My Social Studies Philosophy

 

Social studies is an educational discipline that teaches students to play a role in their civic community. Specifically social studies helps students develop a greater understanding of the past, an appreciation for the reality of the present, and what lies ahead in the future. It prepares students to function successfully in a democratic society which means they will be knowledgeable enough to participate in government activities such as voting and most importantly the multicultural society we live in today. I believe that students are able to understand and retain more information about a subject when they are able to make text to self connections. With that being said, I see myself as a constructivist and an advocate for information processing, because the learner will actively construct his or her own understanding of reality through acting upon and reflecting on experiences in the world. When a new object event or experience does not fit the learner's present knowing structures, a conflict is provoked that requires an active quest to restore a balance. Through inquiry-based learning, problem solving, analytical thinking, reasoned decision-making, and utilization of technology, students are provided with the skills necessary to live and compete effectively in a global community.

I have also found technology to be an important aspect of education next to textbooks. Today's society is infused with good and bad technology. It may be one of the best resources we have, but there are also some websites that could lead students down the wrong road. If students are equip with the proper technology then they will be able to become more engaged in the information you are teaching in the classroom. A good use of technology is assigning students to look up current events to share with the class every Friday. have to remember that these students grew up using this technology and we are in their world. It is incredibly important to stay up to date with all of the new technology the world has to offer, and I have to say it is wonderfully never ending. It is close to amazing that we can pull up the original copy of the Declaration of Independence in seconds thanks to technology.