"SOCIAL SECURITY?"

III. CONCLUSION & ANALYSIS

1. What did you learn about your teacher question and other questions which may have arisen during this lesson study?

We learned that most students were successful in understanding the effectiveness of the Social Security Act as well as understanding how to create a coherent argument based on conflicting information. The following excerpts from student writing illustrate this:

“So I believe President Franklin D. Roosevelt is headed down the right road but still has miles to go before he reaches the exit out of the Depression freeway.” [This sample illustrates that the student understands that the safety net provided by FDR was inadequate].

“First of all, I am pleased that my parents can now retire contently with the money the get from Social Security; it may not be much but it is enough for them to get by. I am also glad that I can feel safe in knowing that if I ever get laid off, the federal government is there to get me back on my feet. Some others, though, do not reap the same benefits. My friend and fellow factory worker was not so lucky. He got let go from the factory in the spring of 1935, just a few months before Social Security was enacted. Now he is in real trouble because your Act does nothing to cover either him or anyone else who got laid off before you passed the bill.” [This sample illustrates that the student understands that Social Security helped some Americans but not all].

“Sharecroppers like me will not pay into the Social Security Fund, nor will I reap the benefits.” [This sample shows another weakness the Social Security Act].

However, some students struggled to understand the specifics of the Social Security Program. One student whose role was to represent an African-American domestic worker had the misconception that domestic workers could pay into and benefit from the Social Security Program:

“As much as I believe it is important to help the elderly, I do not see why I must support this if I will not be receiving anything in return immediately.”

2. What revisions would you make to the lesson and why?

• The teachers would provide more direct instruction on details of the Social Security Act. Perhaps we would have a student represent FDR making an opening statement that outlines how Social Security would work and who is included and excluded.
• We would reinforce the notion that the panelists should act more in character with the role they are playing and that they should not use notes.
• The panelists would also be required to prepare 2-minute opening statements.

3. How might what you learned through this lesson impact your curriculum and instruction as a whole?  What might you add to your curriculum next year? What reading, writing, and historical thinking skills will become a greater focus of your instruction?

That using a variety of viewpoints enlivens classroom learning.

We would ask students to write more “letters-to-the-editor,” as this is an efficient way to determine whether or not students understand historical issues; letters-to-the-editor are short, enabling teachers to examine more student writing.