Lisa Simonet
Teaching Soc. Studies
March 30, 2004
Teaching with Conviction
Social studies education is a highly controversial topic as previously pointed out in the essay regarding the proposed Minnesota social studies standards. As a pre-service teacher, it is imperative that we teach the standards within our abilities but not free of controversy. We can us the colloquial term of wearing our heart on out the sleeve to promote our teaching, but teaching not only includes having strong beliefs but being able to welcome all opinions and feelings. Students should see the worlds as it is and not through eyes of a textbook publisher. They should also feel comfortable to disagree with things and be able to understand that disagreement is a normal part of our everyday existences, while approaching controversial subjects without feeling uncomfortable about their beliefs and convictions. Most importantly, these feelings should be reinforced in a classroom. As a teacher, we must let students feel comfortable with their person views while presenting a professional front. The bottom line: to teach with conviction we must feel comfortable with our own believes before opening up to others.
When asked if teachers should inject the beliefs for a better world into students’ mindset the answer should be a definite yes, but they should not inject their personal beliefs. Many teachers embark on teaching about history with rise-colored glasses and excuse my language but the hunky-dory ad hominem approach of teaching that had been presented through the past generation about the perfect world without inaccuracy promotes fallacy within students. Teachers should give students a chance to look at problems by dissecting them, finding solutions, and applying those solutions. Giving students a real world approach to their learning is going to promote life long retention and promotion of moral s and values.
People are going to disagree as we have pointed this out several times with Minnesota’s proposed social studies standards. Public advocacy groups such as Minnesotan for Better Education, Standards, and Testing (MinnBEST) and Minnesotans against Proposed Social Studies Standards (MAPSSS) have continually proved that ex cathedra expectations passed down by the Minnesota State Legislator does not assist students in their quest of academic intuition. The teacher must take a stand within these realms, have opinions and beliefs apart on what should be taught within the social studies classroom, and have the opportunity to promote their feelings about the standards without feeling tantamount to the beliefs of others.
There is a secondary part of the spectrum and that involves the roles of parents’ conviction in the classroom. A parent no matter how much they state they are allowing their students to explore their individuality does not excuse them from invoking themselves in the education of their child. When a teacher decides to change the approach of teaching with their classroom and begins to implement with students on their changes is going to come with a price. Parents have varying views on learning and some might agree with an alternative learning approach but other might still believe that a suitable education comes from a text book.
Attacking these ideas come with a sore spot in public debate: character education, some individuals affirm that it is the sole responsibility of the home to promote and others see it as the teacher’s job. In fact, this should be a join effort between the home, school, and community. The changes in asocial studies education are similar to what the text points out that we need move on from condemning injustice and speak in terms of alternative futures. This is the first step in helping students become prepare to compete in a global society.
In the most recent draft of the Minnesota social studies standards, very little emphasis is given to teach students to compete in the real world. This is controversial subject muck like character education and has to be addressed in a society that has changed rapidly from our own days of schooling and more so in the last three years. Students should be able to implement their learning by having the teacher promote prove methods in retention such as having students participate in learning by doing and teaching others.
Approaching controversy in the classroom is a tough subject that needs to be handed effectively and refined with practice. There are many ways to hand controversy unfortunately the most frequent approach has been avoid controversy at all costs. The most impotent step is that the duty of the teacher is to be able to present information in a bi-partisan front and promote equity amid liberal and conservatives. A teacher can put further their own personal believes but should not push students into their way of thinking. To start by promoting controversy in the classroom is to teach students that not everything they hear or read might be true and that relentless research individual’s sauces might be the only opting in obtaining the truth. Current we are preparing for the 2004 Presidential election and throughout the next seven month many special interest groups are going to attack the candidate with “Not the whole story” approaches. ON WCC-TV in Minneapolis, MN, address some of the statements with their Reality Check but it is hard to believe when the media is continually promoting fear. Other sources include showing the movie Shattered Glass and talk about the fabrication of news sources through print media. By using these models we can teach students how to hand controversy by give worthwhile fact and providing plainspoken but advised information.
Drawing the line on person views expressed by students is done hen the teacher understand classroom management and hot to effectively implement changes within in their classroom. by having strict measures in regards of handing discussion and using proven techniques regarding discussion management students will slowly begin to feel comfortable bout their own opinions and beliefs. The teacher must take a firm and instantaneous stand on how to handle students in possible instances of bickering and personal cut-downs on beliefs. Limits need to be placed on the amount of talking that one student has during a single class person and be willing to stop students before any instances of verbal bashing. Students should also be able to explain the opposite side of any topic in a matter that through respectful statements to their fellow peers.
As a teacher, I am a professional land I am to fulfill my duties by promoting professionalism not only in the classroom bust also in my everyday life. The expectations of teachers have changed substantially in the past one hundred years and it is obligatory that we continue the quest to obtain professional status. As a teacher, the line needs to be drawn when presenting personal view s in the classroom milieu by only presenting professional bi-partisan views.
With that said, education is a fine perfected over time. With each passing administration, each life changing world event, teachers must come forthright with their beliefs and conviction to prepare students to move forward into the future as erudite individuals. It is our job to place all of our abilities on the front like to teach students how to endorse themselves as future leaders.