Week 8- October 20, 2010

Entry 8: Due: October 20, 2010

Guiding Prompt: Some people feel that social studies becomes watered down when it is incorporated into integrated teaching and learning. Do you agree? Why or why not?

I agree that social studies becomes watered down when it is incorporated into integrated teaching and learning. Because social studies is full of so much information and many details, it tends to be watered down to some extent in the first place. Thus, when social studies weaved into other subjects, topics, and curriculum's, I believe that the focus on it is lessened and ‘watered down.’ I feel as though this is the way it is with all subjects. Whenever things become integrated or incorporated into one, the focus on each topic/subject area is reduced by at least a small amount. However, I don’t believe this is always a bad thing; I think it is important to integrate teaching and learning from different subject areas. For example, I feel as though using math in a physical education course is very beneficial and useful. Students can calculate their heart rate, speed, body metabolic rate, and many others through different math equations. Although math is incorporated and used into the PE class, it is evident that the primary focus is not on it (thus it is watered down to some extent). This is the way it is with social studies as well. I believe it is important to get students engaged in social studies and give them a thirst for the information. Because social studies tends to be ‘boring’ to many students, it is that much more important to come up with interesting activities and presentations to capture and maintain their attention. In order to achieve this, I believe we cannot afford to lose any valuable information or time spent on social studies (it can’t be watered down). At the same time, I believe integration in a classroom is very important; students should work together and gain insight from each other. In chapter 10 of “Teaching and Learning Elementary Social Studies”, John Goodlad once wrote “students come to school to learn alone in groups” (254). This ironic quote is a good reminder of this (and the purpose/value of school). Dewey was a big advocate for the social aspect of school. A classroom should model a democracy: children should collaborate with one another in order to gain insight from different perspectives and viewpoints. While I believe integration is important in many aspects, I believe the watering-down of subjects such as social studies is a problem and should be fixed.