Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values in the Context of the School Social Studies Course

Abstract

The article examines the importance of introducing the value aspect into the Russian school social studies curriculum. It justifies the need for high school students to learn about traditional Russian spiritual and moral values, as expressed in current legislation. The article raises questions about the prerequisites for studying social studies in high school, as well as approaches to conceptualizing these values in a way that is accessible to students while still considering relevant theoretical developments in the social sciences. The content of old and new social studies textbooks for grade 9 is compared, and the empirical experience of the author, a social studies teacher at HSE Lyceum grades 10–11, is described in detail in relation to discussing traditional Russian values with students. The article discusses a range of topics that will be introduced into the new social studies curriculum, based on the federal educational standard for secondary general education. The author has compiled a list of verified content elements from the current code of verified requirements for the outcomes of mastering the secondary general education program, as well as content elements for the Unified State Exam (USE) in social studies. As a result of the author’s experience teaching social studies and preparing students for the USE, there are some conclusions about the potential value of including this aspect in the school curriculum. There is also speculation on the tasks that teachers and other members of the academic community face in achieving this goal.