Part 1- Entry 2

Social sciences is about the way in which society works and how people participate in society or learn to participate in society from thing in their past, present and future learning, in a critical, active, informed and responsible manner. 

Ministry of Education (2007) states’ learning social sciences teaches children the skills and understand how to contribute to their local community where they live. An example of this is when we take regular trips to the local library and join in the book sharing where the children red and dance. Adults come and share stories with the children and the children are encouraged to share their own stories. They make pictures and sometimes weave flax and the things they create are used to decorate the library or given to rest homes in the community to be used as decorations. 

Te Whariki (Ministry of Education, 1996) strand belonging stated that through the social sciences children develop an understanding of their place in their family and community and they know their family and their culture have a place within the centre and are respected. An example of this is we have a list of greetings for the cultures within our centre and try to greet the children with the cultural greeting when they arrive. We celebrate the cultural days throughout the year for the various cultures and parent and whanau are always invited to these day and we encourage them to share a story, song or dance from their culture and everyone is included in celebrating our differences and learning more about one another and their customs and beliefs so everyone feels welcome and has a place they fit. 

Ministry of Education (2007) talks about socials sciences being about continuity and change, where children learn about events from the past and the way things have changed. Learning about the changes helps the children understand about the way in which they begin to develop and understanding of how society works and functions. The can begin to create their own identity relating to their heritage from the learning they have received about past events or stories.  In my practice when it was ANZAC we organised for some ex soldiers to come and speak to the children and show them their medals and at an appropriate level how and why they got these medals. I often talk to the children about when I was growing up I did not have all the toys and resources they have and teach them some of the games we played with the minimal resources we had. The children then would tell me about how some of the games they play are like the games I play and how they are similar or different.  

Te Whariki (Ministry of Education, 1996) strand communication states sharing stories and symbols from children’s own culture and other peoples culture helps them to begin to develop an awareness of the importance and depth in which we communicate with others, both verbally and non-verbally. In my practice when we often tell the children Maori myths and legends. The children often with their own initiative will start to act out the legends and show us their understanding of the legend. Sometimes the children will make a dance about a story or legend they have been told from a parent or whanau of a different culture and the children will dance in silence and show their understanding of the legend through their actions like falling down when acting out Maui and the sun when the sun gets pulled own. I encourage the children to continue the story or dance on and make it longer and what they think should happen next for the children to really explore their own understanding and sometimes the relate it to things of their own culture which are similar to the culture of the story.

 References

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education.(2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.