Hi all! I am currently working on getting my master’s in teaching, to hopefully become a high school social studies teacher in the US. For all you teachers out there, I was wondering the merits of classroom lectures versus a more ‘hands off’ approach (such as having students discuss sources in small groups, for example). Of course, I’m sure every lesson and topic requires a different approach, but I would love to hear any thoughts/advice!
Honestly, the best classes I ever taught were a mix of both. I’ll do a short mini-lecture (10-15 min max) to give context/framework, then hand it over to small group discussion or source analysis so they actually do something with the info. Straight lecture for a 50 min block loses most teenagers by minute 20, no matter how good you are.
Also depends on the topic - primary source stuff (letters, speeches, photos) works great for small group discussion because there’s room for interpretation. But if you’re covering something dense/factual like the causes of a war or how a government system works, a bit more direct instruction upfront helps before you throw them into group work, otherwise they’re just guessing.
One thing that took me a while to learn: “hands off” doesn’t mean “no structure.” Give groups a specific task/question to answer with the sources, not just “discuss this.” Open-ended discussion time without a clear goal turns into chat about weekend plans real fast lol.
Good luck with the program btw, social studies needs more people who actually care about this stuff!
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I am a bad teacher. It’s impossible for me to teach anyone. But I always was a good student and my teachers loved me. It depends on the teachers how they teach. A boring topic can also be an interesting one.