DCPS Social Studies Curriculum Concerns

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know OP. My 6th grader has zero knowledge of how big the US is or where it is in relation to other countries. He was shocked that it takes less time to fly to the Dominican Republic than San Francisco. I said, “Look at the map - California is much further away.” He said “We learned in Social Studies that maps are bad because they make Africa look small.” 🤡

I'm sorry, did you expect us to believe this? What a dim view of educators you must have, to think that parents would believe such clearly fabricated nonsense.

this is what he told me! if your DCPS child had lessons in basic geography - identifying states and countries on a map - let us know.

6th grade at Deal last year and there was a lot of emphasis on maps and geography. He was better at identifying countries in Africa and Eastern Europe than I was. They covered maps of the whole world by continent and the US by state.

We all know that Deal is the only functioning middle school in DCPS, so it's not really representative of the rest of DCPS as all. Of course DCUM wouldn't know this because all of DCUM resides within the Deal boundary.

My 7th grader is at Jefferson and does all of the items that were listed at being taught at Deal. In 6th grade did geography, maps, state capitols, etc. In 7th is doing ancient civilizations, beginning with hunter gatherers and is now learning about Hinduism. They have researched debates every Friday where students cite evidence on their topic. They did a research paper comparing and contrasting female rulers of different civilizations. To say that Deal is the only MS doing this work is incorrect.

And in our IB ES, we did westward expansion, origin of the US, the American Revolution, some civics (how a bill becomes a law, etc) and native tribes in various locations of North America.

Considering kids are in elementary school for around 6 years that isn't that impressive. I would hope they learned a bit more history like WW2, the Civil War, something about Asia or Latin America or Africa.

The issues is that there can be a curriculum but often teachers are able to skip or add to the curriculum so if you are with a really good teacher you get a better education and if you are with a dud your kid doesn't learn much.

[Anonymous]

I have a 5th grader at OA and I have been happy with the social studies so far. Leah better than what she had been getting at a Title 1 school. The course work is included in both the Spanish and English classes. They will cover one topic for several weeks of months. They studied inventors (focusing on women and people of color), right now they are studying the history of Western Expansion and impacts and different points of view of different ethnic or impacted groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know OP. My 6th grader has zero knowledge of how big the US is or where it is in relation to other countries. He was shocked that it takes less time to fly to the Dominican Republic than San Francisco. I said, “Look at the map - California is much further away.” He said “We learned in Social Studies that maps are bad because they make Africa look small.” 🤡

I'm sorry, did you expect us to believe this? What a dim view of educators you must have, to think that parents would believe such clearly fabricated nonsense.

this is what he told me! if your DCPS child had lessons in basic geography - identifying states and countries on a map - let us know.

6th grade at Deal last year and there was a lot of emphasis on maps and geography. He was better at identifying countries in Africa and Eastern Europe than I was. They covered maps of the whole world by continent and the US by state.

We all know that Deal is the only functioning middle school in DCPS, so it's not really representative of the rest of DCPS as all. Of course DCUM wouldn't know this because all of DCUM resides within the Deal boundary.

My 7th grader is at Jefferson and does all of the items that were listed at being taught at Deal. In 6th grade did geography, maps, state capitols, etc. In 7th is doing ancient civilizations, beginning with hunter gatherers and is now learning about Hinduism. They have researched debates every Friday where students cite evidence on their topic. They did a research paper comparing and contrasting female rulers of different civilizations. To say that Deal is the only MS doing this work is incorrect.

And in our IB ES, we did westward expansion, origin of the US, the American Revolution, some civics (how a bill becomes a law, etc) and native tribes in various locations of North America.

Considering kids are in elementary school for around 6 years that isn't that impressive. I would hope they learned a bit more history like WW2, the Civil War, something about Asia or Latin America or Africa.

The issues is that there can be a curriculum but often teachers are able to skip or add to the curriculum so if you are with a really good teacher you get a better education and if you are with a dud your kid doesn't learn much.

Went to a big 3 DC private and didn't learn about WWI and WWII until 9th grade.

I don't think you understand how children digest time and history. My ES understands how bills become laws; 3rd grade SS in DCPS. I meet adults in this town who don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know OP. My 6th grader has zero knowledge of how big the US is or where it is in relation to other countries. He was shocked that it takes less time to fly to the Dominican Republic than San Francisco. I said, “Look at the map - California is much further away.” He said “We learned in Social Studies that maps are bad because they make Africa look small.” 🤡

I'm sorry, did you expect us to believe this? What a dim view of educators you must have, to think that parents would believe such clearly fabricated nonsense.

this is what he told me! if your DCPS child had lessons in basic geography - identifying states and countries on a map - let us know.

6th grade at Deal last year and there was a lot of emphasis on maps and geography. He was better at identifying countries in Africa and Eastern Europe than I was. They covered maps of the whole world by continent and the US by state.

We all know that Deal is the only functioning middle school in DCPS, so it's not really representative of the rest of DCPS as all. Of course DCUM wouldn't know this because all of DCUM resides within the Deal boundary.

My 7th grader is at Jefferson and does all of the items that were listed at being taught at Deal. In 6th grade did geography, maps, state capitols, etc. In 7th is doing ancient civilizations, beginning with hunter gatherers and is now learning about Hinduism. They have researched debates every Friday where students cite evidence on their topic. They did a research paper comparing and contrasting female rulers of different civilizations. To say that Deal is the only MS doing this work is incorrect.

And in our IB ES, we did westward expansion, origin of the US, the American Revolution, some civics (how a bill becomes a law, etc) and native tribes in various locations of North America.

Considering kids are in elementary school for around 6 years that isn't that impressive. I would hope they learned a bit more history like WW2, the Civil War, something about Asia or Latin America or Africa.

The issues is that there can be a curriculum but often teachers are able to skip or add to the curriculum so if you are with a really good teacher you get a better education and if you are with a dud your kid doesn't learn much.

Went to a big 3 DC private and didn't learn about WWI and WWII until 9th grade.

I don't think you understand how children digest time and history. My ES understands how bills become laws; 3rd grade SS in DCPS. I meet adults in this town who don't.

I agree with this. Also, I learned much more about WWI and WWII when taking AP European History which was (and still is) an elective, since those wars originated in Europe with honestly the US an important but somewhat tangential player.

[Anonymous]

My middle school child goes to a charter school and they only have social studies half of the year :/ The learned mostly geography... We watch and read a lot about history but I agree that the curriculum is lacking. Especially when there are so many great resources here!