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Social Studies

The National Council for the Social Studies (2010) describes the aim of social

studies as “the promotion of civic competence—the knowledge, intellectual processes

and democratic dispositions required of students to be active and engaged participants in

public life”. Solomon (1987) extends this definition to include that an aim of social

studies “is to understand the perspective of others” (p. 565). This project is an example of

a project a student might complete that requires the student to investigate an issue,

examine the perspectives of others, and present their argument for an audience. In the

project, I examined an event that was of current societal concern (professional athletes

kneeling during the National Anthem as a form of peaceful protest) by researching

athletes who protested in the past and looking at different perspectives through interviews

and public comments on social media. I synthesized the information and used it to form

my own opinion, which I presented in the form of an animated short film.

Parker and Jarolimek (1984) viewed the role of social studies education as

“cultivating” (p. 3) informed citizens to participate in a free and democratic society. The

National Council for the Social Studies (2013) describes the role of citizens in society:

“Active and responsible citizens identify and analyze public problems; deliberate with

other people about how to define and address issues; take constructive, collaborative

action; reflect on their actions; create and sustain groups; and influence institutions both

large and small” (p.19). Social studies teachers have a unique opportunity to teach

students critical thinking skills and create laboratories of the social sciences in which

students can practice and test their skills to prepare them for life as citizens in a

democratic society.
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Lesh (2011) describes his methodology of teaching history as “historical

thinking” in which he teaches students a specific set of thinking skills to analyze and

interpret historical events. “The key historical thinking skills—causality, chronology,

multiple perspectives, contingency, empathy, change and continuity over time,

influence/significance/impact, contrasting interpretations, intent/motivation, and source

work—unify [his] approach to teaching history” (p. 5). These thinking skills do not need

to be designated solely to look at events in the past, but can be used to interpret and

evaluate events in the current day as evidenced in the project presented. Parker and

Jarolimek (1984) explain that these skills are necessary for a constructive citizen in

society who must be able to accept and respect diversity, consider the interdependence

that cultural groups have on one another when addressing social problems, and to think

critically of the status quo.

Teachers, as Parker and Jarolimek (1984) describe, should strive to be citizenship

role models for their students. When students see adults in their lives modeling what it

means to be an informed and engaged citizen it is a powerful and effective way of

learning. It also forces teachers to use the same thinking skills and be involved in the

same processes that they expect of students. The project described earlier is an example

of how a teacher could model historical thinking skills for students when approaching a

social problem in the present day. Teaching students to think critically and to be aware of

their thinking processes while learning how to work with others helps students to become

capable citizens (Solomon, 1987). It is in the classroom that students can explore the past

through the critical evaluation of documents, communicate with their peers and examine

the perspective of others.

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References

Lesh, B. (2011). Why won’t you just tell us the answer? Teaching historical thinking in

grades 7-12. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers

National Council for the Social Studies. (2010, September 15). National curriculum

standards for social studies: Introduction. Retrieved from

https://www.socialstudies.org/standards/introduction

National Council for the Social Studies. (2013). The college, career and civic life (C3)

framework for social studies and state standards: Guidance for enhancing the

rigor of K-12 civics, economics, geography and history. Silver Spring, MD:

National Council for the Social Studies.

Parker, W. & Jarolimek, J. (1984). Citizenship and the critical role of the social studies.

NCSS Bulletin: 72. Boulder, CO: SSEC Publications.

Solomon, W. (1987). Improving students’ thinking skills through elementary social

studies instruction. The Elementary School Journal, 87 (5). 556-569.