Summary of Ideology (17 September 2021)

According to the social reconstruction ideology, the society we live in is extremely

flawed. Because educators have the power to influence their students, the social reconstruction

ideology insists that teachers have the responsibility to spread awareness of social issues and

challenge students to envision a better, more just, society. To implement change, teachers are

challenged not only to address issues in society, but also recognize how societal

issues impact their classroom. Teachers who want to encourage students to make changes in

the world should lead by example. By respecting different

views, understanding children’s cultural backgrounds, and empathizing with students, teachers

can create an inclusive classroom where everyone feels comfortable contributing.  

A common method used to reconstruct common social views is when teachers focus on

sharing marginalized groups’ perspectives. According to the social reconstruction ideology,

discussion and exposure to different experiences are how students become aware

of problems that other individuals face. When educational systems share the views of

marginalized groups, students and educators can rework their understanding of the world and

become more informed citizens. 

The main goal of the social reconstruction ideology is to have students and teachers

address social issues and expose themselves to new perspectives. It is when teachers and

students put themselves in another's shoes, that they can sympathize with marginalized groups

and try to fix the problems that plague society.

 LESSON PLAN
Grade: 6
POS: Social Studies
Lesson Title: Democracy: Action and Participation
LESSON for ELEMENTARY (K- 6) - Lesson Time 45 mins max

Overview of lesson
100 – words – Concise and clear description

The class will brainstorm a broad definition of what a democracy is, then will participate in
demonstrations of direct and representative democracy within the classroom. They will define those
two terms as a class, then talk about voter rights, responsibilities, and protections. Lastly, the students
will come together to discuss two concepts (equity and equality). The teacher will ask why the concepts
are important in today’s society, and how we can work to improve our current democratic system.

good connection an alignment with ideology and POS

Alberta Program of Study

General Learning Objectives Specific Learning Objectives (Maximum 2)

(Maximum 1 )
6.1: Students will demonstrate an
understanding and appreciation of
the dynamic relationship between
governments and citizens as they
engage in the democratic process.
6.1.2: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the
fundamental principles of democracy by exploring and reflecting
upon the following questions and issues:
• What is democracy?
• What are the similarities and differences between direct and
representative democracy?

• What are the rights and responsibilities of citizens living in a

representative democracy?

• How does Canada’s justice system help protect your democratic

and constitutional rights?

Curriculum Ideology

Identify and give a brief description of the ideological lens this lesson is designed through. (Based on your
assigned ideology reading) Indicate how your lesson is designed to have students experience this ideology.
100 – 150 words – Concise and clear description. Draw from your Summary

Social Reconstruction: this ideology believes our society is deeply flawed, underscored with
Eurocentric views and ideals. Teachers are critical figures in educating students so that the coming
generations can create a better society to live in. Teachers are encouraged to address social issues and
how the material learned in school has real-life applications. They facilitate inclusivity and respect in
their classrooms, and challenge students to think from various perspectives to understand where others
come from. Discussion and exposure to marginalized viewpoints educates and aids individuals in how
to reconstruct the world we live in. It shows how to unlearn the whitewashed values society currently
holds, and to include important views from a variety of groups. Social reconstruction values group
discussion and interactive experience.

The social reconstruction ideology fits well with this objective. We will be incorporating lots of group
work and discussion, real-world applications, and the mentality that students and individuals becoming
educated are the way to change society, specifically democracy.

Learning Resources / Material & Equipment used * books, manipulatives, online resources etc...

- post-it sticky notes/pencils

- whiteboard/whiteboard markers
- Grade 6 social studies textbook (to explore definitions of concepts in activity)
- Slide with equality and equity pictures to prompt discussion good!
Lesson Procedures (Steps)

Introduction (time ): 5-7 minutes

This can be done in point form for this lesson.

-Ask students if they have heard the word democracy before, and brainstorm what the definition is
(guided inquiry)

-Teacher compiles/combines students ideas into a definition they are happy with

good. Have some guiding questions preformulated to facilitate this.

Body (time):

Show all the steps and transitions in the lesson. Indicate timing of each section. Identify teaching strategies
(that you know) and approaches. Example, direct instruction, guided inquiry, small group collaborations,
pair/share etc...These are approaches that we are using now in class. Work with what you know. We will
be learning more about instructional approaches in subsequent classes
-Part 1: The teacher hands out a sticky note to every student and they write their name on it. The
teacher draws a T chart on the whiteboard, with “chocolate” and “vanilla” on each side, and tells the
students to put their sticky note on the side of the flavour they like better. (2-3 min) (be careful about
racial symbolization here - is this what you intended??)

-The teacher goes up to the board and takes down a couple of names on the side with the most names
and says that the opposite side has now won, and that either chocolate or vanilla is the official favourite
flavour of the class. The class then has a discussion about what they think a direct democracy is, and
the teacher writes their definition on the board. The teacher then talks about how the taking off of the
names is a violation of their classroom democracy, and everyone should have a vote for the official
classroom flavour. Similarly, in Canadian democracy, we have protections to ensure that everyone
eligible gets a vote. (10 min)

-Part 2: The students grab their names from the board, then the teacher asks the students to divide
themselves into their two different groups, chocolate or vanilla. From there, the students must choose
an individual in their group that they collectively believe would represent their choice best if there were
to be a debate about whether chocolate or vanilla is the better flavour. The leader of the side with the
most votes is now the representative for the whole class, not just the side who chose them. (7-10 min)

-The students sit down again, and as a class discuss what a representative democracy is.

here have a list of guiding questions in your lesson plan

The teacher scribes for their definition and writes it on the board, and then asks what the difference
between representative and direct democracy is. (2-3 min)

Part 3: The teacher talks about the difference between the right to vote and the responsibilities
Canadians have to vote, and the students answer why those concepts are important. The teacher then
pulls up the visual with equity and equality on it, and the class has a discussion about what they think
the definitions are. (5 min)

This whole section is well developed. Can you identify the teaching strategies you are using, now?

Closure and consolidation (5-10 min)

-The teacher brings the class back together

in assignment #3...you will describe this transition "bring the class back together" and the strategies you will use
to do this.

to discuss the pictures, and why they are important concepts in today’s society.

again here in assignment three you will include your guiding questions here and indicate if this is a whole group
discussion or will you scaffold it with pair/share then whole group OR small group/ then elect a speaker to share
with whole group.

The teacher will address marginalized groups’ perspectives and inclusive voting rights. As a closing question, the
teacher would asks students what THEY would do to improve our voting system to encourage people who were
historically discriminated against feel like they have a voice (this will be open-ended to encourage creative
thinking)

good. This is actually a reflective activity and can be further developed. It can also be used as a type of formate
check.

Professional Reflections:

Develop at least two important critical questions for your peers, who view your video presentation, to consider
regarding the ideology and your lesson . Ask these questions in your presentation and use them to guide
your conferencing in Sept 30th class - When you go into break out rooms

Guiding Questions to consider when you formulate your important questions: What were the challenges
you faced designing the lesson through the ideology? How did the ideology inform/influence/impact your
lesson design, teaching approaches, the materials chosen?
-How would this ideology fit into a lesson that was not social studies, such as science or math?

-Which current social events are important to include when teaching with this ideology? At what grade
level? grade 6?
Reflection (Athena) 

24 September 2021 

A teacher’s ideology plays a key role in how they choose to plan their lessons, but still

follows the curriculum’s objectives. When I was in my jigsaw group, I had a challenging time

understanding the difference between a teacher’s strategy and a teacher’s ideology. Now,

I recognize that a teacher’s ideology is not about what method a teacher uses to instruct

their students, but what beliefs a teacher wants to express in their lessons. Each ideology has a

separate set of end goals, but all reflect potential values a teacher may have. 

When learning about the social reconstruction ideology, I instantly started questioning

how this view could influence my lesson plans. Personally, I do value the idea of addressing

social issues in society, but I did not know how I could incorporate this ideology into my

teaching. After all, I plan to become a science teacher, so what social issues will I need

to address? However, after further review, I understand that this ideology goes beyond the

boundaries of subject matter. Not only are there plenty of issues in science that affect society, but

even the management of my classroom can reflect the social reconstruction ideology. By

promoting discussion and creating an environment that allows students to share their ideas, I can

encourage students to listen to different perspectives. This is just one example of how I

can embrace the social reconstruction ideology when I become a teacher. 

When planning future lessons, I want to be aware of the beliefs that I hold and how I use these

beliefs to guide my teaching. I believe effective teachers incorporate their ideologies into their

lessons. When I watched my classmates' videos, I enjoyed and learned from their lessons—

whether I agreed with their ideology or not. Although it can be tricky, fun teaching strategies can

be incorporated into any ideology. By discovering our beliefs, we as teachers can

clearly decide the points we want to get across in our lessons. As a future educator, I look forward

to discovering ways to express my beliefs about teaching and learning in a fun and engaging

way.  

Reflection (Emily)

24 September 2021

This assignment allowed for our class to experience several in-depth lessons based on

varied ideologies. The jigsaw method allowed each set of partners to research and develop a

lesson with only one of the given ideologies, and then watch videos from other classmates’ own

assignments. The ideology that Athena and I were assigned was “Social Reconstructionism”,

which postulates that society is deeply flawed, underscored by Eurocentric views and ideals.

Through teachers educating students, we are able to reconstruct our current civilization into a

more inclusive, well-rounded, educated society. This ideology values group discussions in order

to challenge individual’s perspectives and expose them to viewpoints they might now otherwise

think about. Teachers who educate through a social reconstructionist lens believe that education

helps people analyze and understand social problems, and therefore is crucial in moving society

forward. This ideology was quite cohesive with our lesson plan, as it talked about the importance

of democracy and representation of everyone in a society. However, others’ ideologies were

more reflective of today’s society, such as “Social Efficiency”, which aims to make students into

ideal workers to meet the needs of society, and “Scholar Academic”, which is a hierarchical

illustration of who can access and transmit knowledge to others (scholars, teachers, students). I

believe that “Learner-Focused” and “Storywork” ideologies are the most beneficial for students,

which in turn will benefit our society and future generations. The “Learner-Focused” ideology is
geared towards the needs of individual students, their strengths and weaknesses, and is focused

on growth more than isolated outcomes. As well, “Storywork” focuses on relationships between

the storyteller and the listener; it is based upon holism (the development of mind, body, and

spirit) and views storytelling as a form of acquiring knowledge through oral histories and

lessons. In both of these ideologies there is a larger focus on the individuals and their needs

rather than constraining them into the needs of society. This will allow for personal growth as

well as academic, in emotional, physical, and mental well-being. This is how we truly

reconstruct society.

It was very interesting to see how my classmates understood their ideologies, planned

lessons, and implemented their ideologies into them. I was very impressed with all of the videos

I watched. The lessons I found most engaging were the ones with interactive components that

allowed students to get hands-on experience with the course materials. For example, Meike and

Lindsay’s lesson had the interactive crime component in which students were detectives; this

added an element of curiosity for students, so hopefully they are more interested in the lesson

and will come away with a deeper understanding of the material.

This assignment allowed my partner and I to reflect upon how ideology influenced our

teaching, as well as how our students will learn. It allows us to figure out what our personal

values are, and what is expected of us when we teach certain curriculum and lessons. Certain

curriculums and ideologies can enhance student learning through focus on the students’ needs

and abilities, while others’ aims are to create a malleable, well-trained workforce. I look forward

to further seeing how each of these concepts impacts my teaching and learning.