Social Studies Teaching Philosophy

    Social studies is a subject in which many think is just about history. And while that is true, there are so many different aspects to social studies, and inside those aspects are even more topics that pertain to the main idea. While there are so many different subjects of social studies, there are that many ways to teach social studies, and there are several different ways to learn social studies. 

    I believe social studies is built on four main pillars. (1) Economics. (2) Geography. (3) History. (4) Political Science. Economics is one of the harder topics to introduce into younger classes, but also one of the most important topics related to social studies. Providing the study of economics to younger classes provides the students with the framework and understanding of money, scarcity, supply and demand, and cost. Geography is a concept many are familiar with as it is a concept that surrounds our life. Teaching students how geography differs around the world brings differences together and promotes the idea of acceptance while also thriving on individuality. History is a key component of social studies because history repeats itself, and students must understand how events have causes and effects on each other. Lastly, political science provides a deep explanation of why things work the way they do. Political science topics really allow students to critically think and help clarify their own beliefs and ideas. 

    It is crucial to present these four pillars in various ways. Social studies is a hard concept for younger students to grasp, as a lot of the concepts must be understood in a novel and deeper level than they have knowledge of. While learning social studies, students will develop skills of exploration, problem solving, and critical thinking. It is my responsibility as a teacher to provide a stimulating, challenging, and motivating environment in which these skills can flourish. Through teacher guidance, students will be led to make better, informed, and reasoned decisions through lecture, primary documentations, viewing media, and performing skits. These different instructional presentation methods allow all students' needs to be tended to and all students are given an opportunity to soar academically. 

    Social studies is all about perspective. When I teach social studies, I will ensure my students recognize various perspectives and opinions about different topics. I will encourage students to ask questions of wonderment regarding different ideas, but my students will understand the beauty of difference of opinion and varying beliefs, not only in the classroom, but in real-life.