The Importance Of Social Studies

For instance, it increased consciousness. Teaching of social studies generates greater awareness in students of their civic duties. For example, children pay great respect for the national anthem of Trinidad and Tobago as they are aware that they must stand at attention whenever it is being played or snag. It shows that students are conscious and aware of what it means to be respectful citizens. The learners are encouraged to uphold the democratic values so that they not only survive but also thrive. The students' eagerness, readiness and willingness to assume increased responsibilities as a citizen of a nation are ignited by social studies. They become well-informed residents who will sustain and further the cause of democracy when they grow up as they can contribute positively towards the global cohesiveness. Additionally, social studies help make students environmentally conscious. The importance of social studies can never be overemphasized as it instills in the young minds awareness of the society around them and how best they can not only fit in but contribute towards its

Social Studies is a very complex subject for educators to teach and for the students to be interested in learning, this is because it includes so many different disciplines. Not to mention, society is rapidly changing socially and technologically which affects what social studies content is being taught to our students( Passe,J 2002). In past years students were forced to learn at a relatively low cognitive levels, it lack the full meaning social studies that could be transferred into real life situations. It is because of this

Choosing an American government and history teacher was an easy choice because it was a my favorite subject, and we call can benefit from the teachings of the past. “We thought nothing could be worse than world war one, then guess what? World war two cam along.”said Mr. Bo Tillman, a passionate history and government teacher at Lafayette High School, during mid-interview, this was his response to a question about why history and government became his focus. “If you don't learn from it you know, everything rolls back” Bo Tillman helped me understand this country, the American government, the life lessons we can learn from everything in our history, and its direct translation to our daily lives.

Throughout secondary school, instead of accepting the facts stated in my textbooks, I continued to ask questions. Disillusioned by how complex historical events were taught like equations with a simple cause and effect, senior year of high school I determined that I would become a teacher. As a teacher, I aspire to not be hindered by standardized requirements and teach history in a way that resonates with students and evokes passion.

The ugly truth about my education was that I was not being taught the whole history of the United States. In my classes, historic tales were being told. Beginning with Once upon a time on the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria came the settlers along with their servants indentured and otherwise to Jamestown, and ending with Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement left gaps, no, canyons, that needed to be filled. To get a glimpse of what I had been missing in History class for the past twelve years was overwhelming, especially since it often required me to alter my thinking about my world; the events and people in it.

One of the main responsibilities that education must achieve in a democratic society argues that it is the proper preparation of students for the roles of successful citizens and responsibilities they must be ready to take on when they are ready to take on the world. We do not add together individuals and call it a society. We as teachers, teach children so they can be a part of today’s society. People’s lives are woven together and we share a common life and goals.

This course can help prepare students who wish to continue their social studies education after high school, as well as students who wish to perform exceptionally well on the SAT exam. The level of aptitude in this subject will assist students wishing to excel on the SAT and in college courses.

However, my junior humanities class taught me how history can put perspective on problems in today's society. For example I remember vividly discussing how the debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton parallels to the election of 1828 between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. The election questioned political integrity by using the candidates own personal backgrounds to attack their morals. More extreme than the accusation of exposing confidential documents in the current election, Adams went to the extent of labeling Jackson a murderer while serving in the military. This insight puts new perspective the current generation, making an election that seems so radical more plausible. Thanks to your lessons I received the opportunity to study how events in American history such as elections can lead to the divide or unity of the country. When Lincoln won the election of 1860 by receiving only 40 percent of the popular vote, the country's built tensions finally exploded in the form of a Civil War. With this valuable knowledge the study of the current election becomes less arduous, and young people like myself have greater opportunity to form an opinion not biased by today's news, but built upon my own

In addition, Ms. Preston-Grimes, discusses how the integration of social studies should be “to create children who will be able to use the disciplines to advance democratic thought and life.” The author goes on to explain that is about creating different ways of thinking and not just focusing on bits of information. In addition, social studies should not simply be about learning small pieces during a reading lesson. Ms. Preston-Grimes stresses that true integration of social studies allows students develop thought process which are applicable outside the classroom. It allows students to develop inquiry skills which lend themselves to excelling in other areas and real-world experiences. The disciplines, the author writes about, help students understand their world and investigating ways of solving problems. The term stealthy integration is mentioned in the article and defined in a way that is remarkably similar to what is often happening in the classroom. This stealthy approach sends the message that social studies is secondary to reading or writing and carries less value. Additionally, this stealthy approach is not effective and not healthy. Healthy integration involves the students gaining greater insight and developing an understanding of the world around. This type of integration involves primary and secondary sources, connections, reading and writing as part of the inquiry. Finally, the article reiterates the point that all areas of study are important and teachers must find a way of teaching social studies without fracturing the subject

Presently, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education is the program of study I’m enrolled in. Within my program of study, the ELM-350 Methods and Strategies of Teaching and Integrating Social Studies and the Arts and ELM-360 Methods and Strategies of Teaching and Integrating Science and Health are some of the courses I will be taking at GCU. Generally speaking, the Methods and Strategies of Teaching and Integrating Social Studies and the Arts will provide me with strategies of history, geography, the social sciences and arts. In like manner, the Methods and Strategies of Teaching and Integrating Science and Health course will provide me with knowledge, understanding, and concepts of physical, life, earth and space sciences and health education.

The aim of Social Studies is the promotion of civic competence the knowledge, intellectual processes, and democratic dispositions required of students to be active and engaged participants in public life. Proverbs 19:2 (ESV) states," Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way."For example it is essential for there to be commonalities across the grade levels so that there is a scaffolding of concepts to build from one grade level to the next.

The kindergartners regularly experience principles and laws that they may not really understand thus the main concern raised is whether they can differentiate between power and legitimate authority and to see the importance of their involvement in the democratic process. The reason behind that is because the abilities for making some socially or even personally productive decisions do not simply happen. They require that the learning, abilities, and states of mind of social studies be presented early and based upon all through the school years

Akin to the accumulation of wealth, the gathering of knowledge is meaningless without a person’s willingness to give back to their society. During his speech, John F. Kennedy encouraged students to use their education to improve the world around them as the alternative was, not only simply but obviously, the failure of democracy in our nation. While this may seem dramatic, it is entirely accurate. Without good-natured support from the educated masses, the future of democracy falls to those with selfish motives. A lack of education among voters is a common reason for the passing of detrimental legislation.

Faith in education, and the conviction to provide it to all citizens, has been a constant principle of our Republic. The importance of education was present from the beginning of our nation, as illustrated by Thomas Jefferson’s observation that “the most important bill is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people. No other sure foundation can be devised for the preservation of freedom and happiness." According to President Jefferson, a nation cannot be ignorant and free. The fight for freedom is not in the trenches, President Kennedy said, it is in our classrooms. Schools will determine if the future is one of freedom and enlightenment or one of subordination and false consciousness.

Teaching 8th grade social studies the word curriculum didn’t exactly come out of my mouth often. The phrases I used were “standard” and “learning targets”. I flipper flopped around about what true curriculum was because, like the textbook, there wasn’t a concrete definition.