TO BE A SOCIAL SCIENCE TEACHER
The author is Teacher Floridablanca, Pampanga
MARIE FE T. ARENAS
How is it to be a teacher of social science?
Social science examines various facets of human society, including psychology, sociology, political science, economics, anthropology and history.
Social science teachers help students become active participants in society and government. They lead discussions on current events, global culture and behavioral trends in contemporary society.
The subject introduces students to basic concepts, subjects and methods of inquiry in the disciplines that comprise the Social Sciences. It also discusses influential thinkers and ideas in these disciplines, and relates these ideas to the Philippine setting and current global trends.
In addition, social science educators instruct their students about history, geography and anthropology and how these fields have shaped different groups of people, resulting in cultural, linguistic and social differences.
The social sciences sees educators and researchers use both quantitative and qualitative research methods and studies to explore and introduce questions and issues about people, culture, and politics.
Most social science teachers are experts in a more narrowly defined field, but there are some exceptions, such as those who teach wide-ranging material in what is known as ‘social studies’in elementary, middle and high school classrooms. Since the field is wide-ranging, aspiring teachers tend to encounter an abundance of job opportunities at all levels of education.
At the elementary school level, the social sciences are taught as part of the social studies curriculum which includes history, geography, and touches upon the most basic exploration of fields such as political science, sociology, and anthropology.
Along with English Language Arts and Mathematics, Social Studies is a required school subject, which makes it a common specialization for teachers. Classroom topics typically touch upon varied reading material, tests and assignments related to the government, public policy, and current events.
The curriculum covers a wide range of social science areas, including history, geography, and occasionally political science and sociology.
By high school, the social studies curriculum is replaced by several specific social science subjects, including History, Geography, and the like.
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I at Floridablanca National Agricultural School,