Lesson Objectives:

• By the end of this lesson, readers should be able to explain :

1.) politics in an elementary-level classroom.

2.) 3 ways politics are handled in a social studies classroom

• 2a) keep politically related topics to a minimum and not let the conversation get too deep

• 2b) posting broad social studies posters

• 2c) avoid correcting

Introduction

In discussions of politics, one controversial issue has been the teaching of politics in elementary schools. On one hand, teachers and parents argue that politics shouldn’t be taught in elementary schools. Others maintain the belief that it should be taught in elementary schools. Politics have now changed and become denser over time, so this topic can cause worries to some and not to others. The overall objective is the discussion of what politics is, the importance of voting, and the differences between Democrats and Republicans. All of these topics are important. The idea of introducing them properly in early education isn’t a bad idea. It’s the depth in which a teacher may go into a specific topic leading in the wrong learning direction. As we all know, children are the future of the country, the values and habits taught to them not only reflect their future. A discussion is a branch off of the lecture or textbook, as a result, it is important that the conversation remain neutral from the teacher’s end. (Krantz & Friedland, 2016)

Take-Aways from interview

Questions!!

1.)

A. C.

B. D.

2.)

A. C.

B. D.

Conclusion

After doing research and conducting an interview, politics in elementary school should be taught to an extent. The basics of who is the current president, what is a democrat, and what is a republican. These are all questions that they should be able to answer and know. Though politics should be taught in school, the curriculum should be very specific to prevent teachers from wandering off into deep conversations. Politics plays such a large part in how our society is formed. Without an understanding of it, young people are more likely to become disengaged or even elect people based solely on personality or media/public opinion, without taking notice of any possible party affiliation, policy/voting records, political and social beliefs, or manifesto. Teaching children early on about the working of the political system, its history, and the variety of political beliefs and theories is important if we want to live in a society where people are interested and engaged with politics.

References

Persaud Education World Contributor, N. (2012). Should educators express their political opinions in classroom discussions? Education world. Education World | Connecting educators t0 what works. https://www.educationworld.com/a_news/should-educators-include-political-opinions-classroom-discussions-41363729

Krantz, G., & Friedland, I. (2016, October 16). Should teachers be allowed to talk about politics in school? The Lion's Tale. https://lionstale.org/3727/opinion/should-teachers-be-allowed-to-talk-about-politics-in-school/

Journell, W. (2017). Teaching politics in secondary education: Engaging with contentious issues. SUNY Press.

Hess, D., & Gatti, L. (2010). Putting politics where it belongs: In the classroom. New Directions for Higher Education, 2010(152), 19-26.