Social Studies

Well done Dutch Lady... This was fast...Too busy will post more after I get through my assignments. Thanks.

b. Most important goals of SS.

This is a problem. It's so easy for teachers to focus on teaching for exam purposes because at the end of the day, that's how we are assessed - based on the results of the students. Ideally, I would like to see assessment changed from exam-based to more diverse methods of assessment. E.g. 50% Exams, 20% Groupwork, 20% Individual Work and 10% Class participation. I feel this would give students more rounded exposure to SS and move the focus away from exams to student learning.

c. The SS Teacher I want to be.

I'd like to be a teacher who can really make students think for themselves. I want to be a teacher that invites questioning and explores different views as opposed to looking for the "correct" view. I want to be a teacher who is open, approachable, non-judgemental and honest. I want to have lessons that students always look forward to not because they are easy but because they get to explore, question, challenge and learn because they really want to.

e. Connectedess in issues.

One good issue is the Ministerial pay raise being debated now in the context of Governance in Singapore. It would be interested to show how this debate can be viewed in light of the Government's principles of Fairness, Transparency and Pragmatism. Giving numbers and showing how much they earn would be a good starting point to start a lesson on effective governance.

Waittt.... We should each make a separate post and THEN we can comment on them.

Thanks Allyson for this!

Allyson is so nice.. our class is so nice.. woo~

People - stop it.

My head's swelling already.

All hail the Queen!

*cough*

Where did that come from? :p

Terima Kasih, Flying Dutch Lady ;)

I always thought History and Social Studies were meant to be different but I agree and believe now that social studies as a subject is not just history alone (Whelan). It serves as an array of subjects that connects to one another and history is just one of the foundations of social studies.

Social studies is the study of issues and themes around the world. Therefore, I agree with Engle and Ochoa when they say that by teaching social studies as the study of persistent issues, students get an idea of how the world operates and learn history at the same time.

By teaching this way students will learn more than history which a teacher can relate to them. As a teacher in planning for these purposes of social studies is to use the flashback approach by Khazzaka.

This approach involves taking an issue in social studies and present the current issue of it. The teacher explains what the current issue is and then explains it by looking back in history to analyze how it affects the world today. An example lesson would be to have a current events class once a week. It can show current issues in the world and can be taught by the flashback approach.