Conclusion: The importance of Enthusiasm

This social studies class at Brock has opened my eyes to some fascinating teaching strategies that make learning meaningful for students. For example, I was always scared of inquiry - now I feel much more prepared to attempt it in my own classroom.

I've also learned the value of enthusiasm. Not everything I'm excited for will thrill my students, but you can bet that if I'm bored, they're bored too. I feel much more prepared now, especially after all the incredible presentations, to make my classroom engaging and even exciting for students. We learned about the value of role playing to assume a perspective, and strategies to help students understand their place and impact (at a local, national, and even global scale).

The strategies we learned are not easy to implement. They require a skilled teacher who has incredible control of her/his class in order to make smooth transitions and learning accessible for all students. However, despite how challenging these strategies might seem, I realize how important they are for students and it's imperative for us to put in that extra effort and make learning meaningful for students.