Teaching social studiessocial justice

and the importanceof SERVICE LEARNING

Why teach social studies?

• What is the goal of social studies? • What statement do I have on each ppt so far?

Citizenship!!!• Local• National• Global• What does this mean?

From reading on increasing citizenship and what you are doing with current events

• “The means by which citizens can influence the decisions and actions of their government”

• These are:– Read about public issues– Discuss public issues– Communicate with public officials– Vote– Take an active role in interests groups, political parties, and

organizations– Attend meetings of governing agencies, work in campaigns,

circulate petitions, take part if peaceful demonstrations, and contribute to parties, candidates and causes.

QUOTE FROM READING

• “the real rest of a social studies program comes in the out of school lives of children”

• ONE WAY TO BRIDGE CITIZENSHIP LEARNING IN SCHOOL WITH CITIZENSHIP EXPERIENCES IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD IS THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE EXAMPLES.

• Examples: dirty park– SOCIAL- volunteer to help clean up– POLITICAL-if they want to help people enforce stronger

clean up rules…

Social justice!• What is it?• Social justice topics permeate our daily lives• refers to the idea of creating a society or

institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being.

EXAMPLE OF social justice• Human rights• Hunger• Sexual orientation• Peace• Food availability and safety• Water safety• Diversity• Health care• racism, poverty, ageism, immigration policy,

sexism, civil rights, mental health activism, homelessness, labor law, environmentalism and environmental justice, and so on.

Questions new teachers ask• Where is there time for us to explore urgent

social matters?• Will I get into trouble by administrators or

parents?• Am I forcing my political ideals on my students?• What if I lose my job in this market?• Is such talk even appropriate with little

children?

Video of first grade class

• http://socialjusticeteaching.tumblr.com/

SHOULD YOU TEACH SOCIAL JUSTICE

• Even before entering their first classrooms, teachers who care about social justice seem shaken.

• Not surprising since in some communities raising issues about social justice results in labeling the speaker as “anti-American” and “anti-freedom”

• when in actuality, THE STRUGGLE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IS CENTRAL TO OUR NATION’S HISTORY.

Critical to think about and consider:• Struggle for social justice is central to our nation’s

history…• “Concerns about the common good and the

rights of the individual, no matter how humble in social standing, transcends politics and holds a definitive place in the realms of morality, ethics and federal law, and therefore in the world of teaching social studies”

• YOU AS AN EDUCATOR NEED TO DECIDE FOR YOURSELF WHAT EDUCATION IS ALL ABOUT

• DO YOU BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION IS AN INSTRUMENT FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD?

Dyad discussion

• Where do you stand in your own teaching/ educational philosophy as far as teaching social justice.

• Is education an instrument for the common good, among other things?

• Write on sheet as part of exit card today.

Things to think about and question 1. How do teachers promote issues of social justice while also promoting a balanced perspective?2. Can and should you keep your own moral/ethical/religious values from influencing the goal of knowledge creation?3. Does taking a position on social issues help or hinder the ultimate goal of knowledge facilitation in the community? How does the perception of a “teacher as activist” change how a community might view his or her work?5. Is it our job to see both sides of a debate and represent each equally? What does it mean to represent a fair and balanced perspective on an issue?

Service learning

• What is it?• What makes it different from volunteer work

and community service?

Service learning

• 1) the service activity is part of the curriculum and helps students acquire social studies content and civic values.

• 2) requires reflection…• ENHANCES CITIZENSHIP

MEET FOUR CRITERIA- (from reading)

1. The activity provides opportunities for both students and representatives from other agencies (the partner or contact)

2. The activity incudes both meaningful service and the opportunity to learn social studies content

3. The activity requires students to reflect on their service experience and the connections between the experience and democratic values

4. The activity should focus on how to create a better society rather than simply providing charity that perpetuates status quo

Research shows• Participants in service learning can show

increases in:– self esteem, –social responsibility, –Identity development and –concern of others.

Hierarchy of service learning

• 1.service projects in schools and classrooms– Planting trees, raising money for computers, clean

campus• 2.Service projects on the community– Cooperation with out of school agencies, collecting

food or books for victims, converting a vacant lot into a park…

• 3. Individual service projects• WHICH KIND ARE YOU THINKING OF FOR YOUR

CURRENT EVENT GROUP?

examples

INTEGRATE THE CURRICULUM

• How could the saving the creek integrated throughout the curriculum?

• Math:• Science:• Language Arts:• Social Studies:

Show example of Book Collection for Haiti (hand out of service learning sheet)

• Service learning projects should start from students.

• Student voice: – SHOULD START FROM THE STUDENTS, LIKE YOU

GUYS PICKED YOUR TOPIC BASED ON YOUR INTERESTS• After watching a video about the 2012 earthquake, the

students came up with idea of collecting books for school children in Haiti.

INTEGRATED LEARNING

• Social studies: Researched the country, the geography, the human geography, the culture, the people.

• Language Arts: – Wrote letters to children to be sent with the books. (include

creole in their writing- social studies)– Read books on Haiti, both fiction and non-fiction

• Math: – counting books, calculating cost of shipping, fundraising for

books and funding of shipping.• Science:

– study GEOLOGY earthquakes and what causes them. Will Haiti have more earthquakes hit them. Human’s need for water and why there is no water during catastrophe.

HIGH QUALITY SERVICE

• It responds to a real need in Haiti. • The students develop empathy and

compassion for other cultures and people and understand how people live under severe duress.

• NOTE: http://kids.adra.org/ (A KIDS IN ACTION WEBSITE!)

CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY

• By donating books, students will be caring for the world community and sharing in the process of giving and donating

collaboration

• The children with the help of the teachers, made contact with a “community partner” and the community partner told them of their needs, and the children developed the project on this.

REFLECTION

• They will journal throughout on the topic, the content, and what they are doing.

• They will ultimately reflect on how this relates to democratic ideals.

evaluation

• They will contact the community partner to make sure that the books went to good use, and ask for picture of the books and the children.

Use articles

• Read article in group.• Highlight what they did • Fill out the service learning sheet and make up

how if it were your class, how the students created this desire to do this project, (student voice)

• Extend it to meet all the content areas.• Make up how they worked with community

partners to do their project…• Be ready to present.