Date

8/31/1
6

Name: Kaitlyn Hamlin

Class/Subject: EDTL 2760

Title: Why Kids Dont Like Social Studies

Source(s): Schug, M. C., Todd, R. J., & Berry, R. (1984). Why Kids
Don't Like Social Studies. Research in Social Studies
Education, 1-6. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
Page #

The Text Says

Notes (key concepts, direct
quotes, etc.)
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.

I Say
My notes, commentary

I agree with this statement completely.

Personally my teachers that I have had did a
wonderful job of teaching the subject, however,
they typically failed to make social studies
material relative to the students. When someone
tells me that they didnt enjoy social studies I
always respond with Its because you didnt
have an effective teacher. Social studies is the
backbone of who we are and our students should
know that.
5
The most frequent student
Although students attributed social studies
comment was that social
content to their boredom I feel that a teacher
studies was boring. Most
who is passionate about the subject will always
often, boredom was attributed find a way to make their lessons fun and
to social studies content, but
interactive. Students may perceive the content to
teaching methods were also
be boring but I believe it is much more about the
mentioned.
method of teaching that attributed to their
boredom whether they realized it or not.
6
The pattern of student
This is obvious to anyone who is willing to look
responses clearly suggest that
a bit closer into social studies education. Weve
more active learning
known this to be true for years. Why hasnt
experience and greater variety there been any push for change? Students
in teaching methods are ways
clearly need to be engaged in lessons yet there
socials studies instruction
are teachers out there who are still telling their
could be improved.
kids to just open their book and do their
worksheet. As an aspiring teacher, it is
incredibly frustrating to see that teachers arent
willing to listen to their students to help them
learn in ways that better suite them. Social
studies is extremely relevant to everyone and it
is hard for me to believe that there arent better
ways we could be teaching.
Connections: The reason I want to be a high school history teacher is because one particular

teacher. She was much different than most of my previous social studies educators. I was
fortunate enough to have her because she made history come alive. Our classroom was
engaged and interactive. I only wish that I was able to have more teachers like her. The
experience I was able to be a part of set me on a mission to continue passing down history
in a way that means something. She set a fire in me that has yet to burn out, social studies is
so relevant and important in my life. I can only hope that my students someday will find the
same experience in my classroom.
I agree with most of the findings in the article Why Kids Dont Like Social Studies.
However, I believe that the information is a bit dated and we would benefit from seeing
information that is fresh. I would be interested to see the comparison between the findings
in this particular article to a similar article with current statistics.