10 approaches in teaching Civics, Philippine History & Culture

The teaching and learning Civics, Philippine History & Culture in the elementary school is less
focused on building definitive knowledge or formal thinking ability than it is aimed at more immediate
and attainable ends. For young elementary students, an important purpose of education in these
subjects is to make the past seem real and incorporate each lesson into their daily activities instead of
remaining an untouchable abstraction held only in adult memories or hollow textbook passages. As
improved history teaching and exploring culture begins to make this possible, students may achieve a
second purpose of building insights into their own lives and contemporary events; the past can be used
to illuminate the present.

Several approaches can be applied by elementary teachers to realize such goals. It is known that
textbooks are the predominate source of instruction, however teachers are aware of the learning and
motivational difficulties entailed by over reliance on a single textbook, regardless of how good it is.
Therefore, teachers need to be more creative to help most students enjoy and benefit from their daily
lessons. They have to make sure that vocabulary, conceptual, and experiential foundations are laid prior
to reading; and they vary their reading assignments and routines to help break the boredom of needless
repetition.

Literature is another option in teaching Civics, Philippine History & Culture. There is a substantial
supply of elementary level historical fiction, biographies, and special purpose reference works related to
history. Teachers should work with their media center and public library to identify the titles of books
which may be used to investigate the past. Such books should be displayed attractively, used frequently,
and discussed as a part of the regular classroom routine.

There is no better way of learning and for children to relate to their lessons than actually seeing,
hearing and exploring their topics. Instruction about the culture and the past is aided by the sounds and
images of videotapes, films, and filmstrips. Although overreliance on these kinds of resources is a fault,
careful selection and meaningful integration with ongoing instruction can do much to enhance students'
knowledge of the past.

Special experiences pump life into children's history learning. Such experiences go beyond the
"staples" of the classroom instruction and include field trips to museums and historical sites,
simulations, craft and model-building experiences, individualized and in-depth National History Day
projects, and oral history projects. When students are properly prepared for such experiences, the
depth of understanding they build more than justifies the extra effort they entail.

Children learn more when they are enjoying what they are doing and that can be achieved if we
present lessons as a fun activity for them to enjoy. Field trips to museums and historical or cultural sites,
for example, work best after considerable study and preparation. The more students know before
entering the experience, the more they will be able to see, understand, and remember. Perhaps the best
type of museum to visit is a "living" one where volunteers, dressed in clothing of the period, perform the
tasks and practice the crafts of the past. Regardless of whether the museum is of the "living" or
traditional variety, it is important to make advanced reservations and work closely with the resident
director, museum educator, or tour guide.
 In conclusion, Civics, Philippine History & Culture should be a vital part of the elementary social
studies curriculum. It has much to offer students who are striving to learn about their world and develop
a sense of themselves in it. Skilled teachers can use the strategies discussed here to help their students
learn history and love it.