MS. RODARTE'S SOCIAL STUDIES PAGE
My goal while you are in my classroom is to help you find your voice. Throughout the year we will be looking at different historical topics through the lens of equity and social justice. This means that you will be required to think critically and empathically. It also means that we will cover subjects that may be sensitive and controversial. Most of the subjects we will cover will take place before this century, but since it is impossible to understand the magnitude and importance of history without connecting the past with the present, we will many times make connections between past and present. Many of the struggles we see today are but extensions of systemic problems from the past. When you walk through the doors of my classroom at the end of the school year, I want you to walk out with a voice full of confidence that demonstrates a deeper understanding of the importance of equity in constructing a more just world and of the role that you play in creating such a world.
On this website, you will be able to find any information, documents, etc. that you may need for the class.
To start, click on the button for your class.
BIO
I’ve been teaching for the last 15 years. The last seven have been teaching at the high school level, while the first 8 were at the middle school level. I have taught both World History and US History from the medieval period to the modern era. This year together with my students, I will be embarking on the exciting journey of Ethnic Studies.
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I am an eternal student. I find that I learn just as much from books as I do from my students. To that end, I see my classroom as a space in which we create a climate and culture that allows us to learn from each other. I also do my best every year to attend traveling professional developments that allow me to become more proficient in my subject matter. Some of the subjects I’ve had the pleasure of studying in the past include, the enlightenment, 9/11 and racial disturbances. This summer, I had the great honor of traveling to Arctic Svalbard in Norway as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow thanks to National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. Through this spectacular opportunity I was able to learn a lot about the flora and fauna of the Arctic and the impact that climate change and micro-plastics are having on this beautiful environment.
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At heart, I am always motivated by issues of equity and social justice. We live in a world that is thirsting for justice and equity. The only way to improve the current state of things is by using our voices to dismantle the systems and structures that perpetuate injustices and inequities. My goal as a teacher is to help my students find their voice and use it. Through speaking out, we will create a more just and equitable world.
TEACHING
ETHNIC STUDIES
August 20, 2019 - December 2019
January 13, 2020 - June 12, 2020
Our Ethnic Studies class will look at different populations of people living in the United States. Our goal is to look at these populations and grow our understanding of the diversity of our nation and the systemic nature of oppression. We will be studying 6 different populations of the United States and focusing on 3 key events for each one that demonstrate the ways in which individuals and communities use their agency to resist and push back on the forces of oppression and discrimination.