TPE 1 Reflection: Identifying Subject Area Expertise

History-Social Science candidates demonstrate the ability to teach the state-adopted academic content
standards for students in history-social science. They enable students to learn and use analytic thinking
skills in history and social science while attaining the state-adopted academic content standards for
students. They use timelines and maps to reinforce students sense of temporal and spatial scale.
Candidates teach students how social science concepts and themes provide insights into historical
periods and cultures. They help students understand events and periods from multiple perspectives by
using simulations, case studies, cultural artifacts, works of art and literature, cooperative projects, and
student research activities. Candidates teach students to independently read, comprehend, and
evaluate instructional materials that include increasingly complex subject-relevant texts and
graphic/media representations presented in diverse formats. Candidates also teach students to write
argumentative and expository text in the content area.
Additionally, History-Social Science Single Subject candidates connect essential facts and information to
broad themes, concepts and principles, and they relate history-social science content to current or
future issues. They teach students how cultural perspectives inform and influence understandings of
history. They select and use age-appropriate primary and secondary documents and artifacts to help
students understand a historical period, event, region or culture. Candidates ask questions and structure
academic instruction to help students recognize prejudices and stereotypes. They create classroom
environments that support the discussion of sensitive issues (e.g., social, cultural, religious, race, and
gender issues), and encourage students to reflect on and share their insights and values. They design
activities to counter illustrate multiple viewpoints on issues. They provide students the opportunity to
use and evaluate strengths and limitations of media and technology as integral tools in the classroom.
Candidates monitor the progress of students as they work to understand, debate, and critically analyze
social science issues, data, and research conclusions from multiple perspectives.
History-Social Science candidates demonstrate the ability to teach the state-adopted academic
content standards for students in history-social science.
o I have obtained a B.A. in History and I have a strong passion for the study of History and the
Social Sciences.
o I will demonstrate the ability to teach CA History-Social Science content standards with the
utmost professionalism and enthusiasm.
They enable students to learn and use analytic thinking skills in history and social science while
attaining the state-adopted academic content standards for students.
o In my History 300A course (Historical Thinking), we practiced the analytic strategy of
reading against the grain and how to implement this strategy when analyzing various
historical sources. The reading against the grain strategy will be a theme for my students
when we dissect various historical sources, events, and people.
o As a coach, I strongly encourage my players to always ask questions, particularly the why
question. As a human being, if you find yourself not asking the why question in almost
everything you do, then you are doing yourself a disservice and thus not pursuing absolute
truth and ultimate knowledge (we are not sheep!). This why question will be a theme in
my classes during lectures, class discussions, and primary/secondary source analysis.
They help students understand events and periods from multiple perspectives by using
simulations, case studies, cultural artifacts, works of art and literature, cooperative projects, and
student research activities.
o I earned an A in HIST 386B (American Social History 1865-present). For this course, the final
project required us to partner up and debate a historical social issue in the United States.
My group debated immigration during the early 1900s and we elected to argue the anti-
immigration position during this time period. To best substantiate our argument, we
researched both sides of the social issue. This project is a great example of simulations, case
studies, cooperative projects, and student research activities. As a student teacher, I will
implement these various teaching strategies in my classes.
They teach students how cultural perspectives inform and influence understandings of history.
o In my History 451A course (Colonial Latin America), I was required to examine Colonial Latin
America from both perspectives: the conquer and the conquered. As historians, we
understand that much of history is dictated and recorded by the winners, which inevitably
silences the voice of the conquered and the minority. It is also important to note, that there
are thousands of cultures and languages spread all across the globe. Everyone has different
upbringings and perspectives molded by their environment, society, and culture. With that
in mind, when studying history, I will construct many lesson plans and lectures catered to
open-minded thinking and emphasize the diversity of seeing the world from different
perspectives.
They create classroom environments that support the discussion of sensitive issues (e.g., social,
cultural, religious, race, and gender issues), and encourage students to reflect on and share their
insights and values.
o Many of my undergraduate History courses focused on the United States and our countrys
history. In these classes, I began to understand that much of our history is not as pretty as
its made out to be. In essence, I have learned to study our countrys history as if Im
examining myself in the mirror: honestly and unbiased. As a student teacher, many of my
lectures and lesson plans will focus on discussing the sensitive issues of the past and relate
them to the present. In my classes, my students will be given the floor and encouraged to
share their analysis and insights; in addition, my students will be taught to listen openly to
their peers insights and have the ability to ask questions in response to those insights.
o There is a saying that I try to live by as both a coach and a teacher: all of the world is my
classroom, and all of humanity is my teacher. In my classroom, students will be greatly
encouraged to discuss, reflect, and relate their personal insights and opinions on various
issues and subjects. As a coach and as a teacher, a healthy mentality is to understand that
we can always learn from our students. I will instill this open-minded mentality in my
students when studying history and in life in general.
Candidates monitor the progress of students as they work to understand, debate, and critically
analyze social science issues, data, and research conclusions from multiple perspectives.
o As a coach, I have learned the value of observation and adaptability. When coaching
athletes, I encourage the development of the individual. I try to create a healthy and
positive environment for my players in which I coach, instruct, and critique, but throughout
my practices, my players are given freedom to greatly communicate and interact with their
teammates. I have learned to take a step back and monitor the development of the
individual and the team, as well as observe the effectiveness of the certain drill or
scrimmage in which the team is partaking in. In relation to the classroom, I believe it is
important to let the students dictate the direction (to an extent) of certain discussions or
debates. When studying and analyzing history, it is important to give the student a forum in
which they can confidently and openly discuss, but at the same time monitor the progress of
the students. Based on my observations, I will adapt by constructing future discussions and
lesson plans to most effectively promote the overall progress and learning of every student.