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Social Studies in the 21st century : Enhances Critical and Creative Thinking
ARCHEIR C. FELIX
SHS TEACHER I
ABANON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Social Studies provides knowledge about the current and past events in which students reflect on and think critically and creatively. The past events being discussed in social studies subject are connected to the present situation of the country. Hence, social Studies helps in molding 21st century learners to be critical and creative thinkers.
Social studies molds the minds of the youth based from the lessons we learned from it. In this subject, we learned how our ancestors fought against the oppressors, and that gives us insights on the way we live and act in the present . This statement from a female participant mirrors how social studies influence her to think beyond borders and to reflect critically on how past circumstances can shape the present and the future.
Social studies, therefore, is an excellent avenue to cultivate one’s sense of thinking that can transcend beyond limitations.
MENTAL HEALTH:Importance of strong learning amidst Pandemic Support System in Regards
MENTAL HEALTH:Importance of strong learning amidst Pandemic Support System in Regards
KRISTALYNE S. SALVADOR
Teacher III
Abanon National High School
In the face of this COVID-19 pandemic, schools have confronted unprecedented challenges as they shift from traditional face-to-face classroom setting to remote distance learning delivery modalities. Amidst the great uncertainty, schools heads together with the school planning team, were task to craft the schools’ learning continuity plans to ensure the continuous offering of learning opportunities to the children at the comfort of their home. This pandemic has cause much anxiety, depression and even grief to almost everyone. Everybody is coping with the present crisis and these stressors can trigger mental health challenges to anyone.
Mental health awareness is important issue for all educators, who are often the first line of defense for their students. Education professionals have recognized the impact that student’s mental health has on learning and achievement. And they realized that there’s a great deal that can be done to help students with mental health issue.
In schools teachers may find it difficult to get the real score in identifying learners experiencing mental health issue because they are not meeting them in person. They may wonder on the degree to which they are struggling, particularly with the respect to mental health problem. Not to mention their quick shift and adjustment to the new school format and their experience in learning and answering the modules. Their mental/ emotional health affects their academic learning. Added to this is their families’ overall experience of the pandemic.
As well as increasing a person’s opportunity and choices in life, promoting mental health and wellbeing as a core in education helps students to flourish in their education journey, build resilience against adversity, develop protective factors on mental ill-health, and provide them with skills and confidence to seek help for early intervention.
A whole school approach involves everyone to embed a safe and inclusive learning culture and environments, including the provision to social and emotional skills programs, timely support for those with additional needs, and involving students and families in decision making.
Resilience is the ability to cope and thrive in the face of negative events, challenges or adversity. It is skills that can be develop to our students through positive social connections, nonviolent environments, life skill such as positive coping and problem solving skills, pro-social values, positive self—regard, and sense of purpose and responsibility.
When school staff, leaders, teachers and educators are given the resources and tools to promote and model behaviors, values and inclusivity, this improves teacher student relationship and builds inclusive and safe school communities to support everyone’s wellbeing and improved learning outcomes.
Promotes Values Formation
ARCHEIR C. FELIX
SHS TEACHER I
ABANON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Social Studies likewise promotes values formation in 21st century society. Learners can learn the past lessons and process these values towards contributing to the nation's greatness. As claimed by one participant, ―social studies is still relevant today because we learn to appreciate our value system as Filipinos and apply these values in our lives . This implies how critical social studies in cultivating the Filipino values such as malasakit (empathy, sympathy, compassion), utang na loob (norm of reciprocity), lakas ng loob (courage), pakikisalamuha (act of mixing), and pakikisama (being united with the group), among others.
Another participant also stated that social studies teaches people to be more responsible members of society. This bespeaks the role of social studies to develop responsible, law-abiding and community-oriented individuals. Norms, values, and behaviors change in a given society . With social studies, these values could be preserved and further embodied by the people despite the changing times brought about by the new industrial era and age of digitalization.
The social studies subject is very relevant in the 21st century landscape as reflected in the students’ perspectives. Social studies encourages community participation, enhances critical and creative thinking, fosters cultural sensitivity, promotes values formation, and broadens global perspective. It can be deduced that the relevance of social studies in the current era is undeniably present
Encourages Community Participation
ARCHEIR C. FELIX
SHS TEACHER I
ABANON NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Social Studies promotes civic competence. It encourages students to take part in social issues and discussions. It serves as a catalyst to enable students to initiate actions for community-centered development. One male participant shared that social studies is important because it encourages us to take part in social issues and contribute to the solution of different societal problems. It accentuates the people's role in solving societal problems and issues towards building a more humane, inclusive, and just community.
Another participant stated that social studies is still relevant in the 21st century because it ―gives us a sense of community as it teaches us the principles of civic engagement This connotes how the subject teaches the students the rudiments of civic engagement and societal participation
DISTANCE LEARNING MODALITY
ODESA O. AGUILAR
Teacher III
Abanon National High School
The pandemic left us little choice in our lives. Distance learning is our only option if we want to continue education this new normal. Through the different learning modalities, teachers and students are able to complete their tasks and reach their objectives.
Online learning is popular as it uses technology and its products, making it appeal more to the young students. It is said to provide an interactive and fast paced learning. It uses a wide variety of educational tools and has access to the latest trends and materials in education.
However, online learning in our country is not as efficient as was expected. The main problem with online learning is accessibility to the students and the availability of a secure internet connection. Students who wanted to join the online classes are limited by their economic status and not all of them have the suitable device appropriate for learning online. The status of the internet services provided in our country is not something we can be proud of. We have one of the slowest internet speeds and it is also very unstable.
Modular learning uses Self-Learning Modules that can either be printed or distributed in their digital copies. Most students are under the modular learning modality. Parents need to collect the modules from the schools and will also be the ones to bring them back. Parents also have a big participation in facilitating learning at home. They have to be in constant communication with the teachers so they are always updated with the activities and announcements.
In the long run, modular learning can be costly and hard to sustain. Aside from this, the students are also having difficulties in dealing with their modules and they believe that they are not learning efficiently through the modules. Some parents are not effective in supervising or assisting their children and the students are left on their own. Being isolated from the teachers and their classmates, the students are very eager to go back to the schools. Talking to their teachers through the social media cannot replace the learning that happens at the classroom.
TV and radio-based instruction is most beneficial to the students located at remote areas, where even phone or internet signals are out of range. TV instruction has been done in the past and has been found to be effective, and so is teaching through the radio. However, it is a one-way communication and there is no way of making sure the students watching or listening really understand the lessons being broadcasted.
Education in the new normal is very unlike the traditional ways of teaching. We can only hope that through these teaching modalities, learning can still take place, so our students can go when their time comes.
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