need to work on!

I believe I was lucky to have a pretty well-rounded education that covered all areas of social sciences. They weren't necessarily laid out and labeled for me, but thinking back to some of the activities we did I can see how anthropology or economics, etc., were incorporated. It's important to note that all of these areas work together and influence each other, so a solid social studies curriculum should definitely have all six!

Thoughts on Diversity...

The activity in last week's class was definitely a challenge for me. By nature I'm not very confrontational or assertive, so the idea of shouting out controversial ideas makes me squirm in my seat! When the activity was first introduced my initial thoughts were, "there is NO way I'm stepping on toes and nonchalantly offering up some stereotypical ideas! After all, these are the thoughts I keep shoved down in the back of mind. They're wrong, why would I want them written on the board for all to see?!" However, that unsettled feeling slowly started to dissipate as my fellow classmates began to shout out their own "not-so-PC" ideas... some of which mirrored my own thoughts that I was working so hard on repressing. Although I began to feel more comfortable confronting these ideas as they flew out of people's mouths and onto the board, I will admit I didn't reach the point where I felt I could add my own opinion to the mix. However, as uncomfortable as the activity made me feel, it also opened my eyes to the fact that, as teachers, we are going to be dealing with our own prejudices and the prejudices of others all the time.
As an educator I will have the responsibility of helping every student learn, regardless of whatever prejudices I may have. Unfortunately everyone picks up biases here and there, and as much as I would like to say I'm are free from them, the truth of the matter is I'm not. It's important to recognize that fact so I can move forward in a more accepting and understanding way. Every student has the right to learn. I don't care if they're rich, poor, boy, girl, what color their skin is, who their parents are, if they're visiting from the moon... every child has the right to learn.
And of course that's in my power to control... how I treat my students rests fully on my shoulders. But how my students treat each other is another matter. I want my classroom to be a warm and accepting place. Students should feel comfortable to express ideas and opinions, and not feel like they have to follow the group or be a certain way. It's the different ideas, strengths, and weaknesses of everyone that makes the strongest learning environment. I hope to facilitate this acceptance in my students by being a good role model and creating learning experiences that honor differing ideas. I like to think of a classroom as a quilt- with every student being a different, but no less beautiful, piece.

The Media

Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing depends largely on personal interpretation, but it's impossible to deny that we live in an age that is centered around the media. It is at the hub of almost all daily life. Students use internet-based news sources in the classroom to get up-to-date news from around the world. Flipping on the local news for five minutes while I brush my teeth in the morning can bring me up to speed on all the major goings-on without me having to break my routine to thumb through a newspaper or other print source. The nature of today's media is all about convenience and speed. With the advent of "smart phones" and iPads no matter where you are or what you're doing, you can know exactly what is going on half-way around the globe in the matter of a few clicks.
For the most part I would have to argue that this a great tool that we as learners and educators are blessed with. Students are now more globally connected than ever before. In third grade my class received pen pals from other countries. My pal was a girl from Australia. I LOVED writing her letters and receiving them in return. However by the time I had written, edited, labeled, and sent her letter it would be at least a week before she received it. Now repeat that whole process on her side and the task became quite a lengthy one! There was much more waiting around for letters than actual communication happening. In today's world I could connect to the same girl in Australia much quicker through email-based communication. Even more unconventionally, I could interact with her in a matter of seconds using a tool such as Skype. I could type instant written messages to her, talk to her via a voice chat, or even video chat with her if she had a built in camera! I use this technology to talk to my family in England.
Today's media also increases students' accessibility to current events. I don't know many second graders who are voluntarily reading the newspaper over their Cheerios in the morning, but almost all of them know how to complete a Google search. Through supervised internet access students can discover what is going on in any part of the world instantaneously.
Of course, as with most things there is a positive and a negative outlook to this particular topic. The media is by no means without its drawbacks and concerns. It brings to our doorsteps the poor decisions of the likes of Paris Hilton, the pressures to behave and look a particular way, and the prejudices and biases of largely unchecked sources. Children today are exposed to all kinds of negativity through the media, including criticism of people's actions, appearances, and opinions. When not correctly monitored and discussed, these influences can have a large negative impact on anyone's perceptions, let alone on an adolescent's.
A wise man once said "with great power comes great responsibility." (Yes, I did just quote Spiderman!) I could go post a gossip-laden Tweet right now that would instantly be accessible all over the world. While the media has its place in both daily life and in the classroom, it should be monitored. Checking sources and reliability are a must!!

How do Children Learn?

One of the biggest challenges (and blessings!) of teaching is that I will encounter so many unique and wonderful learners. Every year will present me with new students, new interests, new problems, and new successes. As exciting as this aspect of teaching is, it is also one of the biggest challenges I will face as a teacher. I have come to realize that the way children learn is as diverse and different as the students themselves! Different learning styles, backgrounds, past experiences, likes/dislikes, etc... all play a role in a how a student learns. My role as the teacher is to facilitate learning and development for ALL students. To say this is a daunting task is definitely an understatement! While it's an overwhelming task to think about, there are some ways to try and reach each student.
Incorporating a variety of lessons and planning a mixture of traditional lessons, hands-on learning, and experimental opportunities will give students a chance to find his or her learning niche. Activities that get students up and out of their seats give the students who have a hard time sitting still for more than a few minutes a chance to get up and MOVE! This could be something as simple as moving around the classroom in center activities, or something larger such as trips to the library or media center (when appropriate) or exploring around the school. This second idea of exploration is an important aspect to remember when considering how children learn. It's not enough for a teacher to simply stand at the front of the class and try to pour information into the students' brains (where's the fun in that?!). Students must be given opportunities to build their own understandings. Maybe this means leaving questions open ended or giving activities some wiggle room as far as interpretation goes. It also means letting students make and work through mistakes before rushing to their aid. Collaboration also has it's place in the classroom. Sure, not every activity should require a group effort, but letting students bounce ideas off one another gives them an opportunity to explain and reason. Sharing ideas offers a chance for the children to communicate their thought processes and offer new solution strategies to one another. Sometimes fellow classmates as just as helpful a resource as the teacher is- while I am NOT suggesting depending on stronger students to help struggling students catch up, allowing those students who have a good grasp on the material to reason and explain to a student who might be having more difficulty understanding can be beneficial for both students. That being said, I still think good old fashioned independent work is also important. Some students do not work well in a group, so varying activities between group and independent practice or giving students the option to work alone are also important to consider.
While providing all of these different styles and opportunities for learning are great resources, it is also important to remember the impact that motivation and interest can have on students. Getting to know the students and what their interests are is an important aspect of helping them learn. What might have been a wildly popular and successful activity one year might end up flopping the next because the group of minds working on it are completely different! For example, structuring a past learning activity around 2008's presidential election (such as a mock election between Bush and Obama) would have been relevant to those students. However holding a mock class election between Bush and Obama today would be less relative because students already know the outcome and would probably result in a lack of motivation towards the activity. That being said, there are ways to tweak activities to adjust them to current events or current students' interests.
My own disposition as the teacher will be important to consider. It is more likely that students will be open-minded towards activities and excited to learn if I'm excited to teach it. Learning should be interesting and engaging for students. I want learning in my classroom to be an adventure with every day problems becoming mysteries to solve or truths to uncover. I want to try my best to keep the B-word (...bored.) out of my classroom! :)

Social Studies and the Literacy Connection

Often times it's easy for learning to get separated into content categories. I've always been the type of student who liked to keep each subject isolated- both in my binders (yes, I was the kid with binders for every subject, color-coordinated folders, and dividers dividing my dividers...) and in my mind. Heaven forbid my MATH notes should be nestled within the same binder (let alone the same section!) as my SCIENCE notes!! However since taking many Education classes as Meredith I have learned an important lesson that will be instrumental in my being a good educator- subjects overlap. In fact, some of the best science lessons include math skills and concepts! Once my mind was completely blown opened to the idea that all subjects are (and should be!) interconnected, I was able to see great learning opportunities arising. Chapter 13 of our text really spoke to that. Although I'll admit I felt a little of my past anxiety when I saw the words "social studies", "literacy", and "connection" all in the same title, I quickly pushed them aside and dug into the great insight the text had to offer. At the risk of sounding like a complete dork, I really like this text book! The way Ellis writes is both personable and intelligent and I found myself feeling like I had just had a conversation with the author rather than simply reading a chapter of a text book.

Anyway, I was able to see some great connections between social studies and literacy. After all, literacy truly is at the hub of all learning. The subject of social studies offers many great opportunities for students to incorporate literacy skills to enhance learning. Not only are they important for reading and interpreting text, literacy skills can add to the students' learning experiences through written and discussion activities. Students can journal, write responses, or create their own historical "diaries." Social Studies is also a great way to work on public speaking skills (come to think of it, I DO have a vague memory of standing in front of the entire 4th grade dressed as Harriet Tubman and reading "my memoir"... I guess the subjects of my past have been more interconnected than I thought!). These will be important strategies to incorporate in my future lessons.

Aside from simply aiding in learning, literacy skills are important for us as citizens of a democracy. The students who are currently sitting in elementary classrooms are tomorrow's future voters, politicians, and leaders. It is our job as teachers to make sure those students are receiving the best education we can offer them.