In what ways do you as future elementary school teachers feel that we need to be better prepared to help children understand science and why it is so important in the future success in their lives?
I think as teachers of science we need to first and foremost know what we are talking about; we must fully understand what we are teaching. I also think that we need to be prepared to get our hands a little dirty and do tons of hands on activities. I think we need to be prepared to provide our students with a classroom that is supportive and allows students to ask questions and to discover. Science is continually a part of life, no matter what age you are, but when learning about the science process you also are gaining many life skills such as research, asking questions and pushing yourself to figure things out.
I think a lot of elementary school teachers shy away from science because of the controversial views of science as well as lack of knowledge. I think that teachers need more training on helping students to discover, when the teacher is comfortable with the content it makes it easier to teach. Once the teacher gets comfortable with the idea of discovery then the teacher just needs to become an expert on the assigned units.
I know that I didn't get very good science instruction in school, and because of this, I have missed out on a lot of really fun and important experiences and ways of thinking. It's important for students to understand that science is a living, breathing aspect of daily life and not a boring subject from a textbook that is nearly impossible to understand. Additionally, science is really fun! We can accomplish these tasks by giving students the opportunity to participate in science activities and scientific thinking in a positive learning environment, as often as possible.
State-of-the-art science teaching is all about creating authentic science experiences for students. The more you know about science and participate in the process, the better (and more comfortable) you will be with doing authentic science in the classroom. I would also point out that technology is a major tool in today's world and in current scientific fields. Integrating technology-based science can help you move toward authentic experiences that really engage your students.
I think as teachers of science we need to first and foremost know what we are talking about; we must fully understand what we are teaching. I also think that we need to be prepared to get our hands a little dirty and do tons of hands on activities. I think we need to be prepared to provide our students with a classroom that is supportive and allows students to ask questions and to discover. Science is continually a part of life, no matter what age you are, but when learning about the science process you also are gaining many life skills such as research, asking questions and pushing yourself to figure things out.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of elementary school teachers shy away from science because of the controversial views of science as well as lack of knowledge. I think that teachers need more training on helping students to discover, when the teacher is comfortable with the content it makes it easier to teach. Once the teacher gets comfortable with the idea of discovery then the teacher just needs to become an expert on the assigned units.
ReplyDeleteI know that I didn't get very good science instruction in school, and because of this, I have missed out on a lot of really fun and important experiences and ways of thinking. It's important for students to understand that science is a living, breathing aspect of daily life and not a boring subject from a textbook that is nearly impossible to understand. Additionally, science is really fun! We can accomplish these tasks by giving students the opportunity to participate in science activities and scientific thinking in a positive learning environment, as often as possible.
ReplyDeleteState-of-the-art science teaching is all about creating authentic science experiences for students. The more you know about science and participate in the process, the better (and more comfortable) you will be with doing authentic science in the classroom. I would also point out that technology is a major tool in today's world and in current scientific fields. Integrating technology-based science can help you move toward authentic experiences that really engage your students.
ReplyDelete