Last week, I focused on the importance of social studies in school and why it is such a crucial subject to teach. This week I want to look at how to teach important, meaningful, worthwhile, and purposeful social studies instruction that will be useful for the students in their everyday lives. As mentioned in last week's post, facts and content-based details are to no benefit for the students; instead, concept-based instruction is the way to go.
So, what exactly is concept-based instruction? According to an interview with Cathy Gassenheimer, who wrote the book Transitioning to Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction: "Concept-based curriculum is a three-dimensional curriculum design model that frames the factual and skill content of subject areas with disciplinary concepts and generalizations." This meaning, that concept-based learning goes beyond the facts and skills and focuses on concepts and generalizations, that produce a higher, deeper level of thinking among the students.
How does concept-based instruction differ from the traditional way of learning, specifically in the study of social studies? The four main characteristics of concept-based learning distinguish the differences. Concept-based curriculum is comprised of four main components: broad/abstract, universal, timeless, and transferable. Each of these characteristics enhance deeper thinking and allow the students to learn valuable concepts that can be carried with them and applied to other subjects or issues in the world.
Now, let's look at the vast difference in the teaching of concept-based instruction versus traditional learning. Referencing an example from an article published in School Library Monthly, a traditional way of learning social studies would be to require students to find facts about a country in Latin America. These facts impose questions such as: What is the capital? What is the population? What natural resources does the country have? Or, what are the major industries? Answering these questions just merely generates simple, short answers that have no relevance or significance to the students' lives. To transfer the topic of a country in Latin America to a concept-based instruction form, a question about economic development might arise. This question requires further and deeper thought and cannot be answered simply. Economic development is an example of a concept and can be transferred to other areas of learning, while being timeless, universal, and abstract. Economic development can be applied to the students' lives as they might examine the economy in which they live in or the economies in which others live in. By examining concepts, they are using critical-thinking and the process of analyzing, a deeper and more meaningful form of learning.
Clearly, concept-based instruction is the way to go when teaching elementary students, and any students, social studies curriculum. It allows students to think critically and outside the box, and apply in-depth concepts to their lives and other subjects. This is truly learning, not merely memorizing.
Websites referenced:
To check out more information on concept-based learning, this is a great website to view! There are visuals and examples to help explain concept-based curriculum: http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/articles/Donham2010-v27n1p8.html
Also, this website explains what concept-based learning is: http://www.bestpracticescenter.org/blog/interview-how-concept-based-teaching-can-deepen-student-learning
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Why Social Studies is a Crucial Subject to Teach
Last week, in my first blog post, I introduced the topic of how social studies is viewed in the regular public school system as a back-burner subject that is not highly focused on, and why social studies should actually be a subject that is just as important as reading and mathematics. For my blog post this week, I want to deepen and expound on why social studies is such a crucial subject to teach in elementary school and why coming to this understanding will produce a more effective, purposeful, and powerful elementary social studies teacher.
Have you ever heard the argument that elementary grades (K-5), specifically primary grades (K-3), should not devote much of their time to the study of social studies because the subjects of reading and mathematics should be the primary focus in order to develop reading, writing, and math skills in younger children? Have you ever heard the statement that social studies does not have much significance to elementary students, as it is a subject that upper grades should focus on in learning the duties and responsibilities of being a citizen? Yes, reading and mathematics is crucial to teach in lower grades as students begin to learn how to read and write and solve basic math equations, but social studies should be just as important as the other two subjects. Yes, social studies can be more relevant to adolescents learning what it means to be a citizen and understanding the history of our nation, but elementary students need to have a basic understanding of these concepts in order to have a deeper understanding for the future.
According to North Carolina's Standard Course of Study for Social Studies, social studies is crucial to the development of active, participating citizens: "The social studies in the elementary grades are crucial if we expect the young people of this state to become active, responsible citizens." If we, as teachers, do not start at the ground level in teaching social studies curriculum, then our students will not have a full understanding and the proper skills or attitudes needed for citizenship in the twenty-first century. The North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Social Studies also points out that: "Social studies at this level provides students with the skills needed for problem solving and decision making, as well as for making thoughtful value judgments." We have to start teaching social studies in the younger years, as this is a time in the childrens' lives when they begin to develop social, problem-solving, and certain societal attitudes and views that will influence the rest of their lives.
If the subject of social studies is so crucial to teach in elementary schools, why isn't it being taught effectively, and how can we solve this problem? It seems as if schools are not making time for social studies, as it is a subject that is not tested on, and teachers will only teach it if there is enough time in the day. According to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the average instructional time for social studies ranges from approximately 20 minutes or less per day at the primary level to 34 minutes in the upper elementary grades. If teachers could devote more time out of the day to the subject of social studies, then the social studies curriculum would be more meaningful and purposeful for the students. Integration is also a great technique to make time for social studies when there is not much time in the day.
Social studies should also be treated as an important subject to teach, with the incorporation of deep concepts, and not just a memorization of facts. NCSS also points out that: "... classroom treatment tends to reduce these topics to recitation of dates and places and displaces opportunities to explore relationships, draw inferences about human behavior, and make in-depth cultural comparisons." This form of teaching does not excite the students or allow the students to think critically and apply concepts to their lives. Next week, I will focus more and dive deeper on what concept-based instruction is and why this form of teaching should be taught in elementary schools to ensure meaningful, purposeful, and powerful social studies curriculum. Understanding and valuing the importance of social studies in schools as teachers is essential in being a meaningful and powerful teacher.
Links: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/scos/2003-04/015introk5
http://www.socialstudies.org/positions/elementary
Have you ever heard the argument that elementary grades (K-5), specifically primary grades (K-3), should not devote much of their time to the study of social studies because the subjects of reading and mathematics should be the primary focus in order to develop reading, writing, and math skills in younger children? Have you ever heard the statement that social studies does not have much significance to elementary students, as it is a subject that upper grades should focus on in learning the duties and responsibilities of being a citizen? Yes, reading and mathematics is crucial to teach in lower grades as students begin to learn how to read and write and solve basic math equations, but social studies should be just as important as the other two subjects. Yes, social studies can be more relevant to adolescents learning what it means to be a citizen and understanding the history of our nation, but elementary students need to have a basic understanding of these concepts in order to have a deeper understanding for the future.
According to North Carolina's Standard Course of Study for Social Studies, social studies is crucial to the development of active, participating citizens: "The social studies in the elementary grades are crucial if we expect the young people of this state to become active, responsible citizens." If we, as teachers, do not start at the ground level in teaching social studies curriculum, then our students will not have a full understanding and the proper skills or attitudes needed for citizenship in the twenty-first century. The North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Social Studies also points out that: "Social studies at this level provides students with the skills needed for problem solving and decision making, as well as for making thoughtful value judgments." We have to start teaching social studies in the younger years, as this is a time in the childrens' lives when they begin to develop social, problem-solving, and certain societal attitudes and views that will influence the rest of their lives.
If the subject of social studies is so crucial to teach in elementary schools, why isn't it being taught effectively, and how can we solve this problem? It seems as if schools are not making time for social studies, as it is a subject that is not tested on, and teachers will only teach it if there is enough time in the day. According to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the average instructional time for social studies ranges from approximately 20 minutes or less per day at the primary level to 34 minutes in the upper elementary grades. If teachers could devote more time out of the day to the subject of social studies, then the social studies curriculum would be more meaningful and purposeful for the students. Integration is also a great technique to make time for social studies when there is not much time in the day.
Social studies should also be treated as an important subject to teach, with the incorporation of deep concepts, and not just a memorization of facts. NCSS also points out that: "... classroom treatment tends to reduce these topics to recitation of dates and places and displaces opportunities to explore relationships, draw inferences about human behavior, and make in-depth cultural comparisons." This form of teaching does not excite the students or allow the students to think critically and apply concepts to their lives. Next week, I will focus more and dive deeper on what concept-based instruction is and why this form of teaching should be taught in elementary schools to ensure meaningful, purposeful, and powerful social studies curriculum. Understanding and valuing the importance of social studies in schools as teachers is essential in being a meaningful and powerful teacher.
Links: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/scos/2003-04/015introk5
http://www.socialstudies.org/positions/elementary
Monday, January 19, 2015
Introduction- How Social Studies is Treated in the School System and Why it is Important to Teach in Schools
Welcome to my blog! This is my first post on the topic of teaching and learning effective social studies instruction in 21st century schools. As a future teacher, it is my duty to teach meaningful, powerful, and purposeful social studies instruction, and I hope to learn new methods to accomplish this through the course of my blogs, in which I will share my findings.
For my first post, I want to address how social studies is viewed in most public school systems. I came across an article recently called "Why Schools Must Bring Social Studies Back," in which it addresses the poor outlook on social studies instruction in the school systems. According to the article, social studies (geography, history, civics, and economics), especially in elementary schools, has taken second place to reading, mathematics, and science. This is partly due to the testing system in most states, in which students are mainly tested on these three "R's."
With social studies on the back-burn in school systems, this raises the question of why social studies should be taught and studied in schools and why social studies is so vital to young students' lives. Many people do not realize that effective social studies instruction is a necessity for producing responsible and active citizens in our society. Students need to know how our government works, how our economy works, what our nation is founded upon, how events or issues have shaped our country over time, and how our country relates to other countries. These are all essential ideas that every citizen of the United States needs to learn, and this learning should start at the ground level. As a future teacher, it is my job to participate in the progressive learning process of my students and teach them what is needed for their grade level to further their learning progress. If I do not do my part in effectively teaching social studies instruction, then each child will not understand what is needed for the next grade level and will fall behind.
Understanding the need to teach social studies instruction in the schools and to focus on it more than it has been focused on is what I believe to be the first step in teaching meaningful, purposeful, and powerful social studies instruction. Over the course of my blog posts, I will hopefully accomplish the full idea of what it means to be an effective social studies teacher and what it means to truly teach social studies in a meaningful, purposeful, and powerful way.
Link to article: http://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-social-studies-gets-more-respect-from-state-board-of-ed-20150102-story.html
For my first post, I want to address how social studies is viewed in most public school systems. I came across an article recently called "Why Schools Must Bring Social Studies Back," in which it addresses the poor outlook on social studies instruction in the school systems. According to the article, social studies (geography, history, civics, and economics), especially in elementary schools, has taken second place to reading, mathematics, and science. This is partly due to the testing system in most states, in which students are mainly tested on these three "R's."
With social studies on the back-burn in school systems, this raises the question of why social studies should be taught and studied in schools and why social studies is so vital to young students' lives. Many people do not realize that effective social studies instruction is a necessity for producing responsible and active citizens in our society. Students need to know how our government works, how our economy works, what our nation is founded upon, how events or issues have shaped our country over time, and how our country relates to other countries. These are all essential ideas that every citizen of the United States needs to learn, and this learning should start at the ground level. As a future teacher, it is my job to participate in the progressive learning process of my students and teach them what is needed for their grade level to further their learning progress. If I do not do my part in effectively teaching social studies instruction, then each child will not understand what is needed for the next grade level and will fall behind.
Understanding the need to teach social studies instruction in the schools and to focus on it more than it has been focused on is what I believe to be the first step in teaching meaningful, purposeful, and powerful social studies instruction. Over the course of my blog posts, I will hopefully accomplish the full idea of what it means to be an effective social studies teacher and what it means to truly teach social studies in a meaningful, purposeful, and powerful way.
Link to article: http://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-social-studies-gets-more-respect-from-state-board-of-ed-20150102-story.html
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