Social Development and the Curriculum

TLDR: In this paper, the authors discuss the importance of developing acceptance and respect toward all peoples, regardless of beliefs, values, and culture, and the consequences of negative beliefs about others.

Abstract: Students achieving vital goals in social development is salient. In the school setting, in the societal arena, and on the international scene, quality feelings and attitudes must prevail. The consequences can be grave indeed if negative beliefs about others are in the offing. Alienation, vehement disagreements, and strife might well be an end result. The ultimate in strife is war with its ensuing deaths, injuries and maiming, as well as destruction of land and property. Anxiety and extreme tension are further products. Curriculum Development Teachers and administrators need to select relevant objectives for student achievement in social development. Each objective needs careful scrutiny. Broad goals for student achievement might well include the following: 1. developing feelings of acceptance and respect toward all peoples, regardless of beliefs, values, and culture. 2. wanting to know more about people in diverse nations. Thus significant facts, concepts, and generalizations pertaining to diverse geographical regions, history of different nations, systems of government, economic systems, and cultures must become an inherent part of the stated objectives. 3. understanding basic needs of people, such as necessary food, clothing, shelter, and safety. These basic needs must be met for human beings to survive. Going beyond survival needs makes for increased achievement in science and mathematics, as well as all bodies of organized knowledge. 4. being able to work effectively with others in committees and larger group settings. 5. developing empathy for others, regardless of the setting, be it locally, nationally, or internationally. 6. deploring violence in all of its manifestations. Each student needs to develop criteria pertaining to living in a totally nonviolent manner. 7. working toward eliminating feelings of hatred toward others. Feelings of hatred and dislike are harmful toward the self and relationships toward others. 8. ridding oneself of feelings of ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism, as a way of life, maximizes one's own cultural superiority and minimizes human beings who lack this culture. 9. attaining an adequate self-concept so as to achieve optimally in school and in society. Possessing adequate self-concepts to assist others to do well locally, nationally and internationally is vital. 10. realizing the necessity for the futility of war and its means to settle disputes. In war, the stronger nation militarily becomes the victor. However, the victor here may fail miserably when comparing standards with that of the good, the true, and the beautiful. The above objectives are extremely difficult for any student to achieve, no doubt impossible. But, a start or beginning needs to occur. Achieving Relevant Objectives The classroom teacher needs to follow definite standards from the psychology of education to guide optimal student achievement. Thus, students need to experience: 1. interesting learning opportunities. 2. meaningful knowledge and skills. 3. balance in the curriculum so that attitudinal goals become salient in order that knowledge and skills ends may be achieved more optimally. 4. perceived purpose so that acceptance of worthwhile tasks, lessons, and units of instruction is in evidence. 5. provision for individual differences so that fast, average, and slow achievers may attain as much as abilities permit. Students in the classroom setting need to have ample opportunities to work in committees with learners from diverse racial groups and socio-economic levels. Each committee needs to achieve definite goals pertaining to feelings of an adequate self concept and respect for others. In society, discrimination occurs rather rampantly. The school setting must try to remedy and modify evils in the sociental arena. …