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.”