Who am I? Who are you? Who are we? I often return to these three questions that shape
the curriculum of our pre-kindergarten classroom
as I think about the deep structure of
education, for I believe the questions are as
important for our eighth graders as they are
for our youngest community members. For
that matter, the questions are as important for
the adults working at the school as they are
for our students. On Friday last week, I found that other faculty
members share this view. We had set aside
our faculty meeting to begin a yearlong reflection
on the social studies curricular strand at
Belmont Day School.
Take a moment to think about these questions
yourself. What are your memories of social
studies instruction? History? Humanities?
Who were the teachers who inspired you?
What were the cultures that intrigued you?
What concepts stirred your curiosity? What
learning have you carried into your daily life? |
At our meeting, the faculty divided into
small discussion groups and focused on the
skills, concepts, processes, and content areas
essential to an excellent program. We talked
about research skills, critical thinking skills,
map skills, knowledge of geography, historical
dates and timelines, media literacy, and the
importance of thinking deeply about a topic.
We pondered the role of technology in our
pedagogy. We discussed the connections between knowledge of the past, awareness of the present, and predictions for the future and how we might weave these
themes together.
When we gathered to report on our small group discussions, it
was stunning to me that all of our groups had found their way to
the three questions and then built upon them. One group had added a fourth question:
Where are we? They wanted to emphasize the importance of mapping skills and
global awareness.
“Our students must see themselves as part of a
bigger picture and understand the interconnections that have an
impact on all our decisions. We are sending them into a
global world!” exclaimed one faculty member.
Another group had translated the questions into three overarching
concepts: identity, empathy, and participation in the world. They had
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focused on how we might nurture active citizens of the
world who were willing to take a stand on issues and who cared
about the processes and purpose of living in a democratic society. “Democracy takes time and knowledge. We cannot simply
assume it will continue without our effort. We need to take
seriously the task of educating our students for full participation
in citizenship,” reflected a teacher.
As we think about all the complex dimensions of a rich and challenging
social studies curriculum over the next months, we will
be engaged in many a conversation about goals and strategies,
skills and concepts. But it is clear to me that the key issues of
knowing oneself, appreciating the other person’s perspective, and
reaching out to participate in the community will be the threads
we will braid together as we articulate a reinvigorated social
studies curriculum for Belmont Day School. |
