TEACHSOC: Re: frustration

[Robert Hironimus-Wendt]

Hi Sonny et al.   The list has provided a lot of great examples, such as sending your kids to the mall for a homework assignment (or various stores, if you live in a rural area as I do). In terms of texts, I understand your situation. There are fairly good texts available for exposing college students to the breadth of our discipline, but you are teaching in a high school setting. On the other end of the process, I am always intrigued by my first year students who have taken sociology courses. Their experiences are often self-reported the span the universe.   In that context, it would be great if we had some sort of order available to folks like Sunny, so that students at the high school level could be exposed to some core content, on the high school level. Assuming we are talking about 15 to 17 years olds (of which I personally own two models), I am not so sure an “introductory text” approach will keep their interest very long (indeed, some of my college students tire of this model of the discipline. That said, I might suggest a few readings that may well help students stay tuned in. As I recall, high schools are divided into either six-week or nine-week sessions (my 5 children’s schools). That said, I am not really sure how it works at that level any more, but I will assume students probably can be expected to read and absorb about 50 pages per week, if it is a GOOD book.  So a short non-fiction might work.   1.  Schwalbe’s “The Sociologically Examined Life” has been mentioned, and I second that. I like it a lot because in includes a lot of vignettes. However, I am not sure if “regular 15 and 16 year olds” will appreciate it (they may, but I am not sure).   2.  Another book you might try is Charon’s “Ten Questions” (which has 11 chapters) touching on core sociological concepts. I am not sure how high school students would receive this text, but it works well for first year college students in the context of teaching a core content domain.   3.  One book I think would work really well at the high school level, among young and old students, is “Second Thoughts” by Ruane and Cerulo. This book gets at core societal issues by focusing on taken-for-granted assumptions about how the world is supposed to work. It then provides data to support or refute that assumption in a very approachable manner. My guess is, HS students who have been through that book would be ready for a principles course upon entering college (although the book itself is not a principles text).   4.  Alternatively, if a high school teacher is sufficiently trained in sociology (I am simply acknowledging some are not), a more qualitative approach that would probably work for high school children is to have them read books like Kozol’s “Ordinary Resurrections” (or “Amazing Grace”), or Kotlowitz’s “There are No Children Here” while (a) exposing them to “race, class, gender” stratification concepts outside the texts. In an urban setting, you could have these students tutor and/or mentor elementary kids in a service-learning context, and keep a journal of their thoughts and observations on poverty as it relates to gender and ethnicity.   There are surely a lot more books that HS students could read. But I do understand Sunny’s concern about (a) finding a book that I can enjoy working with, and (b) finding a book that will engage my students for at least a few weeks. The first three books above could be used for a nine week course or a semester course with selective editing if desired. The fourth alternative involves using really good non-fiction, and having the teacher “teach” core concepts around the texts.   Hope this helps,   Peace to Sunny, and all Robert     Robert J. Hironimus-Wendt, Ph.D. Sociology and Anthropology Western Illinois University 1 University Circle Macomb, IL 61455-1390 phone: (309) 298-1081 fax: (309) 298-1857 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]   "It doesn't matter how strong your opinions are. If   you don't use your power for positive change, you   are indeed part of the problem, helping to keep   things the way they are."     -Coretta Scott King   From: teachsoc@googlegroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sunny Allen Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2006 10:28 PM To: teachsoc@googlegroups.com Subject: TEACHSOC: frustration     So I've realized I start to panic on Sunday nights because I dread teaching my soc classes (high school level).  I thought it was because of the students in the classes, which it partly is.  However, I think the biggest reason is that I just don't like teaching soc.  I have no books (text or otherwise) for them, our school dosn't have any computers, and I can't lecture for 90 minutes without losing them.  I can't get these kids too engaged in discussions, and we're all getting tired of group projects.   I do like sociology, I just struggle teaching it.  I seem to have so many activities, ideas, and "fun" things to do with my psychology classes, but have almost nothing with soc.   Does anyone have any short demonstrations, activities, or "things" they do in class.  I'm teaching inequalities right now (class, gender and race) and I know there is so much more I could be doing.   It's probably just end-of-year burnout, but thanks for letting me vent.   Sunny Allen Tooele High School Tooele, UT Yahoo! 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