Date:

11/2/16

Name:
Devon Hundley

Class/Subject:
EDTL 2760: Introduction to the Teaching of Social Studies

Blog Post 8: What social studies content does one need to know to achieve the citizenship purpose?
As I stated in Blog Post 5, for my field placement, I am located at Perrysburg High School. It is a relatively large suburban
school in Perrysburg, Ohio with a decent level of prestige. The classes that I observe are all juniors, and there are also quite a few
students from a variety of other countries. This week, the classroom teacher was behind in grading three periods worth of tests,
because last week she was away at a conference. So while she taught, another observing student and I got to grade and regrade tests.
First and second period had to present a graphic organizer on the main causes of World War I that was homework from the night
before. I was frustrated that the classroom teacher kept leaving the room during the presentations and popping back in to criticize the
work the students had done. She was leaving to discuss a function that she was in charge of organizing, but I felt that should have been

taken care of at another time. Rather than giving any positive feedback, because she did not listen to the presentations, she only
criticized the few things she saw when she did come back to the room. Because she kept leaving, most of the students were not paying
any attention and got nothing out of the lesson. She asked a student what the M.A.I.N. causes were when the presentations were done,
which twelve students had presented, and he had no idea what she was even talking about.
Personally, all social studies content is necessary to achieve the citizenship purpose. Not only are we citizens of the United
States, but we are also citizens of the world. To be a citizen of the world, it is imperative to know and understand the way the rest of
the world lives and functions in their own societies. It is also significantly important to understand how past events have lead the
world to where it is today and how that affects us. If the purpose of social studies is to teach students how to make informed and
reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world, students
need to be taught about the variety of cultures around the world.
SQ 1: What makes a citizen?
According to the Ohio Learning Standards (OLSs) for grade 8, Informed citizens understand how media and communication
technology influence public opinion (OLS.SS.8.19). Students also need to understand the Constitution and how it is the framework of
the country (OLS.SS.8.21-22). Although these are great points, I think there needs to be more focus on how all of the social studies
content makes students better citizens and more information on what to cover for citizenship. Students should be learning what it takes
for immigrants to become citizens of the United States and when laws were established requiring applications for citizenship. The
necessity it is to vote and how the Electoral College and Congress work should be content statements under civic participation.

SQ 2: Should we strive to be good citizens?

Of course we should strive to be good citizens. People should vote and understand why it is so massively important to take part
in that civic duty. People should know the differences in parties, not just Republican and Democrat, and who is running. They should
understand and comprehend how the party platforms affect their individual lives and the lives of the people around them. People
should be aware of international policies and the effects of them on the climate. Being a citizen is being informed and making
reasoned decisions because the world is interdependent and it is essential for survival.
References
Ohio Department of Education. (2010). Ohio's new learning standards: Social studies standards. Retrieved from
http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Ohio-s-New-Learning-Standards/Social-Studies/SS-Standards.pdf.aspx.