|
Social Studies best prepares children when it is
powerful. The following are notes from "A Vision of Powerful
Teaching and Learning in the Social Studies: Building Social
Understanding and Civic Efficacy." This is an official National
Council for the Social Studies Position Statement prepared by the NCSS
Task Force on Standards for Teaching and Learning in the Social Studies
(1992). For a copy of the position statement contact: The National
Council for the Social Studies, 8555 Sixteenth St., Silver Springs, MD
20910. Telephone: 800/673-8530, 301/966-2061;
Website: www.ncss.org
MEANINGFUL
-
not trivial
-
useful in and out of school
-
centers on powerful ideas
-
emphasizes authentic activities and assessments
INTEGRATIVE
-
crosses disciplinary boundaries (eg., seven social
studies discipline as well as other non-social studies
disciplines)
-
across time and space
-
involves new technologies
-
connected with life and social issues
-
involves knowledge and skills
VALUE-BASED
-
engages students in making decisions
-
aware of social policy implications
-
realizes social diversity
-
sensitivity to cultural similarities and
differences
-
commitment to social responsibility and action
-
involves critical thinking
-
recognition of opposing points of view
-
respect for well-supported positions
-
involves ethics
CHALLENGING
-
expected to strive to achieve instructional goals
-
challenged to come to grips with controversial
issues
-
participate assertively but respectfully in group
discussions
-
work productively with others (a learning
community)
-
well-reasoned arguments rather than opinions
voiced without adequate thought or commitment
-
uses varieties of sources of information with
different perspectives
-
makes well-reasoned and informed decisions
ACTIVE
-
flexibility requiring reflective thinking and
decision making as events unfold during instruction.
-
captures "teachable moments"
-
physical activity as well as thinking activities relates prior knowledge to current experiences
-
via discussion, readings, writing, etc.
-
"hands-on" and "minds-on"
Return
to top of page
|
