Teaching Science in the Classroom

There were a quite a few ideas from a textbook, Science Stories by Janice Koch, that I thought were worth mentioning in this blog. I won't reiterate the text by writing them all down, but a few that I wanted to take note of were the idea of teaching science as a process, the benefits and values of teaching science, the hands-on activities, and the use of technology while teaching science.

I think many teachers are reluctant to teach science because many of us are guilty of thinking about science as a dull process of memorizing facts. I, myself, am guilty of this thought. It has certainly played a role in my hesitation. However, after reading about teaching science as a process, I am reminded that science is more than just facts. It's about inquiring, asking good questions, exploring, observing, predicting, analyzing and finding answers. It's also about developing an open-mindedness towards new evidence and developing the skills to cooperate with others. If all the scientists kept their discoveries to themselves, this world would not be where it is today. We, as humans, would not have progressed as quickly as we have. And learning about science as a progress not only benefits students in science, but the skills that they practice can be applied to all other aspects of life.

I also love the reminder that Koch mentions about hands-on activities. Many teachers believe that hands-on activities in itself will suffice as a valuable learning experience. However, without connecting the experience to the students' lives, without opportunities for students to reflect, and without clearly defined goals, these students are lacking the true depth in the experience. They are less likely to see the significance in their task, and thus, less likely to retain the information and skills they are meant to develop.

Lastly, integrating technology in the classroom is such a valuable tool and experience for both teachers and students. Teachers are able to provide information for students that they might not otherwise be able to gather on their own. For example, teachers are able to visit places all over the world from within their classroom. They can track migrations or weather patterns. There are even websites that provides simulations of animal dissections if doing it in the classroom is not feasible. With technology, teachers are able to broaden students' experiences to much greater lengths than they can using just the means of a classroom.

I'm excited about all that I'm already learning about teaching science in the classroom and all the new perspectives that I haven't previously considered. As I continue to explore Koch's text, I will be updating more thoughts and ideas here on the blog. Stay tuned!