Dr. David Childs, Ph.D.
Northern Kentucky University
There are a number of ways to get students participating and learning about democracy in America. One of the most effective ways to have a successful democracy is through active participation. In other words, what makes a successful democracy is when the citizens participate in the democratic process. Civic and history education allows citizens to understand their own history as well as the rights they have, allowing them to participate effectively and meaningfully in building a better society. This educational process should start as young as possible.
An incredible resource for learning history and receiving a civic education is a visit to Washington, D.C. People that have never visited Washington may not realize that all the museums within the Smithsonian system are free of charge. The Smithsonian is not just one museum but a system of FREE museums throughout the D.C. area that offers incredible educational resources for people of all ages. The newest museum that was decades in the making is the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
In case students and teachers do not have the resources to visit the Smithsonian sites in person, they now have incredible online websites that allow audiences to take virtual tours of the museums. There are also a number of incredible educational resources for students and teachers to use in and out of the classroom. Below I have included links to the museum websites to click on and explore.
Museums within the Smithsonian System in Washington DC
The National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Museum of American History
Unites States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Nationa Museum of the American Indian
National Musuem of Natural History
National Gallery of Art
National Air and Space Musuem
National Museum of African Art
National Archives Museum
I think the use of field trips has drastically decreased since I was in middle school. I felt like we would go on field trips all the time, especially when it would come to social studies class. I remember going to the Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati and learning about history, but the difference was that the learning was hands on. The idea of hands on learning is so important and I think incorporating field trips, especially to Washington D.C. is so great for the students learning. Students will learn so much more by going and visiting these places and it will be a memory that they can take with them. Therefore, I feel like field trips are so important and should be brought back into schools more.
I’ve never had the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. but one of my goals is to visit there and the first place I would visit would be the Smithsonian. While reading the article I did not realize that it was a series of museums I thought it was just one big building. As a teacher this would be a great learning tool for my students and myself if the opportunity to visit there is not available. We could use the interactive website to do research projects or just something to look at in their free time if they want to learn more about history outside of the classroom.
In the fifth grade, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Washington D.C., but unfortunately, my family was unable to afford the trip. I think it would be a great fundraiser to help save money to assist funding a trip to Washington D.C. so students can see the Smithsonian in person. Whereas these virtual tours are a great substitution for active learning, seeing on a projector and seeing in person are very different in regard to engagement. The topic of going to Washington D.C. could spread to different core classes other than social studies content, like Language Arts and Math. Students could add up the expense of the trip, which could take place in a math lesson, and write a letter to their parents or the principle regarding the trip, which would take place in a Language Arts or Writing lesson.
Growing up I never got to go to Washington D.C through school and that is something I always wanted to do. I think it is a great way for students to have fun and go on a trip and to also get some knowledge as well. Being a future educator I think it would be cool to take a trip to DC because I know now that the kids would love it. Even though my school never went I had a lot of friends from another school that did and they had an amazing experience and I think every student needs to experience it once in their life.
I visited Washington D.C when I was in middle school. I didn’t know much about the government when I went, but when I left I had so much more knowledge about it. I think its a great way for students to actively participate and learn. Its the best environment for students to really understand and appreciate history.
Active participation is definitely a key part in helping children learn. They understand everything more and know what is going on by experiencing it hands on. Visiting Washington D.C is a great way to learn history, as you stated. You get to see everything first hand and not just in a textbook. It’s awesome that most of the museums are free of charge, so everyone can go and experience them. The online websites of the Smithsonian are something that I didn’t know existed, but those seem like such a cool thing for those who can’t get out to D.C.
Especially when it comes to learning history, active learning is incredibly important. History is an incredibly interesting subject that can too easily be seen as memorizing dates and places. Immersing students into a museum is an incredibly powerful bridge into an active discussion, or even connecting subjects. For example, if a class is reading the “narrative of the life of Frederick Douglas”, visiting the freedom center is a powerful way to connect with the reading.
This article reminded me of my experience visiting Washington, D.C. My school took their trip during eighth grade, but I have a hard time remembering what we did and the places we visited. I think it is a good way to get students thinking about their role in democracy, but it might be better to try to take students when they are in high school so that they have a better chance to remember their experience as an adult.
I think that hands on learning like this will really inspire the students that their voice does count in our democracy. Personally I have never been to Washington D.C. but I would love to go and think that I would learn a lot even being someone who has voted for a few years. The impact taking students on a trip to these museums and historical places could truly make a huge difference on these students ideas of what democracy means. I think having resources like the virtual tours is a great thing for schools that don’t have the financial means to take their students on a trip like this but still be able to give the students the experience of learning about their country in this way.
Active learning/participation is something that every school should cultivate to benefit their student’s education. Field trips allow students to experience history by actively being there rather than reading it from a textbook. Washington D.C. is filled with ample opportunities for free education and its resources should be taken advantage of daily. As a future teacher for secondary social studies students, I want to show them how to participate in history; just like Dr. David Childs stated in his article, D.C. allows students the opportunity to recieve great history and civic education. The Smithsonian System, while far away, is a great source and I hope to use it in the future. If I am able to take my students to Washington D.C. I will take advantage of their string of educational and free museums and if I can’t go, I will use the informative websites that you have listed after the article. This article was very eye opening about the importance of educational field trips and active participation.