Today's young people are a source of growing social and academic concern. According to the Carnegie Corporation, nearly half of some 28 million adolescents in the United States between the ages of ten and seventeen are moderately or extremely vulnerable to "multiple high-risk behaviors." The problems of young adolescents and the changing nature of society are causing a reexamination of education and, in particular, the education of young people at the middle level.
Social Studies and Schools in the Middle
We have adapted a definition useful for social studies for middle level education from Barr, Barth, and Shermis (1977) that sets forth the purpose of the program while addressing the needs of students: the social studies curriculum is an integration of experience and knowledge about human endeavors and human relations designed to foster informed and ethical participation in society.
At the middle level, educators have given considerable attention to issues involving the organization of the school and to the methods of instruction although they have largely ignored many curriculum concerns. School organizational arrangements at the middle level appear to affect the social studies curriculum, but the most recent research indicates that the dominant structure remains rooted in grade-based courses focusing on Western civilization, world cultures, and U.S. history. (Lengel and Superka 1982).
Social Studies Curriculum: Unifying Motifs
The characteristics of middle level learners, can be organized in such a way that four basic themes emerge. To avoid confusion with the term "theme," often used in middle school literature to refer to organizers for interdisciplinary instruction, we shall refer to these as motifs.
These four motifs are categories of concern shared by individuals and the larger society. They should function throughout the program to personalize academic instruction and increase its relevance to the student and connection to societal imperatives. They are concerns which, if addressed positively at the individual level, can result in improved social conditions.
With the adoption of these motifs, the characteristics of the student become the driving force behind the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the program.
1. Concern with self: development of self-esteem and a strong sense of identity _
The personal concerns of middle school students are so powerful that teachers must strongly consider them if meaningful instruction is to occur. The teacher and the curriculum can address the concerns related to self-esteem, physical growth and change, and relations with peers, and other developmental qualities within the context of history, culture, the humanities, and parts of the social studies program.
Anticipated student outcomes include:
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acquisition of appropriate skills and attitudes to be a lifelong learner;
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ability to communicate effectively;
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competence in conducting activities necessary for research, critical thinking, and problem solving;
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ability to recognize and capitalize upon the relationships between school subjects, as well as integrate experiences with academic knowledge;
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awareness and use of primary sources
2. Concern for right and wrong: development of ethics
Ethics has undoubtedly become a major concern in our nation today. Business and government have been tarnished especially by lapses in ethical behavior. Meanwhile, in this environment, young adolescents are forming the personal standards, values, and beliefs that will guide their decisions and actions for life, and thus influence our society. The middle school is the last best place to provide a strong sense of right and wrong to guide students toward problem solving and decision making that integrate the highest ethical standards.
Anticipated student outcomes include:
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commitment to democratic values and ethical standards;
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ability to think critically and to analyze one's own thoughts and actions.
3. Concern for others: development of group and other-centeredness
Students learn to become responsible members of society through interactions with others. Concern for the oppressed and unfortunate is natural at this age and with nurturing can lead to a commitment of service to society. Among the most effective methods for promoting the skills and values associated with democratic citizenship is service to the school and community. Students who learn social studies content through such experiences are able to interact with people of diverse backgrounds and achieve a broad understanding of society.
Anticipated student outcomes include:
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ability to function effectively as a member of a variety of political, economic, and social groups such as the family, marketplace, and the community;
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a sense of efficacy in analyzing and participating in contemporary affairs, public policy matters, and global issues;
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understanding of the significance of the past to one's own life and to current social issues.
4. Concern for the world: development of a global perspective
A global perspective includes the knowledge and attitudes that reflect an awareness of the pluralistic, interdependent, and changing nature of the world community. Middle level learners are developing a broad world view and the schools must engage them in examining the content and context of persisting global issues, the elements of human values and cultures, global systems, and global history.
Anticipated student outcomes include:
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respect for cultural diversity, knowledge of diverse cultures, and intercultural competencies;
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understanding of and appreciation for the delicate relationship between humans and the natural world;
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knowledge of temporal and spatial relationships and of the world as a dynamic system.
In this way, student needs and interests in themselves, others, ethical issues, and the larger world guide instruction toward informed and active citizenship
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