Post on 27-Apr-2023
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Philosophy Statement
I. Teaching and Learning
In today’s world, the concept of “school” is a challenging one
to define. To understand the purpose of school, we must first
understand what it is. The dictionary definition is “an
institution for educating children.” This definition is true but
there is more to the definition and therefore, the purpose of
school. School is a definitive geographic location, but with the
addition of online courses and distance learning, the concept of
school has expanded. Then, too, there is the question of what is
considered a part of the “education” that takes place in school.
Theorists, parents, and community members could spend countless
hours trying to define what school is and its purpose. There is
no “right” definition because school and education mean something
different to every individual. What can be assumed about a
discussion in trying to clarify the definition and purpose of
school is that content, skills, socialization, and the
development of values would all be mentioned as possible ways to
define the purpose of school. As for my understanding and for the
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purpose of this paper, school is the institution where students
(generally ages 5-18) become socialized through their practicing
and mastering of standardized skills and content. To further
explain this definition, the concept of socialization or
socialized means the practice of behaving and performing in ways
that follows to social norms; realizing and developing values is
a part of being socialized. I would like to make a disclaimer
that in emphasizing norms and socialization, I am not advocating
for a utopian society, rather the awareness and practice of norms
such as speaking English, regular business hours, private
property, courtesy, respect, etc. It is important that I have not
included certain democratic values or more controversial values,
as I can’t say that all people should or would consider those
more controversial ideas “norms.” The norms students encounter
and practice will vary depending on which school they are in, who
their peers are, and their age (i.e. wearing certain clothes,
attending certain sporting events, etc).
Based on the definition provided above, the purpose of school
is to create a space (physical or virtual) where students are
socialized (introduced to and practice norms), learn content, and
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develop skills in order to prepare them to be good thinkers.
Again, I purposeful shy away from outlining what the norms,
content, and skills are that students should have in order to
pass into adulthood/what would make them good thinkers. While
most of this will be outlined in a later portion of this paper, I
mostly want to emphasize that there is no one set of norms,
content, and skills that all students would benefit from having.
These vary depending on gender, socioeconomic background,
interests, geographic location, race, familial situation, and
countless other factors. As many theorists advocate, the future
adults of this country need to be good thinkers (Sizer, 1985;
Slouka, 2009; Newmann, 1988; Metzger, 1985; Engle & Ochoa, 1986).
No one can predict what school curriculum will be beneficial in
the future because we don’t know what will happen in the future,
but if children, who become adults, can think with sound
reasoning and develop rational decisions, then they will be
prepared for anything in the future.
Assessing the current success of our school systems, much like
defining the purpose is near impossible because the concept is so
vast and it serves so many people that to mark it with a blanket
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assessment seems shallow and inauthentic. Mark Slouka (2009)
makes a great point in saying that there are no indicators of a
civic crisis, but of economic crises. The measure of American
schools’ success should be a civic one. The school today is not,
and should not be a vocational school, at least not as a primary
goal. Therefore, it should not be judged as one based on
economic indicators.
There is, fortunately, one common denominator shared by all
who attend American schools: they all live in America and must
function within its society. The process of schooling deals with
society. How is our society doing? Are the schools producing a
society of thinkers? If I am judging the school system based on
what I defined the purpose of school to be (to develop good
thinkers), then by those standards, schools are not performing
well enough. If I am to assess how well school is doing based on
the literacy of the country, the civic participation of our
citizens, high school graduation rates, or more quantifiable
data, I would come to the same conclusion: schools aren’t
performing well enough. I say school because it is the entire
institution that isn’t performing for our students; it’s the
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administration, the curriculum, the teachers, the legislators,
and our communities. I feel comfortable saying that the American
school system is failing to develop good thinkers because of the
time I have personally spent in public classrooms, and from being
a part of American society. There are a good number of students
who absolutely master thinking and reasoning; it may even be the
majority, although I doubt it. But my standard is high—in a
country like America, all students should be walking away from
our public schools with the same level of achievement. Yes, all.
Some students leave schools ready for college while some head
into the workforce. What matters is leaving the American school
with the ability to think and make rational decisions. Until all
students are able to do this (on whatever level is deemed
appropriate for that given time and space), the American school
system will not be doing well enough.
In considering how to educate a citizen of the 21st century,
many of the skills they will utilize can be learned in social
studies education. Social studies education relies on
interdisciplinary skills such as communication, writing, reading,
analyzing, etc. These skills are especially powerful in problem-
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based instruction. Social studies “should develop citizens who
can critically weigh evidence and use knowledge generated from
sound historical analysis to inform their decisions about
essential societal questions,” (Saye & Brush, 2004). Beyond
learning about social studies and even beyond how to participate
or “do” social studies, this position raises the important idea
of developing decision-making skills in the students. In
discussing how to select content to teach in the classroom,
Oliver and Shaver (1966) explain that the content should expose
students to real conflict within society and also create a means
of teaching the students how to explore the concept completely
with “useful political and social frameworks,” (Oliver & Shaver,
1966). In providing students with the skills to analyze history
and in providing them with a range of perspectives, students
learn how to consider several perspectives and seek solid
information before making decisions, ideally even beyond and
outside of the social studies classroom. Saye & Brush expand on
this idea and explain that the multicultural perspectives
encourage debate which leads to “deeper thinking,” about
different people in different places and times, thus expanding on
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their ability to evaluate their own decisions (Saye & Brush,
2004). Social studies education is essential not only as a
school subject, but as a subject which relies on the cultivation
of countless transferable skills. While mathematics, sciences,
and other more specific subjects are important in shaping skills,
when considering what will most benefit the role all Americans
play as citizens, problem-based social studies education is more
beneficial.
The issue with the education students receive to prepare them
for American life is that what is practiced in school is
inauthentic and doesn’t actually prepare them for the real world.
Students always protest instruction asking, “When will I ever use
this?” And they are right to do so. Either they really are
receiving instruction they will never use, or the instructor has
completely failed to connect the material to life. Furthermore,
based on the notion that school should prepare students to be
good thinkers, preparation for life after graduation rarely
focuses on how to think, but focuses on what to learn. School has
become too passive. Students listen to lectures, fill out
worksheets, and test on obsolete facts that are quickly
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forgotten. Students need to receive more practice in how to
think. As mentioned above, students could improve on this skill
if curriculum was problem-based, and students were constantly
required to assess information and make decisions. Problem-based
instruction can be utilized in any subject. If students do not
understand the meaning or importance of a subject, if it is not
stored so that it will be used in the long term, then it will not
serve them past the end of school. For anything to be stored so
it can be used in the future, students must use it when they learn
it. All content, in all areas needs to be thought about deeply
and applied to an authentic setting for it to have staying power
in the student’s mind. All curriculum needs to transition its
focus to problem-based instruction.
Good thinkers are those who instinctively investigate all
sides of an issue, evaluate the information, and make rational
decisions. Those who do not qualify as good thinkers, which are
most people, are those who are lacking in anyone of the three
qualities of a good thinker. Schools can help to cultivate good
thinking habits by having students practice these skills. First
they will need to explicitly be introduced to them, the
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instructors should model them, and students should have
opportunities to practice them in authentic settings (so they
have staying power). Scenarios where students may practice good
thinking include a history class where students decide on the
extent of justification for a certain action taken by the US
government; deciding what equation to use when solving a math
word problem; having students form and hypothesis and conduct an
experiment; having a language art class read two opposing poems
about a certain topic and discuss or write about the individual
preferences of the class. Investigation, evaluation, and rational
decision-making can be done in every subject at every level. It
is vital that it be explained, modeled, and practiced so that
students are good thinker once they leave school.
The experiences that provide the most powerful learning are
those that are transmittable to real life. Although the National
Council for Social Studies published the following criteria, they
can be used in all subjects and are the criteria of what creates
a powerful learning experience: it is meaningful, integrative,
value-based, challenging, and requires students to be active
(NCSS, 1994). Learning experiences that incorporate these
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criteria help students practice skills they need for life after
graduation, can be used across all disciplines, it requires deep
thinking so the content will stay with the student for a longer
period of time, and it is engaging. Activities that encourage
these criteria are usually authentic in nature. The activity
should be something that an adult would do; it should be
something the teacher can clearly explain when it will be used in
real life. When students are preparing to leave school, it will
be these experiences, which have served them best in their
preparation for adulthood. Students should be able to think and
make decision the way good thinkers do, in being able to use this
skill, they will have to demonstrate a value for truth-seeking,
empathizing with alternative perspectives, and being empowered to
make decision and act on them. Students who are leaving school
for the real world should also have a fluent reading
comprehension, be able to write narratives and expository works,
be proficient in math and with computers (or whatever technology
is appropriate), a basic understanding of science concepts and be
able to explain natural phenomena through science, they should
also understand the basic legal system of the United States of
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America. With this content knowledge and the ability to be a good
thinker, American students leaving high school and entering
adulthood will be well equipped to participate in society.
II. Social Studies Philosophy
The social studies have best been defined by the NCSS. The
1992 definition states, “Social studies is the integrated study
of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic
competence. Within the school program, social studies provides
coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as
anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, law,
philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and
sociology, as well as appropriate content from the humanities,
mathematics, and natural sciences. The primary purpose of social
studies is to help young people develop the ability to make
informed decisions for the public good as citizens of a
culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world
(NCSS, 1994).
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Based on this NCSS definition the goals of social studies
should be to provide students with the skills and knowledge
necessary to 1) practice good citizenship, or the “office of the
citizen;” 2) practice these learned skills across disciplines; 3)
understand ways of knowing; and 4) to identify and solve social
problems (NCSS, 1994). What is so challenging about this is that
the United States is a pluralistic society; our society is
comprised of citizens with different backgrounds and values. Not
only do students need to practice certain knowledge-based skills,
but also value-based practices, in their ethical problem solving.
While school should prepare students for adulthood, social
studies is especially important in preparing students for their
lives as they pertain to interactions with others (ergo the
“social” aspect of social studies). It is important that social
studies be taught because our society depends specifically on our
citizens being good citizens. In an autocracy, for example, the
subjects don’t really need to know how to be good because the
rules tells everyone what to do and if the law is disobeyed, the
law breaker is done away with. In a democracy, we rule ourselves.
Being citizens might be one of our most important roles as our
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collective civic actions have the potential to impact our entire
society. As the “reflective inquirer” states, I agree that the
constant practice of individuals clarifying their position or
values, and using them to make rational decisions, is why social
studies should be taught (Barr, Barth, and Shermis, 1978).
Social studies education is important in a democratic
society. A democratic society is one that is ruled by the people;
in America, citizens vote for their representatives who have been
elected to vote on legislation for us. Citizens can also
volunteer hours, donate money, or participate in the civic
process in other ways. The society that the social studies will
need to be taught for is our pluralistic, global society. Our
citizens come from a range of ethnicities, and business and
information connects the world faster than ever before, as well
as creates interdependence between our society with other
nations’. Among the most valuable traits of a democratic citizen
is a sense of empowerment; if the citizens stop engaging in our
government and to make changes, our government and country will
seize to exist. For this reason, our society must also emphasize
the importance of collaboration, and value various perspectives.
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The society our social studies students should need to be
prepared for is one where citizens value civic participation,
seek collaborative solutions to problems, and are capable of and
value empathizing with other members of society. While this may
not be reality, it is the goal of our society, so students
continue to practice these skills.
Parents and community members are completely essential and
vital to education. While “nature” certainly plays a role in
shaping an individual, the experiences one has and values
instilled by the community and by parents are main factors in the
psychological, intellectual, and moral development of students.
Parents are the most impactful socialization tool children
experience and are shaped by. The values of the parents
undoubtedly shape the views of the child, whether it be that the
child grows up to agree with his or her parents, or dislikes the
values so much, they rebel away from them, the values of parents
have a massive impact on an individual’s values. These values can
range from the lofty values of promoting equality, to the more
basic values of eating dinner as a family. In either case,
parents are essential in the shaping of young people and should
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always be considered when an instructor develops a lesson for
students. Likewise, the values of the community penetrate home
and schools walls and have a massive impact on students. It is
likely that the parents either grew up in the community or chose
it for a specific reason, which likely results in the community’s
values being nearly the same as the parents’ and therefore the
students’ values. The best way for parents and the community to
support the education process is to emphasize its importance to
their children so they value their education, as well as model
good citizenship. This can only be done, however, if those skills
are taught in the first place, in social studies classrooms.
To understand what teaching strategies best help us achieve
the goals and purposes of social studies education, a visual list
of those goals/purposes is helpful. Social studies students
should be able to:
Make informed and rational decisions
Feel empowered to and be knowledgeable about how to
engage in civic participation
Value seeking collaborative responses to problems
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Empathize with differing perspectives.
The general teaching strategies that would help to achieve these
goals are those strategies that allow students to practice these
skills. This is done by studying social sciences from a problem-
based approach. In discussing how to select content to teach in
the classroom, Oliver and Shaver (1966) explain that the content
should expose students to real conflict within society and also
create a means of teaching the students how to explore the
concept completely with “useful political and social frameworks,”
(Oliver & Shaver, 1966). In providing students with the skills
to analyze history and in providing them with a range of
perspectives, students learn how to consider several perspectives
and seek solid information before making decisions, ideally even
beyond and outside of the social studies classroom. Students
should be exposed to a problem, investigate and evaluate all
perspectives relevant to the problem, and practice making
decisions based on the variety of perspectives (NCSS, 2010; Engle
and Ochoa, 1986).
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Specifically, a curriculum that focuses social studies
around a persistent issue is most beneficial to teaching the
necessary type of social studies. An example of this would be
that instead of simply lecturing about the events of WWII, or
even practicing a more active approach of reading soldiers’
journals, the content for this unit should all be introduced so
it may be used to answer the value question, “Was the United
States justified in their foreign intervention?” This would so
several things. It would first create a reason for students to
study certain information as they need it to answer a problem, it
would be more engaging as students are now making a decision
based on what they value, as well as what people valued at the
time. This type of teaching strategy is authentic and meaningful.
Students should practice taking on assigned perspectives, trying
each one on for size. While students enter a classroom with their
own values and biases, it is important for them to explore
perspectives, which support them, and challenge them, so they may
clarify their own beliefs. Another helpful practice is producing
authentic work. An example would be a letter to the editor of the
paper, creating a documentary, or creating a propaganda poster.
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These types of products are things that would occur in real life,
as authentic responses to value questions adults face daily.
Finally, the opportunity for students to deliberate is key.
Several of the methods of discussion they identify and explain
are thoroughly rigorous yet, because they focus on a common
subject (a text, a picture, etc), the potential for the emotional
strain is reduced. The first type of discussion in the paper is a
Structured Academic Controversy (SAC). Each student takes on an
assigned role and goes through a series of discussions until
finally deciding on a decision about the big question. These
types of discussions shield students from having to take personal
ownership of a subject. Students are more comfortable having a
controversial discussion if they can attribute their shared
opinions with their assigned role. Deliberations also focus on
making a decision but roles are not provided. Deliberations are
also less offensive than a debate as students need to work
together, not attack viewpoints, to have a successful
deliberation (Newmann, 1987). Again, deliberation is an activity
adults engage in; it’s authentic.
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Authentic work is of high value to both instructors and
students, as the goal is to provide students with real life
skills and experiences. For this reason, assessment of student
work also needs to be more authentic. Adults who work are
assessed by their performance at work. Their work matters to
their boss, clients, or whoever is receiving their goods or
services. Students’ work should be judged the same way; if they
are making important decisions about the community and about
policies, the community should be able to provide feedback on
what the students do and say, also because, it matters then. If
students know that their work will make it past their teacher’s
desk and be viewed by the community, even scrutinized, it will
change the effort and thought that goes into it. If the goal of
social studies education is to provide skills to young people so
they may become engaged citizens, then its really the community
who can judge one’s citizenship.
When considering whether to teach focusing on broad coverage
of the topic or to focus on fewer topics, more in depth, depth is
always preferred. Newmann explains that depending on mass
coverage of a topic is damaging because it fosters a lack of
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retention, it “reinforces habits of mindlessness,” and is
inauthentic (Newmann, 1988). Metzger also criticizes coverage for
its reliance on textbooks, which are written by few individuals,
providing little no diversity in the narrative being told
(Metzger, 1985). Depth is not just an alternative to dreaded
coverage, but it stands on its own as a valuable method for
building curriculum. Focusing on few topics in depth, students
will be able to remember and spend time discovering interesting
and important information; it will stay with the student. Also,
depth is preferred because in the practice of a citizen where we
are required to make decisions about who to vote for, whether or
not to support a war, or which charity to donate to, its poor
practice to have a shallow understanding of any of these topics.
When making a decision, students need to understand the
importance of and practice gaining a deep understanding of a
narrow topic.
Coverage advocates would argue that coverage is better
because it provides society with a common language, a common
background, which is necessary if we do want to engage in
collaboration, deliberation, or essentially, democracy.
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Furthermore, if curriculum does not utilize coverage as a basis,
students of fragmented curriculum will be destined to repeat the
same mistakes as those before us. The concern is that is history
is not covered in a broad sense, too much will be left out
(Hirsch, 1988; Ravitch, 1989). The response to these criticisms
is that just because students learn less coverage doesn’t mean
they know less. In fact, because students will remember what
they learn in depth as opposed to shallow, broad coverage, they
will end up knowing more overtime because they will have
remembered it. The argument that depth curriculum would lead to a
fragmented society is erroneous. The solution to this concern is
to make certain events or ideas standard topics for everyone to
study, so that all of society is still exposed to the same
content, at an in-depth level, which will be used as citizens
(Newmann, 1988).
Developing a scope and sequence plan for 7-12th grade United
States social studies is a challenging and exciting task. Before
outlining my plan, there are several positions I must disclose on
content in order for my plan to make sense. While US and world
history will be featured in my plan, history should serve as
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information that students use to analyze current issues. For
example, in studying US history, rather than a chronological
account, we should start with a current event. Take, for
example, the controversies surrounding NSA surveillance. The
history content should be focused on addressing this issue. So,
students and the teacher will dig into US history where we will
discover that NSA surveillance may be violating our 4th Amendment
rights. Upon further investigation, we will find that our
Founding Fathers created the Bill of Rights because they were
products of Enlightened thinking and valued personal rights in
direct rejection of the English King. From there, ample history
content opens up, but it comes from a place of interest and
authenticity. The same exercises and use for content apply in
world history. A study of the Roman Empire is required when
students of today consider the pros and cons of expansionism.
This concept of current events driving curriculum aligns with
idea proposed by Engle and Ochoa, as well as other theorists who
emphasize the authentic use of history and humanities such as
Slouka and Sizer. The idea that current events should drive
historical studies, presents some challenges to answering the
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question of how far back in history should be studied and how
vast (spatially). I suggest that as broad a view of history and
place should be studied. For example, when in current events the
issue of religion condemning or condoning homosexual marriage
comes up, the study of world religions and cultures throughout
all of time and places is completely relevant. While this may
seem like too much information to study, because the focus will
only be on marriage, homosexuality, and religion’s perspective of
both of those ideas, the once too broad scope is now focused to a
manageable amount. While in deeply studying this topic
throughout time and place, it will be possible, too, to draw
conclusions about other aspects of places and people, helping
students develop a more clear idea of history.
Like the Bradley Commission, NCSS, Downey, Slouka, and many
others would advocate, social studies should be based on
interdisciplinary skills. While some course titles may imply
that one subject will be the focus of the course, the subject is
only the lens used to study social studies. This will be
elaborated on, but I will give an example using a discipline I
have not included. Let us use the course “psychology.” As a
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social science, I would create a curriculum that studies events
throughout time and space which are explained by individual’s
motives, backgrounds, influences—their psychology. Rather than
learning about Hitler’s Nazism through a lecture on concentration
camps, I would introduce the Milligram Experiments and discuss
how and why so many Germans joined the Nazi party. I would
discuss why Hitler became powerful to a nation of people who felt
oppressed after WWI, and discuss mob mentality. Throughout any
course, language, technological, spatial, and skills pertaining
to other disciplines and intelligences should be utilized. The
major reason being that life is interdisciplinary so students
should practice what they will be asked to do. The disciplines
that are most important are those that have the most utility.
Political science, economics, and geography are likely
disciplines that a citizen of America uses the most on a day to
day basis when deciding what newspaper to read, whether to buy
lunch or bring it, and which is the fastest way to get to work.
Unfortunately, social studies has become so much about history
and abstract concepts about political science, economics, and
geography, the class content rarely seems relevant. To justify
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political science, economics, and geography being the most
important, the content used to teach them needs to change.
The overall rationale for my course is embedded in the idea
of utility. I am not focused on providing basic skills for
students to use in the work force, I am not concerned about
spurring our economy. While both of those potential goals are
good to want, and I think they will be products of a society that
values a useful social studies education, my goal is broader, and
even more useful. Students need to be good thinkers; good
thinkers will be prepared to take or create any job, go about
solving any problem in a collaborative and rational way, and
value participation in society. If we want students to be good
thinkers, they need to know how to think, and they need to be
provided rich opportunities to think about authentic concepts.
All courses will be discussion-based. Current issues will drive
the content of the courses. Students will practice creating
knowledge for themselves, collaborating, and creating solutions
to problems. All assessments should be authentic. Each course is
a prerequisite for moving forward. Without the prior knowledge,
the plan will fail to appropriately foster a thinking society.
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Therefore, all schools in the US will need to adopt this plan
(not necessarily all done the same but at least the same
sequence) to avoid issue with students moving and being left
behind.
7th grade will focus on cultural geography. This is key
because the rest of the courses students will take require a
fluent knowledge of places and the values people have in those
places. 8th and 9th grade also focus on traditional disciplines,
but as I said before, they will be driven by current events.
Again, a fluency in how the past impacts today is important in
moving forward. 10th grade, students will spend a year what it
means to be civically engaged according to various people from
different times and places. This is only useful after having
background in geography and the past. In 11th grade, students
will implement a program they develop as an extension of their
10th grade studies. In 12th grade, students will spend one
semester abroad and the following semester will be devoted to
creating their advice and presentation that will be made before
the community and government officials. This scope and sequence
plan incorporates interdisciplinary skills, authenticity,
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utility, and will facilitate thinking students, which will
develop a thinking society.
An overview of the course:
7th Grade: Cultural
Geography
8th Grade: World History
9th Grade: US History
10th Grade: Community
and Civic Engagement
11th Grade: Study of
local issues and
implementation of
community program
12th Grade: One semester
abroad/One semester
preparation for community
presentation.
7th grade: Cultural Geography will consist of viewing
society based on spatial patterns. People, cultures, histories,
literature, and ideas will be studied in relation to their
spatial origin. We will discuss how a space impacts an event, as
well as emphasize current cultures and societies in relation to
place. Regions, governments, economic systems, and social issues
will be central to this course. As we study a certain place,
students will take map quizzes which will count for a small
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grade. Memorizing maps is not an important skill, necessarily,
but being able to have knowledge of the places we are discussing
is important. This course will be based on exploring through
reading, lecture, and research (practice good Googling) how an
event or idea can be explained by its location of origin. In
learning about Europe, for example, we can discuss that European
Union as an economic institution and as a social function of
uniting many small countries. For this, students will research
Greece and England as a models of why one is failing and the
other thriving. Students will participate in discussions, give
presentations, and conduct research based on their own interests.
8th grade: World History will consist of studying how what
has happened and what people of the entire world have experienced
before can explain current events. Like my earlier example of
the Roman Empire being used to study expansionism, students will
also use this information to make judgments about current issues
or policies and make decisions. This course will also rely on
students conducing their own research, as well as having the
instructor prepare certain perspectives for students to read,
comprehend, and utilize when making a decision. An example
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activity would include discussing the issue of terrorism. The
framing question (an aspect of all units) is, “Should the United
Nations negotiate with terrorists?” Students will need to
investigate the origins of terrorism, the region from which it
originated, the culture, religion and values of terrorists.
Students will also have to investigate earlier interactions with
terrorism, as well as the founding of the UN, and its goals.
Students will be assigned perspectives to research and have to
use that perspective to answer the framing question. Students
will then participate in a deliberation about the question,
practicing communication and collaboration skills.
9th grade: US History will consist of studying how what has
happened in the United States and the experiences people of the
United States are impacted by the past. This course will be
designed exactly like 8th grade, but will focus on US history,
events, and cultures. Although all history is related and
important, a year to specifically study US history is important
because this is society we are preparing students to participate
in so expertise in this area is important. An example activity
would consist of selecting the current event topic of having a
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female president. The framing question, “Will America elect a
female president this election?” Students will formulate answers
based on first impressions of the concept, and then research
ideas to support or oppose their hypothesis. Students will
prepare presentations for the class explaining why they answered
“yes” or “no” and provide perspectives from the media, politics,
and the community. It is important to distinguish that we are
not asking should we elect a female, but will America. This makes
it less personally controversial, yet still engaging. History of
a male-dominated society, as well as the knowledge that our
allies in Europe and even Middle Eastern countries have had
female leaders (although it may not be US history, this is
important because the US is tied to these countries, so we should
investigate them, too). Further explanations may incorporate
science and sociology, which cultivates the practice of utilizing
interdisciplinary theories to solve issues.
10th grade: Community and Civic Engagement is a shift from
the current events curriculum of the first three years. It is
similar, however, in that it does still rely on current issues to
drive investigation. The course is set up to help students see
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and practice civic engagement. Based on Auburn University’s
course by the same title, the goal is to, “foster an intellectual
community where students have an understanding of the human
condition, a respect for individual and cultural differences, and
a desire for the free exchange of ideas. Through civic
engagement, individuals—as citizens of their communities, their
nations, and the world—are empowered as agents of positive social
change for a more democratic world.” Students will start to
investigate issues that impact the local community (preparation
for 11th grade). They will interview local authorities,
businesses, and community members to gain an understanding of
what plagues the community. Students would first need to learn
how to identify and investigate an issue. People of all
different professions (community organizers, social workers,
teachers, parents, not for profit chairs, etc) will come to the
class and explain issues they see, how they go about solving
local issues, or their opinions of the reason for an issue. An
example would be for a high school student from Opelika High to
go interview business owners of stores I downtown Opelika about
the loss of commerce. The student, after talking to many long-
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time residents and business owners, the student would likely
attribute this loss of commerce to the lack of railroad traffic
that once supported the city. The student would research to find
other cities that have successfully dealt with this issue,
develop their own solutions based on research and eventually
present a method for resolving the issue. This will only be seen
by the class and teacher, as it is practice for 11th and 12th
grade.
11th grade: Study of local issues and implementation is a
year devoted to researching a problem in the community,
consulting all possible experts, developing a plan, and then
implementing it. The research will take place during the first
part of the semester and the implementation during the second
half. Since the 10th grade was practice for this, the same issue
cannot be used. The issue researched in 10th grade will also
likely be more complex than the one in 11th grade because
students will need to implement their plan to alleviate the
problem in this year, not just create a theory of how it can be
done. The instructor will serve as a consultant for conducting
research and identifying issues of the community, then overseeing
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the implementation. With the implementation, students will also
have to raise funds to fund their project. An example is a
student has determined that his school is losing funding from
local taxes. It turns out, through investigation, that the
population and business is moving to the town next door, causing
this community to lose tax revenue. From further investigation,
and discussion with expertts from other communities with the same
issue, it is because of the high crime rate. The student has had
to identify a problem, investigate the cause, and then create a
solution, followed by an implementation. Students have to
practice collaboration and critical thinking in their
investigation, and then face funding and management tasks as they
implement their idea. Class four days per week in the second
semester will be devoted to working in the field, while once/week
students come to class to discuss issues or progress the program
makes. If the program is successful, students set up a way for
it to continue without their direction beyond the six months.
For those that don’t, the students create a presentation of
alternative solutions. This is a real assignment that will have
real benefits seen by the communities.
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12th grade: Study Abroad/Policy Research is the most
challenging and rewarding year. The one semester abroad is a
culmination of all education received to this point. Students
will attend school with natives of that country who are the same
age. All students will have been enrolled in a foreign language
throughout school (very important that Americans can communicate
in more than one language in this global community we are a part
of), which will be utilized on this experience as no one can be
placed in an English-speaking country. Math, science and English
classes will be taken abroad. Math and science will basically be
the same and the same principles of investigating literature for
deeper meaning will still be utilized, and doing so in a unique
culture and language will enhance and broaden the students’
values and beliefs. Also, living in a country completely foreign
to our own draws on one of the originally stated purpose for
school, for socialization. The social experience of being a
minority, experiencing a different religion, food, and customs
enriches one’s own self-realization and place in the world.
The purpose of this experience is mostly for social studies
education. The students will be sent in pairs and will have to
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investigate a policy that will be up for debate in America. The
purpose of this investigation is that students will spend their
second semester preparing to use this information to create a
presentation that will advise the state’s US Congressmen. The
pairs are designed so that one student focuses on investigation,
while the other focuses on communication; it emphasizes
collaboration, also. The policy students choose to investigate
must be impacting the country they go to, either in a positive or
negative way. Students will talk to government officials in this
country, as well as community members, businessmen, religious
figures, and other individuals who comprise the culture of the
place. Identifying who to talk to, how to approach them, and
understanding why the policy is having a certain impact in this
culture and place all require mastery of geography, history,
empathy for perspectives, an understanding of cultures across
time and space, and high-level thinking skills.
The presentation students will create during the second
semester will rely on the personal experience the student had
living in a country where the policy (or lack of policy) had an
important impact. The interviews will also provide important and
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credible insight. Students will have also studied the policy as
it pertains to the local and national US community and be
prepared to speak on its behalf. At the end of the year, before
a student can graduate high school, students will present their
advice to their area US Congressman. This may seem like there are
too many people for this to be possible (the presentation part),
and this is an important consideration. The students will
videotape their presentations so they can be watched by anyone
anytime. Not only are the students practicing the ultimate civic
engagement, but they are also providing a great service to our
society in thoroughly investigating a potential policy. These
presentations could have massive national and global impacts
because they will be so well researched, decisions can be made
from a more informed place.
The citizenship transmitter would criticize this scope and
sequence plan. Because the citizenship transmitter theory
advocates that the instructor should base instruction on
emphasizing community values, it would take major issues with the
goal of this plan to facilitate “good thinkers” while diminishing
the importance of a community sharing values. This criticism of
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emphasizing thinking and diminishing of value transmission is
erroneous. There is no one qualified to decide what values
should be transmitted. If their argument is to transmit the
values of the community, I respond by asking, what if the values
of the community include theft and gun violence? Relying on the
community to decide our values is unsound. Students must be able
to think for themselves, and be good at it. If they are good at
it, they will learn for themselves to make decisions that benefit
society.
Hirsch, the advocate of broad coverage would criticize my
scope and sequence because it lacks standard curriculum that our
society relies on as a means of communication. Hirsch states that
for our society to engage in collaborative problem-solving, we
should have all been exposed to the same content so we have a
certain level of commonality in our assumptions about society. I
appreciate the emphasis on collaboration but this quality is not
lost in my plan. It is not the common background content but the
common skills we will all share that will enable us to work
collaboratively.
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The Bradley Commission could make several criticisms of my
use of current issues to teach history. The Commission states
that history should be taught chronologically and centered on its
suggested vital themes. It would dislike my proposed fragmented
use of history to explore current issues and persistent problems
society faces. I counter that his use of history is authentic
and promotes thinking more than the bland chronological study.
In learning and using history in a more authentic way, students
will learn, remember, and think better.
III. Social Studies Realities
The social studies have changed dramatically overtime. In
contrast to math, science, and even language arts, to an extent,
social studies changes because society changes; it is dependent
on the real world. Other subjects, while theories or philosophies
may change, could exist inside of the same room for 100 or 1000
years, and it would all stay the same. First of all, school has
changed; historically, school has emphasized vocational training.
EMILY GRAY 39
Schools have done a good job of “tracking” students so that
students of similar achievement are grouped together and taught
together, and eventually, maintain similar socioeconomic status.
In this type of schooling, social studies was not valued for its
ability to create “thinkers” because thinking wasn’t as valued as
vocational skills. Social studies classes have historically been
associated with history, with an emphasis on memorization of
facts, names, places, and the dreaded, dates. Although science
and math dominate national educational attention and resources,
there is an important attempt at making social studies more
relevant and useful. Social studies, as the NCSS defines, is
interdisciplinary, and can be applicable across all of the
subjects taught in high school, which is more authentic, anyway.
This view of social studies being used to develop a generation
skilled at thinking is a lofty, and important new goal.
In schools today, the new buzzword is “Common Core,” and
“standards.” There is a push towards ensuring an equal education
for all students. Social studies is not immune to this trend
(even though it is grouped with language arts in the Common
Core), and rightfully so. If there is any subject that should
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serve all students equally, shouldn’t it be the one that teaches
us how to be citizens? There is also a stressed importance on
common content. Fortunately, the standards are broad enough that
the execution of these standards allows for a variety in the way
they are taught. This is important because the idea of strict,
invasive regulation in education starts to sound a bit
autocratic. Social studies today resemble the past in its
connection to American values and ultimate respect for promoting
democracy. It differs especially in the instruction ideology.
There is a new understanding of the importance of reaching
students where they are, instead of making them conform to
curriculum. As Sizer puts it, “A teacher must start where the
students are—and that may not be chapter one in the textbook”
(Sizer, 1985). There is new appreciation for cultural
sensitivity, depicting history from various perspectives (woman,
minorities, average laborer, etc), and more children with this
information. But still, students are being left out, and this
needs to change.
I say that students are still being left behind because I
have seen it in my lab experiences, and especially at the
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juvenile detention center where I intern. Specifically at a
local high school, there were a number of students who
demonstrated a reading level of a kindergartener. These students
were 16 and 17 years old. There were other students who wanted to
know what they had to do to “pass and graduate.” These students
were not the exception in the classroom, they were the majority.
In one class, only two students had any idea what communism
means. Surely these issues persist in other subjects, but it is
especially troubling for me as a candidate of a social studies
education degree to see this. Some students have no idea of
their importance in our society to the point that they are
unmotivated to learn. They have accepted just “getting by.” If
any subject has the ability to change this, it is social studies,
it needs to focus on empowering students, demonstrating to them
that all people matter, and everyone’s role in this country is
relevant and important.
The world the 21st century citizen will inherit is complex.
It is easy to assume that it will be filled with dark and
troubling days as the income gap widens, racial tensions swirl,
and our dependence on countries like China and Saudi Arabia
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increase, but there are actually a lot of wonderful things
happening, too. We have access to technologies that infinitely
improve life. People are living longer, and are able to
communicate at a moment’s notice, anywhere in the world. We also
have access to basically any information we could ever want in
our hands with the use of a cell phone. Citizens of this century
do need to be globally-minded, and with the rate of change
technology brings, we need to be prepared for change. For this
reason, it is of the utmost importance that America’s citizens be
good thinkers. It is possible that students won’t even attend
school in the next 50 years, but rely on virtual education. There
is no set of content or list of “things to know” that could suit
someone who will experience so much change in their long lives.
What will serve them best is to be able to think thoroughly, and
know how to make decisions that demonstrate consideration for
others. My plan prepares students to be a part of an ever-
changing and ever-connected world. They will practice thinking,
have new and sometimes uncomfortable experiences, and develop
skills which will allow them to succeed in any aspect of life.
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References
About the Community and Civic Engagement Initiative. (n.d.).
Retrieved April 30, 2015, from
http://www.cla.auburn.edu/cla/cce/about/
Barr, R., Barth, J.L., and Shermis, S.S. (1978). The nature of the
social studies. Palm Springs, CA: ETC Publications. 17-30.
Engle, S.H. and Ochoa, A. (1986). “A curriculum for democratic
citizenship.” Social Education. 50(7), 514-525
Hirsch, E.D., Jr. (1988). Cultural literacy: What every American needs to
know. New York: Vintage Books. 110-133.
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Metzger, D.J. (1985). “Process versus content: The lost
illusion. The Social Studies. 76(3), 115-119.
National Council for the Social Studies (1994). Curriculum
standards for social studies. Washington: NCSS. 3-12.
Newmann, F.M. (1988). “Can depth replace coverage in the high
school curriculum?” Kappan. 69(5), 345-348.
Newmann, F. (1987). Higher order thinking in the teaching of social studies
connections between theory and practice. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept.
of Education, Office of Educational Research and
Improvement, Educational Resources Information Center.
Oliver, D. & Shaver, L. (1966). Teaching public issues in the high school.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Pp. 3-17.
Ravitch, D. (1989). “The plight of history in American schools.”
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Saye, J., & Brush, T. (2004). Promoting Civic Competence through
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Sizer, Theodore. (1985). Horace’s compromise: The dilemma of the American
high school. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 84-98; 131-155.