Mysyk 1

Joseph Mysyk
EDTL 2760
Nancy Patterson
9/27/16

Blog 1: What is Social Studies, and why do we teach it?

Are we teaching students the wrong parts or not putting enough emphasis on sections of
Social Studies?
Should Social Studies only be taught to teach children how to become active citizens?
What is the need to teach students about our nations past?
These are all questions that I have thought to myself during my first three weeks of field
experience. Sitting in a classroom watching students listen to every word their teacher says and
writing it down as fast as they can so they dont forget it, made me question whether or not the
information that they are learning is going to be of any use or importance to them in their futures.
Shouldnt teachers be filling these students brains, which are like sponges absorbing new
information left and right, with information that will benefit not only them but their country?
And if the questions that I am asking are not the right ones, then what are?
Are teachers focusing on the wrong parts or not putting enough emphasis on sections of Social
Studies?
All parts of Social Studies serve a specific purpose and have an important role in education.
However, with how much our nation now relies on other nations, I believe that it is time that we
start to emphasize the importance of teaching students about other countries and the way that
their governments are being run. Most of the items that Americans use in their everyday lives
come from another country. America is not the power house that it was in its prime. So, if we
cant beat them, we might as well teach our citizens how to work with them. By focusing Social
Studies on other countries economies and the way they function then we will be able to expand
our own economy or make advances in the way our country carries itself. Another section of
Social Studies that could be expanded is Government. By teaching students about our own
government in a more detailed and complex way that grabs the students attention, then our own
government can enhance the way it is run and it can shed light on future or ongoing problems in
our nation. It is up to our American educators to instill this desire to be a part of our countrys
democracy because these students parents will most likely give them a one-sided opinion and
not talk about the aspects of the other party unless it is in a negative way. And because of this,
teachers need to stay impartial when teaching government. According to an experienced
educator, It is important of us to mine our beliefs about social studies in order to realize the
citizenship mission of the social studies (Patterson, 2012). So what teachers need to do is
encourage students to do things such as pay attention to political debates or just watch the news
for a few minutes every day instead of cartoons, so students can become more intrigued in our
government and make decisions for themselves.
Should Social Studies only be taught to teach students how to become active citizens?
No, while this should be a large part for why we teach students Social Studies it should not be
the only thing that we are teaching. But many teachers would disagree. A recent study indicated

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that, 83 of the 400 teachers surveyed agreed that citizenship is either the most important or one
of the most important goals of the field (Patterson, 2012). That is almost of all Social Studies
teachers that believe that teaching students to become model citizens is the most important thing
in Social Studies. Yes, teaching students how to become active citizens in a culturally diverse
society is one of the most important aspects of Social Studies, because one day these students
will be making decisions for our country. So, it is important that they are taught all aspects of our
government and the duties of a United States citizen. However, students need to understand how
they got these rights in the first place, and who the people are that gave their lives to give them
these rights. By only teaching them about our government we would be restricting them from
learning things such as the geography of how our country formed, and how some of the first
humans ever we able to make it to America because if these students looked at a map right now,
they would notice that America isnt connected to Europe or Africa. These are just a few example
of why we need to teach students more than just our nations government.
Why do we need to teach students about our nations past?
We need to teach students about our nations past for then we can somehow get back to it. If we
look at our nation today compared to how it once was, we can clearly notice the differences.
America is not the greatest country in the world anymore (Sorkin, 2009). This is one of the
truest quotes I have heard in my life, and the more and more that I hear this and look around at
the people in our country and the way that our country is being run, this statement is becoming
more and more true. And with upcoming generations being labeled The. Worst. Generation.
Ever. (Sorkin, 2009) there needs to be a change. This change needs to start with teachers and the
curriculum that they teach. We must teach students of all ages about historical America, the
greatest country of all time. We need to start by teaching students of the first settlers in America
and their mission, to explore, find new things, take risks, find solutions to problems such as
being ruled on unjustly, and not care of the risk as long as it is to better their new nation. We also
need to teach about the world wars and things such as Pearl Harbor, and how if anyone hurt or
tried to mess with America, that we would show them just how truly great and powerful of a
nation America was. Students need to learn about a time when their beloved devices werent
made in China or some other country, but by hard working Americans who loved their country
and would do anything for it. So why do we need to teach students about our nations past?
Because if they see what a little hard work and determination can do for a country, then it will
light a fire in them, the same fire that was in our brothers and sisters before us. And with this fire,
America will become great again.
Field Experience
For the past three weeks I have been going to Perrysburg Junior High School, in Perrysburg
Ohio, where I have been observing and assisting Craig Kruger in 8th grade U.S. History. Mr.
Kruger has been teaching Social Studies for the past 25 years. In addition to teaching Social
Studies he coaches football, golf, and girls basketball. Besides the first day where I walked in
and he mistook me for being the Tech guy which lead to confusion for both of us, we have
made a very nice bond. The classroom its self its very well behaved and eager to listen and learn.
It is also a more modern and advanced class room in the sense that every student has their own
computer where most of the tests and homework is completed on. They are currently on the first
settlers to reach America, and are focusing on more specific details such as things like the
mayflower contract where they had an assignment where they had to read and interpret sections

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of the document. When Mr. Kruger was teaching there was very little to no side conversations
and everyone seemed to be very involved in what they were learning. I can honestly say that I
wish that I had Mr. Kruger for Social Studies because the way he teaches and relates history to
his students makes it seem a lot less than a lecture but more of a first-hand experience. One
specific technique that he did in class was when he was talking the first settlers to ever walk on
American soil and he compared it to the television show Naked and Afraid. He said that the
first settlers were just like the people in the show, in how they were afraid because they didnt
know what was around or what could be watching them, just like the people in the show. But
because he was teaching 8th grades who can be immature, the second that he said naked all of
the boys and girls who werent paying attention instantly snapped to, and began to participate. I
confronted him after to see if he also noticed what I saw and he claimed that he did it on purpose
because by saying words such as naked to an immature audience it instantly makes them pay
attention to see what he is talking about. I could go on about the small things he does like this,
but I will end it by saying that I am honored to shadow him for the next 10 weeks because I
already know I am going to learn so much.

References
Patterson, N., Misco, T., & Doppen, F. (2012). Beyond personally responsible: A study of teacher
conceptualizations of citizenship education. Education, Citizenship, and Social Justice,
7(2), 191-206.
Sorkin, A. (2009). The Newsroom First Scene. YouTube Video retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJWKccHQFOA