Social Effects on the Disappearing of Social Studies in Elementary School
Imagine adults who have not learned about history, civics, economics and geography while they were in elementary school. Imagine a future where our diverse heritage is not taught in schools. Where will we find ourselves if our diverse people do not find common ground? Well folks, this is happening today in the aftermath of No Child Left Behind.
Curriculum Narrowing
A phenomenon is upon us—albeit unintended— as a result of our focus on testing in schools. It is called curriculum narrowing. This consequence can be defined as a shift in focus to tested subjects like reading, writing and math, at the expense of non-tested subjects like social studies, science, PE, and the arts.
Instead of providing more options for students, districts are narrowing what has always been important in education—to teach kids about the world they live in and their place in it. Cutting back time spent on social studies could have consequences we will regret later—like a lack of common background knowledge and vocabulary so essential to our living and working together in a democracy.
Social studies instruction provides the foundation for contextual learning needed by our students in poverty if they are to compete in a global economy. For high and middle socio economic status students, narrowing of curriculum may have consequences such as limiting rich experiences generally found in public schools of the past, resulting in boredom and disinterest in the content taught at school.
Unintended Consequences
Perhaps one of the unintended consequences of such curriculum narrowing might be a flight of white middle and upper class students to private and charter schools that still offer social studies and rich science programs. This may be one contributing factor causing the re-emergence of segregated urban public schools in the U.S.
Public schools have a monumental opportunity to provide all students with an understanding of the value of their contribution to society and to their success in creating futures that they deem appropriate. Different cultures value different things, and success is relative to who we are as people. Still, building common ground is essential through the learning of social studies with peers in school.
Importance of Cultural Literacy
Cultural literacy is the result of good social studies instruction. It is defined as “the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence (Wikipedia).” Synapselearning says, “It is the study of how people participate in society and how society operates. Through social inquiry children understand people’s role within society.”
E.D. Hirsch, in a research project conducted in 1996, found that Joseph Pentony and others have shown that cultural literacy is highly correlated with academic achievement. Thomas Sticht and his associates have show that the level of cultural literacy is highly correlated with annual income.
Hirsch goes on to describe Thomas Jefferson’s conception of the need for cultural literacy that has been supported by such education greats as Horace Mann and John Dewey. Jefferson said, “…democracy required a ‘common school’ to provide all children equally with the knowledge and skills that would keep them economically independent and free.”
Building Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Key to Student Achievement
Psychological research has shown that the ability to learn something new is dependent upon to connect it to what is already known. In other words, knowledge builds upon knowledge. Since middle and upper class children come to school with more background knowledge than those in poverty, low SES kids are already behind in what they know. Without social studies they will continue to lack essential background knowledge and vocabulary.
The study of social studies is important because it should provides students with the knowledge they will need to live in our society. What could be more important than that? Yes, we need to know how to read, to write, and to do math! But, if we do not know how to live well in community with others, successfully within our society, where can we rightfully apply those skills?
Social Implications
Has the dominant white culture done a superb job of supporting the success of minority cultures in our country? No, not always! Social studies provides a foundation for discussions of the struggles of race and diversity. We need to teach culturally relevant social studies and work diligently to bridge the divides through civics and history. Current events are the purview of social studies curriculum—a powerful place to share issues and build understanding.
It is common understanding that can unite us. Social studies is the venue through which we learn many of these common understandings. To cut it back will only lead to more disparity among the haves and have nots in our country. Where is the social justice in that?
