Introduction
Kia ora koutou and greetings to teachers
The advisor with responsibility for this area is Hilary Kingston. Hilary was previously a teacher at Aranui High School. She has been Assistant HOD Social Sciences, Acting HOD and a Specialist Classroom Teacher. Hilary has been actively involved in subject associations and the recent national History and Social Sciences conferences.
The social sciences learning area is about how societies work and how people can participate as critical, active, informed and responsible citizens.
Professional learning for secondary (Years 9 to 13) social sciences teachers is available from UC Education Plus in 2010. Key focus areas for advisor support will be:
- The NZ Curriculum – planning social sciences programmes of work and using effective approaches to teaching and learning
- Effective assessment – using sound assessment practices, using social sciences assessment materials and understanding the revised achievement standards for use in 2011
- Pathways and transitions – planning pathways between junior social studies and senior social sciences subjects and beyond school, career education related to the social sciences.
Particular support will be provided for middle leaders of social sciences departments/faculties in secondary schools.
Our contract with the Ministry of Education no longer provides for social sciences specific support for primary schools. However, relevant material is still available on this web site. Also primary teachers (as well as secondary teachers) are encouraged to make use of the new Ministry of Education Social Sciences OnLine site: http://ssol.tki.org.nz/
The Best Evidence Synthesis for the Social Sciences, is available from: http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/goto/BES
SocCon09, the national social sciences conference, was held in Christchurch in September, 2009. Presentations and papers are now available from www.soccon09.org.nz