Social

Below are some general notes about teaching this subject as a whole.

We have two excellent tools for exploring social situations: Stories and Group Activities.

Stories (books, films, etc.) are nothing more than a bunch of characters dealing with social problems. We invented stories to be able to explore all these gray areas, unclear emotions, social expectations, and more. Books are ideal for inner journeys, as they can portray thoughts. Other media can display interactions in a larger group better.

As such, your first amazing tool is to read stories (about social dilemmas or inner journeys) to Apprentices, or make them excited to read the stories themselves. We offer many such stories on this store.

An even better tool, of course, is to actually be part of many social situations. To perform many activities in a group. This could be a structured activity like a board game, a video game, maybe an escape room. The structure makes it more fun and easier to overcome social obstacles, because you have clear rules and a common goal. But it could also be a more freeform activity, like doing a quiz where kids play in groups, or some physical activity outside.

Our resources offer plenty such activities. They provide all the material you need, guidance/rulebooks, and any advice about possible problems that arise. (We all know how many unforeseen problems can arise when you put a group of teenagers together …)

But you don’t need our resources, of course! If you want to improve the social skills of your children, for example, just put them in a lot of different situations. Let them experience different stories that make them feel emotions or question themselves. Let them make mistakes and learn to apologize. Just … let them live?

This subject is focused on people. On humans, on the individual, on personality and character. Basically, it’s focused on the inner world.

Anything regarding the outside world—outside of your mind and body, outside of social groups—is part of the World subject. That subject contains History, Geography, Law, etcetera. (Civil) History obviously involves a lot of humans and stuff they did, but it’s not part of “Social” because it’s not about your inner world at present.