When I was a student in secondary education, social studies was primarily taught from a text book with the occasional worksheet thrown in for independent work. From my experience it seemed most students agreed that social studies had the most interesting material; yet, many students agreed the methods of presenting the material were often lacking.
In the district I grew up in there was little regard for the teachers who taught social studies due to the limited engagement of students, but the status quo was and to some extent is still maintained. I love social studies and I knew for a long time that I wanted to be a social studies teacher, but felt the job prospects for the subject I loved were scary. It seems today that more states are looking into social studies as a major discipline and hold social studies on the same plane as math, science, and English.
In Mississippi social studies has a high stakes test in eleventh grade which is reserved for American History. The state of Mississippi is looking for capable teachers who can teach social studies and aid students in passing the standardized test.
The MAT program goes beyond teaching to the standardized test by acknowledging that social studies subject matter is directly connected to the other subjects; math, English, and science — for example, Louie Pasteur is often mentioned in both biology books and social studies books. I’ve found that the MAT prepares students to make connections and create a dynamic teaching environment. The plan is to make the work come alive as opposed to simply reading from a book.
Over the next ten weeks, I will be student teaching in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and commenting on my experiences in the classroom and how I am growing. I hope this becomes a good learning experience for me as well as for you, the reader. In addition, if someone is reading who is considering the program, I hope my experiences give you adequate insight to decide if MAT@USC is for you.
Learn how MAT@USC can prepare you to teach in Mississippi by contacting our Admissions office at 888.MAT.1USC or email us at matadmit@usc.edu.
