RDP Final Presentation

Engendering Excitement for Science and Teaching Science in

Elementary School Teachers

Brian E. KinghornCEP 900

December 13, 2005

For children and teachers alike, Science can be a roller coaster ride!!!

http://www.pirateplanet.com/Florida_Vacation_6/small/Islands_Of_Adventure_Roller_Coaster.JPG

However, the way the ride is perceived can be quite different!

http://www.bric-a-brac.org/humour/images/sante/science.jpg

http://www.remlingerfarms.com/countryfair.html

Scientists are Like 4-yr-olds● They are constantly trying to make sense of the world● They are curious, asking why and how things work● Each answer is followed by another “why?”● Their observations are as complete and detailed as

possible● They are excited by the questions and the answers

School Science vs. Nature of Science

● School Science– Didactic transmission of

concrete knowledge● Book Work● Collection of

Authoritative Facts● Static (Unchanging)● About Grades● Relatively Unconnected

to Phenomena.

● Scientific Practice– A way of knowing or

making sense of the world● Pragmatic (ever

changing)● Fundamentally Based in

Phenomena● Looking for answers to

practical questions● Answers lead to more

questions.

The way science is often taught in school (book work and didactic transmission) has led to a large population of individuals who have had “negative net experiences” with science education. Among this population are many current and future elementary school teachers. If their views of science and methods for teaching science to their students are not changed, we will continue to replenish the supply of adults (and future teachers) turned off to science.

Thomas Henry Huxley1825-1895

“If scientific education is to be dealt with as mere bookwork, it will be better not to attempt it but to stick to the Latin Grammar which makes no pretence to be anything but bookwork” (qtd. in DeBoer, 1991, p. 10).

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/thuxley.html

How do we get elementary school teachers who have had “negative net

experiences” with science in their own education to be excited about teaching science to their students?

1. Preservice teacher education

2. In service teacher development

3. Developing useful educative curriculum

Teaching science content and teaching methods is not

enough! Teachers' beliefs about science need to change.

They need to start to see science as an exciting way of making sense of their world before they can help their

students do the same!

1. Engage Teachers in Conceptual Change:-Help them understand their own beliefs about science

-Show them a side of science that they don't yet see

-Guide them through the process of accommodating the new ideas about science into their schema.

2. Give Teachers the Same Exciting Experiences with Science that their Students will have

-Model teaching methods (teachers as learners)

-Teachers are able to feel like “little scientists” again

-Incorporate methods teaching into these experiences

Looking to the Future:● Obviously the ideal approach to preparing future

teachers would be to foster children's curiosity with school science from the beginning rather than constricting it using current practices.

● However, that cannot be done with out teachers who can break from the norm TODAY and go beyond their past experiences to create that environment for their students.

● This will require a change in the entire system of education, not just individual teachers.