{"id":1840,"date":"2021-04-01T11:55:43","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T11:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-jefferson-practicalfoundations\/?post_type=chapter&p=1840"},"modified":"2021-04-01T11:55:43","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T11:55:43","slug":"many-social-studies-teachers-are-not-history-majors-this-matters","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-jefferson-practicalfoundations\/chapter\/many-social-studies-teachers-are-not-history-majors-this-matters\/","title":{"raw":"Many Social Studies Teachers are not History Majors. . . This Matters","rendered":"Many Social Studies Teachers are not History Majors. . . This Matters"},"content":{"raw":"
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Of all the subjects, social studies features the fewest individuals trained in that subject. When we look at our country and the \"thin\" state of robust debate in 2020, part of the blame, I believe, can be put upon this fact.\u00a0 In many larger districts, some of the assistant coaches, for instance, are given teaching jobs in social studies. This isn't really the case in New York, but it is elsewhere.<\/div>\r\n
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\r\n\r\nMore on this can be discovered in a good book by James Loewen entitled Lies my Teacher Told Me: What your American History Textbook got Wrong<\/em>? It is well worth exploring--especially if you're going into this subject.\u00a0 (It covers how poorly written these texts are.\u00a0 Since 2016, I'm guessing it's much worse with states like Texas that mandate a text for their state.) Loewen covers these points I'm making in more detail.\r\n\r\nSo without naming names or getting offended and reacting, let's try a thought experiment:\r\n\r\nThink back to subjects you never had covered in your social studies courses. Think about how the courses may well have ended near the start of the Vietnam War. Did some teachers steer you toward conservative--even reactionary--points? What was their attitude as far as the status quo?\u00a0 Even by not covering something, they covered it in a slanted way.\r\n\r\nI mention this side of the political spectrum because my contention would be that some of the anti-fact, anti-reality, conspiracy-theory-laden discussions we have now are due to this leaning. We do know that the amount of education one has can correlate with one's political views, so my point about some of the social studies teachers not having that subject knowledge (or interest) may fit as part of this context.\r\n\r\nIt serves someone's interest to have passive people, does it not?\u00a0 (Cui bono. . .\u00a0 \"Who benefits?\") This is not to say you were mistaught or that there aren't great social studies teacher out there.\u00a0 Just ask oneself: How flexible was their thinking?\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/form><\/div>","rendered":"
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Of all the subjects, social studies features the fewest individuals trained in that subject. When we look at our country and the “thin” state of robust debate in 2020, part of the blame, I believe, can be put upon this fact.\u00a0 In many larger districts, some of the assistant coaches, for instance, are given teaching jobs in social studies. This isn’t really the case in New York, but it is elsewhere.<\/div>\n
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More on this can be discovered in a good book by James Loewen entitled Lies my Teacher Told Me: What your American History Textbook got Wrong<\/em>? It is well worth exploring–especially if you’re going into this subject.\u00a0 (It covers how poorly written these texts are.\u00a0 Since 2016, I’m guessing it’s much worse with states like Texas that mandate a text for their state.) Loewen covers these points I’m making in more detail.<\/p>\n

So without naming names or getting offended and reacting, let’s try a thought experiment:<\/p>\n

Think back to subjects you never had covered in your social studies courses. Think about how the courses may well have ended near the start of the Vietnam War. Did some teachers steer you toward conservative–even reactionary–points? What was their attitude as far as the status quo?\u00a0 Even by not covering something, they covered it in a slanted way.<\/p>\n

I mention this side of the political spectrum because my contention would be that some of the anti-fact, anti-reality, conspiracy-theory-laden discussions we have now are due to this leaning. We do know that the amount of education one has can correlate with one’s political views, so my point about some of the social studies teachers not having that subject knowledge (or interest) may fit as part of this context.<\/p>\n

It serves someone’s interest to have passive people, does it not?\u00a0 (Cui bono. . .\u00a0 “Who benefits?”) This is not to say you were mistaught or that there aren’t great social studies teacher out there.\u00a0 Just ask oneself: How flexible was their thinking?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t

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Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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CC licensed content, Original<\/div>