Each year in seventh-grade humanities, we struggle to make it to the end of the New York social studies curriculum. From September to June, we’re supposed to cover everything from the Bering Ice Bridge to Reconstruction. Having my fourth go at teaching humanities, I can tell you that it is just not possible. Not possible at all.
Why, you ask? Because humanities encompasses not just social studies, but English, too. Theoretically, everything we teach about English Language Arts should be taught through the content of social studies. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening should all be history based. And this is just not realistic, time-wise or interest-wise. We want to teach whole-class novels, we want to have students choosing their own independent reading books, and we want to have the flexibility to write about literature and the current world. Plus, we have a BIG STATE TEST to get ready for, a test that has nothing to do with history. We can’t spend five periods a week teaching history. So what do we do?
We cut. Every year, as we approach June and look back, we realize we have to cut. We’ve tapered down the Native American unit to one day. No joke. Westward expansion? What’s that? Next year, the explorers will have to hitch a ride to the New World with someone else because we’ve got to make it to the Civil War. By God, we WILL make it to the Civil War. We have to. I have to.
The school year is winding down, and the energy required to stay focused is immense – not only for me, but for the students, too. There’s a lot more chatter, a bit more attitude, and definitely a dearth of patience on my end. With six more days left, we just want it to be over. It should be over. And yet, it’s not.
The Founding Fathers have only just started writing the Constitution. There are still a bunch of articles to go. And ratification. My students will get a packet of reading and learn about the Civil War over the summer on their own. Sure, they learned it all in fourth grade, and they’ll learn it all again in high school.
But I’m still trying to get there. And next year, I swear, I will.
It’s a long road you walk. Few have what it takes to do what you do.
That’s quite the challenge…trying to integrate the two. How frustrating to feel like a failure at both when you are putting so much in. I am sure you have given your students many things this year even without the civil war.
Ack! I wish they’d break it into smaller sections and deal with them at different grade levels. I remember my senior history class (in private school) was dedicated to filling in gaps, in depth. We did an entire trimester on American history in the 60′s and 70′s.
Gah! As much as I love the idea of integrating English and History, just thinking about covering that much material makes my hair frazzle and my brain smoke.
Oy! I found half of that time period (Constitution through Reconstruction) to be manageable, but what you’re describing is mind-boggling! What happened to the 6th-grade curriculum? Anyway–I will just say that yay, you get a break for the summer! Congrats on a year of hard work!
I hate to break it to you, but in NY State, 6th grade it dedicated to ancient civilizations. They do this stuff in fourth grade, and again in high school, so it’s not that horrible if we don’t get to it. But still.