Geography is GREAT, or maybe not!

Geography is GREAT....
For me, geography was just another subject taught in high school. Much like the social studies content, it was full of facts and memorization. The only thing I remember from my high school days about geography is latitude and longitude. and possibly a few locations of various countries. It was all boring and very routine. But awwwwh, geography can be much more than facts and figures. It can be BOX CITY!! I have never imagined all the possibilities that could be used with Box City! I love this idea and this is just one more example of how social studies can be engaging, and still educational. I am making sure to document everything that I learn, so I can use it in my own classroom.... this blog is perfect for a "resource kit."


Or maybe not...
On another note, my daughter is in sixth grade and her opinion of social studies is not that great right now. Ya see, for the first six weeks, her teacher was on maternity leave and their substitute teacher (which is a retired teacher) taught the class & it was wonderful... interactive, engaging, and fun for the students. Well, now...that has changed. The teacher is back! She has been back for about three weeks, and my daughter is starting to hate this class. Same material is being taught, but the teacher is making all the difference. It is very routine and boring. A 4-5 page homework packet is worked on during the week and a test on Friday. I hate this for my child! : ( She isn't learning as much, and even worse, her attitude is negatively changing about social studies. My daughter actually made the comment, "The teacher hates it as much as we do!" This is so sad, and as a future teacher, it frustrates me. This just proves that the teacher sets the mood for the classroom, and has the power to turn students "off" or "on." This teacher has only been teaching for about four years, so I would think that she would still have passion for teaching. If she's not interested or passionate, then why would her students be?? Very frustrating!