Social Sciences Teaching Rationale: Shame on Stories

Jesse Mann
(260497304)

Dr. Paul Zanazanian

EDTL 633-001
Applied Methods in Teaching Social Sciences in Secondary Schools
4 February 2016
882 Words

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Any serious attempt to unravel the story of the past must be governed by
curiosity...preferably the type that transforms ordinary objects or events into mystical artifacts
that threaten to stop the heart. My baptism into this profound sense of burning wonder occurred
the day I discovered what was left of the ammunition dump. How exactly a case of grenades
came to be buried beneath the bushes bordering our neighbor's cornfield is a mystery...the only
soldiers to pass through our narrow valley in recent memory had accompanied Che Guevara on
his final days of flight from the Bolivian army. Further excursions into the forest suddenly took
on a nearly tangible significance, and the joy I encountered in the examination eventually
engineered an endless series of investigations that involved books, filing cabinets, and a great
deal of squinting.
During this pleasure-filled pursuit I gradually matched my endeavors with the concept of
citizenship. Recognizing how the study of history shaped the world before my eyes, I understood
the power of an ordinary narrative...particularly those presented in an imaginative fashion.
Simply sharing my passion for the past with others might have a profound impact on their own
efforts to uncover purpose in the present. This realization more than any other has allowed me to
make my home in the classroom. It is not a complicated arrangement. Palmer (2010) reminds
educators that they teach who they are, a reality that enables my love for history to show itself
rather easily amid pedagogical pursuits.
Clarke and Case (1999) positioned the various intersections of history and citizenship on
a grid, an axis that illustrates competing interpretations regarding the correct application of the
social sciences. On this chart I find myself in the top left corner, caught between an allegiance to
social change and child-centred education. The reason is simple: I want my students to
understand that the world is broken, but in mending it there is great hope. I believe firmly that

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much of this hope lies in young people discovering who they truly are: their strengths and
weaknesses, passions and pitfalls. Obedient students driven by curriculum and the desire for
social acceptance confront injustice because they ought to; men and women who have escaped
oppressive expectations combat the reign of pain because they are driven by passion.
However, it is worth stating that many of the ideas put forward by subject-centred
pedagogy and the adherents of social acceptance offer compelling resources towards achieving
this goal. Often the effort to ensure that students' values align with those being promoted by the
surrounding society result in incredible bursts of self-discovery. Or perhaps an individual might
encounter an unfamiliar ability in the quest to accomplish a particular objective promoted by
pedagogy devoted to intellectual development. While the appropriate combination of citizenship
and social science education will doubtless never be exempted from fierce debate, it cannot be
forgotten that it is the narratives themselves that have the power to transform...however they may
be presented.
Within that sweeping statement, however, belongs a crucial commitment to critical
interpretation. Denos (2008) rightfully insists that students be enabled to experience history in all
of its depth, a dedication that requires students to exercise a mature sense of discernment.
Striking a balance in the classroom between communicating content and cultivating critical
interpretation is difficult, but it can be accomplished with effectiveness. Lesh (2011)
compliments the approach endorsed by Denos and describes in detail how lessons might be
grounded in questions designed to inspire historical thinking. Ideally this model prompts
structured analysis powered by a spontaneous drive to discover. But students will find little more
than frustration without the ability to distinguish reliable facts amid competing claims. Lesh
recommends an introductory project oriented around the examination of contradictory narratives

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in order to establish the practice of critical, historical thinking in a classroom (2011, p. 28).
Though my experience has been limited, I have found this approach productive and flexible
enough to prove quite practical.
Applying this combination of critical interpretation, curricular expectations, and the
desire to witness a series of discoveries that could shift society is quite the challenge when
confronted with diverse learners in the classroom. Here I submit to the incredible insight put
forward by Jeff Zwiers in a brief article published to address this very concern in 2006.
Employing a dizzying range of pedagogical techniques to match an equally imposing spectrum
of learning challenges, Zwiers' practical lessons remain centred on critical literacy. Rather than
simply deferring to a fresh set of learning strategies, I intend to follow a similar course and take
advantage of various methods that incorporate answering critical questions.
I can only hope that in the mist of this wild pedagogical pursuit of pleasure and power I
will avoid getting lost in the struggle to overcome the challenges that separate students from
successful self-realization. I simply cannot afford to lose sight of the goal that governs this entire
endeavor: the appearance of a passionate student willing to tackle injustice with a perceptive
ferocity born out of the struggle to find facts amid the confusing remnants of the past.
Imagination may very well prove to be a reliable ally in this quest, but I suspect nothing will
accomplish more than students realizing that they do not have to be ashamed of their own stories.

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Works Cited
Clark, P., & Case, R. (1999). Four Purposes of Citizenship Education. The Canadian anthology
of Social Studies, 25-35.
Denos, M. (2008). Portals to understanding: Embedding historical thinking in the
curriculum. The Anthology of Social Studies: Issues and Strategies for Secondary
Teachers, 97-106.
Lesh, B. A. (2011). "Why Won't You Just Tell Us the Answer?": Teaching Historical Thinking in
Grades 7-12. Portland, Me: Stenhouse Publishers.
Palmer, P. J. (2010). The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life.
John Wiley & Sons.
Zwiers, J. (2006). Integrating Academic Language, Thinking, and Content: Learning Scaffolds
for Non-Native Speakers in the Middle Grades. Journal of English for Academic
Purposes, 5, 4, 317-332.