The Social Study Program in Chilean Schools

November 20, 2008 carriel05

In the United States Social Studies is a central part of the curriculum, this is also true from what I have seen in a Chilean classroom. During my time here I have been a part of a preschool classroom full of four and five year olds. This class is very interesting because it is taught all in English! This type of instruction in English continues up until the high school grades. When students reach high school their classes are taught in their native tongue, and English is only spoken in English class and music class. This is a very different way of teaching in a classroom than I have not seen before. Just like the other subjects at Thomas Jefferson school, social studies is taught in English, and is very similar to the type of social studies  taught in the United States. In the preschool classroom students learn basic concepts about social studies, like occupations, families, and different cultures. This is almost the same as David Welton outlines in his textbook Children and Their World. In his book he outlines the social studies program of each grade level. In Kindergarten Welton states that students should be learning about their world, families/community helpers, and transportation. I see this type of program in place at Thomas Jefferson School. In fact, this week students learned about different occupations and community helpers. Students also discussed what they wanted to be when they grew up. Just as in the United States this week was called career week, and the teachers welcomed parents to talk about what they do for a living.      Along with careers, different cultures and holidays are taught for social studies. In fact my classroom studies the American holiday Thanksgiving, on the day of Thanksgiving my class will prepare typical foods of the holiday, and the kindergarteners, will perform a Thanksgiving play for the parents which tells the story of Thanksgiving. This year the whole school will be a part of the Thanksgiving celebration, and it seems ironic that a school would celebrate one of our biggest holidays.

 In the high school classrooms, students are taught about Chilean history, World War I, and World War II. This is the same in the United States, where our students learn American History along with World War I and World War II. This resemblance to American curriculum could be because the school is a private school, and was founded by an American, or because if the language is to be studied it is necessary to address the culture as well, however I am not certain. The curriculum could be vastly different in public schools where students do not necessarily speak English on a daily basis. Along with this school, there are also private schools in the area where students speak Spanish, English, and German and another where Spanish, German, and French are taught. I wonder if these schools teach cultures of Germany and France as they do at Thomas Jefferson School with English. Whatever the reason I think it is fascinating that our worlds are miles apart but we are not that different. 

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