EMILY GRAY 1

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

EMILY GRAY 41

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.”

In P. Gagnon (Ed.), Historical literacy: The case for history in American

education. New York: Macmillan. 51-68.

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.

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Slouka, M. (2009). “Dehumanized: When math and science rule the

school.” Harper’s Magazine. September, 2009, 32-40.