Final Thoughts on Social Studies

As i reflect back on all the readings and discussions we had in class about social studies, the one thing that i came away with that i think will be most beneficial to me is the notion that social studies is literally everywhere. It is the backbone to the daily functioning of the classroom and the general environment of the classroom. While there are units such as history or geography that most people think of then they think of social studies, it also encompasses learning about diversity, common courtesy, understanding individuals and groups of people. Essentially these lessons are what help to shape people as individuals and dictate how their perceive the world around them.
Though the heightened demand for more math and ELA time take away from specified curriculum focus time, social studies can weave itself in and out of other subject areas such as literature and science as well as during class meeting or open circle times. A teacher just has to be creative about finding the appropriate times to integrate social studies into the school day. Before this class i had a much more narrow perspective on social studies and this course has taught me not only how essential social studies is in elementary school but that i can and must be creative in my teaching of it to ensure that the students also understand and appreciate social studies.