Dorol, Shane Brian J.
BSED SS 1-1
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL STUDIES
REFLECTION PAPER
For many people, Social Studies is a very ‘boring’ and underappreciated course
but what they do not know is that the Social Studies course is a very versatile subject, it
consists of different concepts as it was made up of different academic disciplines of social
science. It tackles economics which studies how people interact with things of value; in
particular, the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, as well
as Anthropology and Geography. Anthropology is the study of humanity, concerned with
human behavior, human biology, and societies, in both the present and past, including
past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavior, while cultural
anthropology studies cultural meaning, including norms and values while Geography is
a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and
phenomena of the Earth and planets, it is also is the study of places and the
relationships between people and their environments. Geographers explore both the
physical properties of Earth's surface and the human societies spread across it.
Moreover, it also covers the society, the people living in it, and the way it works, which
is why it includes Sociology, Psychology and Political Science. Sociology is the study of
human behavior and it refers to social behavior, society, patterns of social relationships,
social interaction, and culture that surrounds everyday life, Psychology on the other
hand deals with the human mind and behavior, it includes the study of conscious and
unconscious phenomena, as well as feeling and thought and last but not the least, the
governing part of social science, Political Science also known as called ‘politology’, is a
social science which deals with systems of governance, and the analysis of political
activities, political thoughts, associated constitutions and political behavior.
Identical to the characteristics of other courses, Social Studies has its own
objectives corresponding to its disciplines and concepts. Namely, to understand our
environment and find out the problems surrounding it, with Social Studies we can be
able to pinpoint problems existing in our environment by having a research and studying
the society. With the use of Political Science we will be able to understand the laws of
our country, how we should obey them and also our freedom and rights so that we can
prevent oppression the corrupt. It also helps us understand the importance of hard work
and honesty in times of predicament, for example, the situation we are in, the pandemic
crisis, cities are on lockdown and quarantine and because of it our society is on the
brink of collapse, manpower and honesty is needed in order for us to survive. We can
learn all of these through different methods such as the Inquiry method in which it is a
student-centered method of education focused on asking questions, Observation
method, a way of collecting data through observing. Field trip method in which learners
obtain first-hand information by observing places, objects, phenomena and processes in
their natural setting. Learning through different concepts and finally, Discussion method
in which a variety of forums for open-ended, collaborative exchange of ideas among a
teacher and students or among students for the purpose of furthering students thinking,
learning, problem solving, understanding, or literary appreciation.
In conclusion, the social studies serve to enhance the understandings of students
about the world beyond their immediate experiences. Social studies students learn how
issues in history and society have been responded to. They learn of mistakes that have
been made in the past and the consequences of those mistakes, whether it’d be in
history, economics, psychology, etc. As the saying goes, “Those who do not learn from
the mistakes of the past are bound to repeat them.”
