1. What do you think are the reasons for such dismal state of Social Studies education in our country?

Answer: In my personal opinion, the reasons for such dismal state of Social Studies education in
Philippines are the following: Inadequacy of Instructional Materials, Lack of Physical Conditions, and
Non-availability of expert Social Studies teachers or should I say Lack of teacher’s training program.
Maybe the government has a low budget in providing textbooks as well as providing a good learning
environment and availability of school facilities. Furthermore, teachers find it difficult to teach lessons
effectively due to their little knowledge. We all know that the subject Social Studies requires teachers to
have depth knowledge of facts, history and relevant events. Based on my experiences, I have some
teachers in elementary that only rely on textbooks and it might be the reason why students have limited
learning experiences. Consequently, the main goal of the Social Studies education in Philippines is not
being met. When the needs of the students were provided, teaching Social Studies education in our
country will be successful and it will no longer be in a dismal state.

2. Suggest ways on how to make the elementary social studies curriculum more relevant for the 21st
century Filipino learners.

Answer: There are many strategies and techniques on how to make the elementary curriculum more
relevant for the 21st century Filipino learners. I know that many teachers struggle in finding ways how to
motivate students to learn because many of them find the Social Studies subject boring. Teachers should
think of some ways that can enhance the 21 st century skills of learners, the critical thinking, creativity,
collaboration, communication, information literacy, media literacy, technology literacy, flexibility,
leadership, initiative, productivity and social skills.

Social studies teachers should integrate technology in teaching lessons. Technology can
motivate students and keep them engaged in the lesson. They can use Powerpoint presentations in
teaching and provide sample videos and pictures to break the paradigm of relying on textbook. Teachers
should provide opportunities for students to have group activities like group discussions, games,
roleplay and talk shows. These are some great ways to engage students and motivate them to love the
subject. Teachers can ask open-ended questions and allow reflection time during discussion. Let
students engaged and motivated by challenging them to solve a historical problem and let them think
outside the box to enhance their critical thinking skills. Music is also a nice way for the students to be
interested in the topic of Social Studies. Teachers can let students to listen to music of different eras.
Make it fun by telling them to make a jingle. They will create lyrics of a song referring to their topic with
today’s beat. This is a challenging task for them but an enjoyable one.

By combining these activities, Social Studies curriculum will be more relevant to 21 st century
Filipino learners and they will also enhance their different skills that can help them to have an academic
success.