Different perspectives on a topic can be obtained from a variety of historic and contemporary sources. Sources can be examined for accuracy. Content Statement:
16. The ability to understand individual and group perspectives is essential to analyzing historic and contemporary issues. Content Statements:
18. Participation in social and civic groups can lead to the attainment of individual and public goals.
19. Informed citizens understand how media and communication technology influence public opinion.
(Ohio Dept. of Education, 2009)
These content statements are grounded in the student’s ability to use metacognition as a tool for understanding government and citizenship, however these statements are very broad and give the teacher very little direction to guide their instruction. These standards involve skill based knowledge, which is difficult to assess through multiple choice tests. So not only do these standards need to be revised, but there also needs to be a more concise method for informing teachers within these standards how they should teach and assess these skills in the classroom to help students acquire them. These standards also ignore the importance of verbal communication and …show more content…
The interactions with their peers determine the types of communication behaviors they develop and display. Schools play a pivotal role in the development of communication behaviors; they are also responsible for protecting each student’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. By fostering good communication skills in their students, schools can eliminate some of the risks associated with student conflict because they are able to communicate issues with one another before they escalate to violent outbursts. Schools must rely on the social studies classroom to help address these peer conflicts though challenging students to investigate the topic civic participation and apply this knowledge to social