Learning Social Studies with digital tech: Time to Reflect on an amazing course

The Social Studies Methods class was certainly one that I have gained the most from. From the first class to the very last class we were in engaged in learning and exploring new materials that we will be using in our classrooms. The format of the class was well designed to allow each student an opportunity to grow and develop in our craft. On the first day I filled out a Self-Analysis of SS Methods Course Knowledge & Skills Inventory. As I had checked off the boxes to indicate what I already had knowledge or skills of I quickly realized that I had a lot to learn this semester. I was actually surprised that I did not know that much since I was at the end of the graduate program, but I was confident that by the end of the semester Dr. Smirnova would have me checking off many more of the boxes that I was not able to when I started the class.

I can recall the first night of class when we had all began to explore the eclass and whispered to one another WOW! I understood that it was going to be a challenge to get everything accomplished, but I knew that with the expectations being set so high that I didn’t want to let my professor, my peers, or myself down. I had to manage a way to do it and take each assignment one at a time! On the last day of class as I took Self-Analysis Knowledge and Skills Inventory survey for the second time I am happy to say most of the items that I had not been able to check off in the beginning of the semester had been checked off after the fifteen weeks had passed. My accomplishments were due to a lot of hard work and dedication on my part, but also because I received continuous guidance from Dr. Smirnova and support from my peers. This experience was one that without any doubts allowed me to grow and develop as a person and future educator.

The activities, readings, projects, lesson plans, and feedback sessions that are done from the first class to the end are all so beneficial in becoming more knowledge about Social Studies and how it can be taught to students in the classroom. The diversity in the material and the style in which it is presented is extremely helpful in learning the content of the material and having it become value-based for each individual. Learning how to make meaningful connections with the content and how we as teachers can share that with students so that they can be engaged in learning it was a key aspect of the course. One of the most valuable topics covered during the semester were the five elements of teaching Social Studies.

As I posted the materials for each requirement that was needed to complete the course I was uplifted to realize that I had been able to accomplish the tasks that had been asked of me. I found a great sense of pride in all that I was able to gain from having this experience. Remember the bar is set high so we do our best to reach it! As we teach our students in our classrooms we too have to bring this philosophy to them. Each and every student will benefit from the bar being set high and achieving those goals. As teachers we bring with us pedagogical knowledge and an understanding of the content study in Social Studies. This applies to our students as well, they have develop both deep and fraile knowledge that we will need to allow them to include as we guide their learning to continue on specific topics.

Some reflective feedback that I provided to my peers can be found at:

Group 2 - Observation reports

DI lesson

IPM lesson

SIM lesson

Group 3 - Observation reports

DI lesson

IPM lesson

SIM lesson

Some reflective feedback during CoOperative Learning:

Unit Plan feedback