Shannon Hardtke

November 17, 2015

Reading Response
This week we looked at chapter 6, which focused on finding ways to
teach geography and anthropology powerfully. I specifically enjoyed the
sections that focused on what anthropology is and how it can best be taught
within the classroom.
A topic that I cannot remember being explicitly taught during my
elementary social studies days, anthropology could be an invaluable tool if
used properly. The chapter describes the study as one that looks at cultures.
This idea of meaningful diversity that students understand and connect with,
is one that schools could really benefit from embracing and incorporating to
a fuller capacity. I found the chapter to be very helpful in its guidance of how
to best confront the topic, which could negatively lead to feelings of
different-ness, rather than positive feelings of together-ness. The idea of
focusing on general similarities, and then allowing for integration of unique
individual differences, was one process I could see myself using in the future.
I especially appreciated the ideas surrounding family involvement and
students being able to introduce their classmates to their culture. The next
step would be an educational one, asking students to make connections
between these far off places or people, and their lives today. The chapter
headed in that direction, talking about comparison between different parties.
As teachers, we must differentiate based on what we know about our class
and the content they can handle. What activity would be most meaningful for
the students I will be working with? Different types of charts and projects,
ask students to utilize different factors. The book provided two great
examples, one looking at a comparison of facts, the other looking at a
comparison of need. Both factors play a large role in anthropology, so
providing students with meaningful materials such as these, make the
learning more manageable and organized.
The other idea that I really enjoyed was the center box project. I think
that creating and providing students with resources that allow then to
interact with other cultures and people in a low pressure environment would
be incredibly meaningful. I think that often times it is difficult for students to
see other countries as anything other than far away places or different.
Giving students hands-on opportunities to simply come into contact with
those ideas is something that could be easily overlooked but could also be
easily made for a class. I appreciated this chapter because I thought it did a
nice job of being concise with information and direct with instruction.