Learning is the eye of the mind ~ French proverb
Social Science and Humanties department, we aim to give students the opportunity to:
- Acquire skills, increase self-confidence and improve the interpersonal skills needed to function well in a family and societal context.
- Prepare for both employment and post-secondary education.
- Develop learning personal skills needed throughout life.
- Prepare for life, employment, or further education in related post-secondary programs.
Effective learning depends on the development of skills and understanding in the areas of:
• Disciplined Inquiry and Critical Literacy: Family studies courses focus on the use of disciplined, structured inquiry to understand human beings, human behaviour, and human nature. These courses promote the use of reason as part of the structured inquiry process, while also recognizing the limitations of reason as a way of learning, knowing, and understanding. They encourage students to identify and question assumptions and values that underlie individual behaviour and family and social/cultural life. Developing their critical literacy skills enables students to challenge texts, reading “underneath, behind, and beyond” texts and questioning how they influence us and others and whose interests they serve.
• Problem Solving: Family studies courses require students to engage actively in solving problems confronted by individuals, families, diverse groups, institutions, and societies. The problems that students confront in these courses vary from the abstract and theoretical to the everyday and concrete. These problems are often morally and politically complex, with solutions that are sometimes controversial because they affect diverse individuals and groups differently.
• Understanding of Self and Others: Students in family studies courses are provided with rich opportunities to enhance their self-understanding and understanding of others through an examination of their personal belief systems and also of the foundations and implications of different viewpoints and lived experiences of others. Through a juxtaposition of their own perceptions, attitudes, values, and beliefs with those of others, students develop an understanding and appreciation of the contexts through which their own and others’ world views are formed.
• Disciplined Inquiry and Critical Literacy: Family studies courses focus on the use of disciplined, structured inquiry to understand human beings, human behaviour, and human nature. These courses promote the use of reason as part of the structured inquiry process, while also recognizing the limitations of reason as a way of learning, knowing, and understanding. They encourage students to identify and question assumptions and values that underlie individual behaviour and family and social/cultural life. Developing their critical literacy skills enables students to challenge texts, reading “underneath, behind, and beyond” texts and questioning how they influence us and others and whose interests they serve.
• Problem Solving: Family studies courses require students to engage actively in solving problems confronted by individuals, families, diverse groups, institutions, and societies. The problems that students confront in these courses vary from the abstract and theoretical to the everyday and concrete. These problems are often morally and politically complex, with solutions that are sometimes controversial because they affect diverse individuals and groups differently.
• Understanding of Self and Others: Students in family studies courses are provided with rich opportunities to enhance their self-understanding and understanding of others through an examination of their personal belief systems and also of the foundations and implications of different viewpoints and lived experiences of others. Through a juxtaposition of their own perceptions, attitudes, values, and beliefs with those of others, students develop an understanding and appreciation of the contexts through which their own and others’ world views are formed.
Important things to know about Family Studies:
- Social Science and Family Studies at BMHS offers a wide range of courses to meet the needs of both male and female students with different learning abilities and interests.
- Teachers in this department aim to make their courses as stimulating and relevant to life as possible.
- At the University and College level, courses focus on understanding theoretical principles and their practical application. At this level the courses also focus on the development of academic skills in preparation for post-secondary education.
- Social Science and Family Studies courses are multi-disciplinary, integrating concepts from Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Science, Kinesiology, Psychology, and Sociology.
- It is strongly recommended that students taking C/U social science and family studies courses have already successfully completed grade 11 University English or have achieved at least 75% in College English.