On The Importance of Social Studies...

I've had many conversations about the 4 C's  with other educators both online and in person and throughout these conversations, I've continuously returned to the idea of how so much of what is advocated for in the 4 C's and in the NETP, should all be found in a high quality social studies program. What you might be thinking at this juncture is "go figure, a social studies teacher is saying social studies is important." Yes, I am....but humor me for a moment, if you will. 

Social studies cannot be effectively taught without including critical thinking about the motives of historical figures, government officials, economic actors, or psychological theorists; it cannot be effectively taught without teaching students how to effectively communicate with others, especially those they disagree with; it cannot be effectively taught without looking at how different groups of people today and throughout history work cooperatively and collaboratively to accomplish amazing (and sometimes terrible) things; and it can't be effectively taught without looking at all the different advances that have happened as a result of hard work and creativity throughout history in every single field that have made our world what it is today, for better or worse.

When I think about how much of education trends today emphasize the use of technology to realize the 4 C's across the curriculum, I return to my assertion that the 4 C's are the fundamentals of a high quality social studies program; great social studies programs have been helping kids realize the 4 C's long before anyone coined the term "4 C's." In her book The Death and Life of the Great American School System, Diane Ravitch states that she has a "...deep belief in the value of a rich, coherent school curriculum, especially in history and literature." (p. 2) It is through history and literature (and, I would add, all the social studies) that many of the soft skills or non-cognitive learning skills are encountered and honed. The emphasis on STEM in the past decade as well as the shift to a focus/emphasis on math, language arts (sans a heavy emphasis on literature), and science over the past thirty years has left our society lacking in the 4 C's, interpersonal skills, as well as intrapersonal skills that should be part of any high quality social studies program. Technology can help students master these skills but when it comes down to it, interacting with other humans in a kind, productive, thoughtful fashion is a skill that is transferrable across mediums from face to face to Facebook.

Though I've found no strong evidence of causation anywhere in the literature, I suggest that, based upon my own observations, there is very strong relationship between the decline in the role of social studies education in our schools (due to the focus on math, science, and language arts) and the increase in partisanship, nasty civil discourse, and the inability of individuals to compromise. 

Any current education policy emphasizing STEM focused curriculum and standardized testing focused on math, science, and language usage needs to take a moment and reflect on what is being given up if these things continue to be obsessed over. Our approach to education needs to change to one that is more holistic if we are going to function as a society because, in the words of one of my wise colleagues, "The true test of a child's education is not the GPA, ACT/SAT or other trivial academic recognition. Rather, it's how that child uses that education to improve themselves and the communities they live in."