Why Social Studies?
You are bearing witness to historic times. Voting is Social Studies in action. You are becoming the primary resource for your children and grandchildren. Auspicious you say? Every election brings hope for a new beginning. Either way, politics is every bit a part of Social Studies as addition and subtraction is to mathematics. Why Social Studies? Because it’s about the ideals this country is based on: democracy, civic duty, unalienable rights.
What IS Social Studies?
The National Council of Social Studies defines it as “the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence.” In other words, stuff you need to know in order to be a functional and contributing member of society. So today we started the Hawaii Stock Market Simulation and the question came up, “how is this social studies?” I gulped down the big knot in my throat and went into a lengthy explanation of how Social Studies includes economics, anthropology, political science, psychology and sociology in addition to geography and history. Although I really don’t think he heard one word past the first sentence it really needs to be said. Read on.
Preface to Social Studies Manifesto: The Olympics…an opportunity to interact with the WORLD. Hmmm…sounds a lot like Social Studies.
A word of caution here. Never wear a “Laker Hater” shirt in a household of diehard Laker fans. Believe me, I’ve tried. Similarly, never tell a Social Studies teacher that you hate that subject because it’s “boring.” Don’t worry, unlike the Laker Lovers I live with, I won’t cast the most double-dog-evil-eye curse in your direction but rather, my response to you would be to tell you “how unfortunate” you were. I may even apologize. Why you ask? How could anybody be excited about dead people, long forgotten events and a bunch of dates that conceivable only a math teacher may get excited about? Well, before I answer, another warning-you are about to get a very long-winded answer that even a stat-touting, Kobe-adoring, Magic Johnson wanna-be would be proud of.
Social Studies is about people. How can you not love people? Ever find yourself in Ala Moana Shopping Center (or someplace similar) watching the tourists walk by? Back in college, I found myself doing that a lot. It didn’t help that I was a poor college student and so the next best thing to shopping was listening to the accents, observing the mannerisms and even amazing myself with the variety of people and cultures out there. I always understood that living on an island leaves us somewhat isolated. Social Studies then, exposes the world in all of its magnificence. We learn about the uniqueness of people and yet, the similarities that we share. Religion, art, history, these are some of the themes that link us, no matter how many miles separate us. Social Studies is about being human, in all its glory and imperfection.
Social Studies is about discovery. It is about learning why things are the way they are. I know, this sounds cliché but it’s true. A really famous and talented historian by the name of David McCullough said it best. “If you know history, you know there is no such thing as a self-made man or self-made woman. We are shaped by people we have never met.” That means that somebody, way back when did something that is affecting us today. We are the living reminders of decisions and choices made long ago. It is our kuleana to ask the questions and to seek out the knowledge that will make us citizens of time; past, present and future.
Social Studies is about emotion. It represents passion, sometimes at the expense of reason. It represents bias and goodwill, all on the same page. Social Studies teaches us that it’s not good enough to remain stoic about issues going on around us. We need to experience it with our five senses because only after we’ve digested the facts can we knowingly make up our mind and do something about it. Social Studies teaches us that we, individuals in an increasingly global setting, cannot go through life denying ourselves the sight, sound and taste of the truth for to do so would be the same as taking a nap your entire life.
Social Studies is about application. It is the glue of education, the thing that makes science, math, language arts, music, etc., stick. This is why you need it because it not only helps you to become a better thinker, but because it helps you use all the stuff you are learning in your other classes, as well. You will calculate distance in social studies, read pie graphs and bar graphs. Those are skills learned in math and science. You will read and write, read and write in social studies. That’s language arts. Sometimes you may act or sing or dance or draw. See how it all fits under the social studies umbrella? Doing well in social studies means doing well in all your other classes and that’s important. Don’t think of it as a separate subject. Think of it as an opportunity to apply what you are learning in your other academic classes. Think of it as an opportunity to become a better learner.
I think you know where I stand by now and why I teach Social Studies. I could go on and on. I challenge you to see this subject in a different light just as I challenge myself to quietly watch a Lakers game without some remark about “cheesing” or getting beat in the 08 finals. I’ll even stop wearing my T-shirt.
