Social Studies Manifesto-January 21, 2008

This week begins my formal investigation of social studies facilitation methods for high school students for the Spring 2008 semester. It has long been my belief as an educator that the disciplines included in social studies are not recognized as true science discipline across the educational unit and as a result are not granted the same value as the traditional sciences in curriculum development. With recent trends in testing and accountability the focus has pulled even further from the social sciences to basics such as reading, writing, and mathematics. Educators are attempting to improve students’ skills in these fields without context or emotional connection. Social sciences and studies can provide a “human” link, one of consequence to the student’s culture and ethnic history. Social studies are more than learning from historical mistakes. It provides a sense of place for students to link all learning. Hopefully, with acquisition of new knowledge, reflection, and synthesis, the student’s sense of place will grow.

It is with these thoughts that I develop my initial social studies manifesto.

I believe:
Social studies philosophy is perhaps the epitome of interdisciplinary investigation if utilized progressively. Social Studies is a discipline of many disciplines ranging from anthropology to economics to psychology. Through investigation of historic, current, and projected phenomena social studies becomes a sinuous binding which creates a holistic approach wrapping together humanities, mathematics, earth systems and astronomical sciences. By applying viewpoints and knowledge from the social sciences students of social studies follow the thread connecting choice, behavior, and relations to other humans, animal and plant species, and physical environment. By examining and understanding how place influences the origin and development of cultures, ethics, religions we can better understand past choices regarding consumption, environmental modification, and human interactions and look ahead to make informed literate decisions which will benefit the public good based on global perspectives.

Thoughts and phrases noted during this weeks readings for further thought:
• Choices made by the greater culture and individuals have shaped our beliefs and potential actions regarding interactions with other cultures, the environment, and beyond.
• Emotional connection
• Thread that investigates human choices based on resources and why both healthy and detrimental choices have been made through history.
• Way to development understanding and respect for different cultural perspectives.
• “Intertwined destinies” from Pg 31 in text.
• How do social issues create environmental issues?
• How do environmental conditions create social issues?
• Why do most descriptions include “democratic;” world-views require that we act in a truly democratic manner yet we should be able to interact regardless of culture.
• Social studies is the humanity in science where decision-making moves beyond facts to affect and consequence.