SSGH Course Reflection

Over the last five weeks, my understanding of SSGH education has changed a lot. When I was younger, all I ever remember about SSGH was lecturing, reading an analysis of a historical document or article, and then filling out worksheets. While they were all valid strategies, they didn't leave a lasting impression on me, because while I'm sure I can read an article and analyze it today, I doubt I can recall any of the information without prompts.
Over the course of this course, I have learned various ways to incorporate activities into the classroom without detracting from the old methods of reading and writing. Even after taking this course my belief still lies in that students should be reading and interpreting the information that they acquire. As well, there will always be a need for teachers to instruct and lecture, and that shouldn't be removed from the classroom.
However, I really like the different activities that can fit into the classroom without giving up all of the …show more content…
In most of the classes I have taken so far, we are encouraged to get students to take ownership of their learning because they will they feel pride and responsibility to understanding the material and instructing others. Another idea I found really good for my future classroom is the long timeline that runs along the top of the class. Students will always be aware of where they are in the social studies and history unit because of arrows, and having students make arrows for the line will allow them to feel a connection and context for their learning. In that same vein, I think I will definitely have a large world map in the classroom as well as a map of Canada, complete with pins and arrows for anything we mention in class. The best part of these ideas is their application to cross curricular material. In any other subject, when a name, date, or location is mentioned that too can be labelled on the timeline or