When I think of myself as a Scientist, there's not much there! I did LOVE Biology in high school, but it had nothing to do with the content. I did well in the class because I had a terrible crush on my teacher, Coach Fisher DeBerry who was also the baseball coach (later the head Football Coach at the Air Force Academy). He treated us like adults and had very high expectations. I ADORED him so I studied harder and worked harder in his class than any other class that I had. I remember how crushed I was when he told us that he was going to get married! Unfortunately my crush on the teacher did not instill in me a love for Science. In college I took the mandatory classes including an astronomy class with a lab on top of one of the dorms that was held at night so we could look at the night sky. I don't remember ever learning to use the telescope in a way that was useful! One of the reasons that I have to work so hard to understand the first grade Science curriculum is because I don't have a strong Science background. It is my hope to do enough study now to find the doors that will engage my students in a way that I never have been. It's not easy to teach something that you don't really know well and that's why I relish having a co-teacher that has a strong major and interest in the Sciences. She can often fill in the interesting little tidbits, the vocabulary and the explanations that the children find so amazing. As we expect stronger and stronger content in lower grades to prepare a foundation for our 5th grade state assessment, it will require all of us to dig deeper. It will require administrators to stretch their professional development dollars to take teachers like me and make them the type of Scientists that can move a generation of children. Quite a challenge!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Wondering of a Mad Scientist
When I think of myself as a Scientist, there's not much there! I did LOVE Biology in high school, but it had nothing to do with the content. I did well in the class because I had a terrible crush on my teacher, Coach Fisher DeBerry who was also the baseball coach (later the head Football Coach at the Air Force Academy). He treated us like adults and had very high expectations. I ADORED him so I studied harder and worked harder in his class than any other class that I had. I remember how crushed I was when he told us that he was going to get married! Unfortunately my crush on the teacher did not instill in me a love for Science. In college I took the mandatory classes including an astronomy class with a lab on top of one of the dorms that was held at night so we could look at the night sky. I don't remember ever learning to use the telescope in a way that was useful! One of the reasons that I have to work so hard to understand the first grade Science curriculum is because I don't have a strong Science background. It is my hope to do enough study now to find the doors that will engage my students in a way that I never have been. It's not easy to teach something that you don't really know well and that's why I relish having a co-teacher that has a strong major and interest in the Sciences. She can often fill in the interesting little tidbits, the vocabulary and the explanations that the children find so amazing. As we expect stronger and stronger content in lower grades to prepare a foundation for our 5th grade state assessment, it will require all of us to dig deeper. It will require administrators to stretch their professional development dollars to take teachers like me and make them the type of Scientists that can move a generation of children. Quite a challenge!
The primary science standards are pretty general and really don't require students to think as deeply as they could or should. Teaching beyond the minimal state standards is going to be critical and must be integrated so it makes sense to our youngest students. We could also integrate the Social Studies standards. We have a TDE set for a group of 5 2nd grade teachers. We are writing a unit around their animal Science standards, report writing, and non-fiction reading. We are creating a plan for k and 1st to do the same. I can't wait!
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