Two-Column Notes

Date:

Name: Carson Firestone

Class/Subject: EDTL 2760

MR Title(s): Why Kids Dont Like Social Studies

MR Source(s): Schugg, M. C., Todd, R. J., & Beery, R. (1982). Why Kids Don't Like
Social Studies.
Page #
47

The Text Says

It is apparent that if social studies 'is
perceived by young people as not being
valuable, then learning social studies will
be adversely affected.

50

One implication of student thinking about

the importance of social studies is that we
do not do a very good job of
communicating why social studies
knowledge and skills are valuable

52

The comments of students about what was

not interesting in social studies reaffirms
many of the concerns expressed by people
in the field for several years. Clearly, many
*students find social studies content to be
uninteresting because the information is
too far removed from their own
experiences, too detailed for clear

I Say
I believe this is very true because there is
definitely a perception in schools that social
studies in unimportant. Of the main subjects
taught in schools these days, social studies is
always presented as much less significant then
math, science, and language arts. Students are
pushed to be proficient in other subjects that
will propel them into those fields rather than
study social studies.
The skills learned in social studies are used and
applied differently than those learned in other
subjects such as math and science. Social
studies skills look at a broader spectrum of
ideas and can sometimes entail entire concepts
such as economics or a certain period in history.
Another part of social studies that is important
and often goes unnoticed
The issue with teaching social studies to kids in
high school is that many of the concepts are
things that may not yet apply to them since
they are still kids and not out in the adult world.
Kids dont have to worry about finance or
economics while living with their parents
because most of the time the parents are
providing for them and they are not managing

understanding, or repeats information

learned earlier.

their own money. Also they dont always think

history is important because it is simply
recapping events that happened long before
they were born and they struggle to make
connections between those past events and
their own lives.

Connections to previous MR: I can connect this to my own life because for a long time I was a kid who
agreed with these statements and did not always see the benefits or logic behind learning history and
social studies. However as I got older and into high school I saw how past events shaped the world and
the way it is today as well as I saw how political science and economics is a huge part of how the world
works today and effects everyone all over the globe. Seeing how complex and interesting these
connections were is what made me want to become a social studies teacher.