Reflective Statement for History/ Social Science

To teach history-social science in an elementary classroom a teacher must have broad content
knowledge in history, as well as a clear understanding of geography, economics, political
science, anthropology, psychology, sociology, and the humanities, at the world, country, state and
community levels. Beyond content knowledge, elementary school teachers need to know how to
read maps and gather information from them. They must also know how to look critically at the
data from primary and secondary sources so that they can look past biases and stereotyping to
see the historical contributions of all peoples in our multicultural society. Finally, teachers must
know the cultural backgrounds of their students so that they can bring history alive by
connecting it to the lives of their students.
My history and social science classes have provided me with the broad range of content
knowledge necessary to teach the subject in elementary school. At the world level, Geo 5 and
HIS 140, History of Early Civilization, taught me about the cultures of people throughout the
world past and present. At the country level, HIS 101, U.S. History to 1877, and HIS 301,
Individual, Family, and Community in Historical Perspective, gave me an understanding of
American history from the events that define each era to the values and experiences of the people
who live at that time. At the state level, LBS 375, California Experience, taught me about
Californias government, economy, and population present and past. Finally, both HIS 301 and
LBS 375 provided me with information about the history of Los Angeles County and the
communities within it. As far as critical thinking skills go all of my History/ social science
courses helped to enhance my critical thinking skills, taught me how to look at history from a
multicultural perspective, and use teaching techniques that being history alive to todays
students.

The artifact I chose is an essay I did for LBS 375 about the experiences of women and
African Americans in Californias defense industry during WWII. I chose this as my artifact
because, I believe it shows my ability to use primary and secondary sources to analyze and write
about events and peoples of the past. Furthermore, it shows that I am able to look at an aspect of
California history, which occurred during the states period of rapid population growth, from a
multicultural perspective, as is required in the CCSS 4th grade standards. Finally, this essay
shows that I am also able to look past biases and prejudices to see how the actions of
marginalized people from the past have had an influential effect on present day life and the rights
we as Americans currently hold.