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Infusing perspectives
"We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't." -Frank A. Clark
Today's students bring with them many interests, experiences, and perspectives and they want their voices to be heard. As Marlowe and Page point out, "Classroom settings with students from different cultures, abilities, needs, and interests provide rich learning opportunities...There is virtually an infinite variety of ways to know the world." In order to promote a deeper engagement in the social studies, providing opportunities for students to express their individuality as well as exposure to multiple perspectives is important. Infusing perspectives within my classroom allows students opportunities to communicate and share their perspectives but also encourages students to take on the perspectives of others.
In Dr. Manfra's ECI 526 class, we learned about Powerful and Authentic Social Studies (PASS) standards. PASS standards provide a tool for which social studies teachers can evaluate lessons and promote more engaging and motivating lessons for students. The PASS standards require teachers to evaluate the level of 1. higher order thinking, 2. deep knowledge gained, 3. substantive conversation, 4 connectedness to the world, 5. ethical valuing/ student social support. Lessons that score high on the PASS standards promote more authentic learning which in turn increases student engagement, critical thinking skills, communication skills, and provides students opportunities to insert different perspectives and construct their own deeper knowledge of the content. Throughout my studies in the NLGL program, there were many teaching methods introduced and discussed that are supported by PASS standards. Among these were controversial public issues, problemizing history, and inquiry based learning. When incorporated into instruction, these methods allow students opportunities for greater conversation and communication to reflect on what they are learning and to infuse their experiences and perspectives into their learning.
In Dr. Manfra's ECI 526 class, we learned about Powerful and Authentic Social Studies (PASS) standards. PASS standards provide a tool for which social studies teachers can evaluate lessons and promote more engaging and motivating lessons for students. The PASS standards require teachers to evaluate the level of 1. higher order thinking, 2. deep knowledge gained, 3. substantive conversation, 4 connectedness to the world, 5. ethical valuing/ student social support. Lessons that score high on the PASS standards promote more authentic learning which in turn increases student engagement, critical thinking skills, communication skills, and provides students opportunities to insert different perspectives and construct their own deeper knowledge of the content. Throughout my studies in the NLGL program, there were many teaching methods introduced and discussed that are supported by PASS standards. Among these were controversial public issues, problemizing history, and inquiry based learning. When incorporated into instruction, these methods allow students opportunities for greater conversation and communication to reflect on what they are learning and to infuse their experiences and perspectives into their learning.
The buttons connect to two projects that I completed and demonstrates how students may be provided opportunities to infuse perspectives. The Titanic project is a web quest that I created for my Reading in the Content Area elective. In this web quest, the students take on the role of a passenger aboard the Titanic. It is an example of students infusing perspectives by "stepping in the shoes" of another person. this type of infusing perspectives provides students opportunities to build historical empathy.
The Westward Expansion project was completed for my ECI 525 class with Dr. Lee. For this project, students responded to the inquiry question "Was forced removal of Native Americans necessary for white Americans to move westward?" Students explored various viewpoints of white American leaders and Native American tribal leaders. Students are asked to come to a conclusion in response to the inquiry question and to defend their conclusion. This project provides an example of students infusing their perspectives by having to draw on their own values and experiences as well as their historical understanding of the topic in order to determine their argument. Students then must communicate their view point and argument with class members through a blogging and response activity.
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Illustration: http://tenlessonstheartsteach.pbworks.com/f/MikeB.jpg