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At Bank Street, “social studies” refers to the work children
do to comprehend the world in which all of us live and learn.
Social studies means recognizing and understanding the connections
between self, family, and community. Using social studies
topics as a framework, teachers provide opportunities for
experiences that help children learn concepts that relate
to the social world while mastering critical learning and
inquiry skills. The social studies curriculum integrates the
children’s learning in all fields, from reading to mathematics
to art.
Because education takes place in a social
context, it has profound consequences for the larger world
beyond school. Lucy Sprague Mitchell, the founder of Bank
Street, believed strongly in the power of education to improve
society. One of the focuses of the Bank Street credo is sensitivity
to others, not only to their rights, but also to their needs
and strengths, and respect for them as human beings seeking
to live a good life within the framework of their own personal,
familial, and cultural standards. We also focus on striving
to live democratically, in and out of schools, as the best
way to advance the principles of democracy. Our work is based
on the profound conviction that human beings can improve the
society they have created.
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Stanlee Brimberg discusses the role of technology in
his classroom and in the lives of his students.
SOCIAL STUDIES
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM
Bank Street faculty member Judith
Gold offers insights into the Bank Street approach to
Social Studies
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View a 3-minute video clip of children from the Bank Street School for Children using building blocks to express their feelings about the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.
In an effort to provide help in coping
with the September 11th tragedy, especially regarding
young children, Bank Street offers educational, professional,
and psychological resources.
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