As another semester comes to an end, I think about and reflect on all of the things that I have learned not only in my Social Studies Methods course but in all of the methods courses that I have take thus far at the mount. Although it wasn't always easy, I am truly grateful to both my professors and my peers for pushing me to be the best teacher candidate possible and for giving me the opportunity to grow as a student, a professional, and most importantly a person. I have gained an incredible amount of insight and knowledge from this course and I am so proud of the improvement that I have made since beginning the journey.
Prior to starting this course, I was very apprehensive because social studies was never my strong point and I was afraid that I would struggle to create powerful lessons for my students. However, this course gave me the confidence that I needed to be a successful social studies teacher. One of the biggest things that I learned from this class is what social studies teaching entails. It is not just about delivering the facts and getting students to learn the material, it is about helping students to become informed citizens in a culturally diverse society and allowing them to develop the skills that they need to be contributing members of society.
Through this course, I have been able to get a clear picture of how I see myself as a social studies teacher. I want to create a safe and interactive learning environment where my students can achieve their goals, grow as individuals, and reach the highest level of learning possible. That is why my goal as a social studies teacher is to provide hands-on learning experiences and inquiry based lessons to that the students can take part in the learning and make the connections necessary to acquire new knowledge and skills. I want my students to know that social studies goes far beyond the concepts and ideas related to history, economics, culture, community, and government. I want them to relate all aspects of social studies to their own lives so that they may develop an understanding and appreciation for social studies learning.
So, as this chapter of learning comes to an end, I look forward to being able to implement all of the methods and strategies that I have learned through this semester in the classroom. It has truly been a wonderful learning experience and although I may not be an expert on social studies concepts, I have a strong background on what it means to be a good social studies teacher and how to create meaningful lessons for my students. In my opinion, that is what being a good social studies teacher is all about and I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to take these courses and learn all of the wonderful thing that I have learned throughout this semester and over the past two years.
