I find a problem with the very first line/ quote of this article! Showing this "mass production" idea wrong is the perfect example of what we can do as individual educators to help our students, even if we cannot overhaul the entire educational system. Though I love science and I want to share it with students, I also what them to be able to learn how to think for themselves and to find the courage to follow their passions! I do agree that the educational system tries to shove too many facts into kids minds without allowing them time to understand the process behind the ideas. It is important that teachers find as many opportunities to allow students to perform inquiry activities and to take the science as their own.
On the other hand, it is so hard to tailor education to the current interests of teenage students. I'm finding it difficult to convince students that certain things about Earth Science, such as the structure of Pangea, is interesting. I'm also finding that any hands-on experience does excite and engage students. This is more support that helping students to feel like real scientists will help them succeed and it might even help slowly alter the education system.
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I like what you said about hands on activties. Not only do the students really enjoy them, I have found that they also provide opportunities for us to get to know our students. It is much easier to discover what ideas our students have, and what they are good at when we observe them and interact with them in small groups. The times that I am working with students during activities in groups or on an individual basis is when I love my job the most!
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is, I know it's great, and I love doing hands on activities and inquiry learning. But man, it's hard on both parties. It's hard to come up with ideas, and it's hard for students to think in that direction. And I think that's the problem. Students haven't learned how to think that way yet. It's kind of like our discrepant events. Students have been thinking one way their entire lives, and then all of a sudden, one teacher shows them something that turns that idea 180 degrees. They are going to fight you all the way. But that's how it works, and at the end, my greatest reward is turning at least 1 person around.
ReplyDeleteAlice,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! Whew it can be exhausting! Also, the make-ups for labs are such a pain! It does not deter me from from conducting them because I do like the more one on one time with students during make-ups before or after school, but the planning and supplies and hassel of keeping up with them outside of class is a bit much. Does anyone have any good suggestions about make-up procedures? (I know this is a little off topic :))
Honestly, I think you have to continue to allow room for the make ups and just do your best to balance the time required effectviely. The labs are what truly give the students a chance to interact with the material, so taking them out isn't really an option.
ReplyDeleteMy co-teacher doesn't take points off for labs being late, so she has kids making up labs way after we have covered them. The disadvantage is that we have moved on to new topics, but the advantage is that the students will ALWAYS do the lab, even if it is months late... and isn't the whole purpose of teaching getting them to approach the material and think about the applications?
Sometimes I wonder about the many extra hours that get put in by educators to accomodate their students... Are they really worth it? Are we really reaching them? Is there a more effective approach? Can we make it more efficient? Honestly, I don't know. But at this point it is really important that we always support our students as best we can and if putting in some extra hours helps students learn, then I'm going to keep at it.
My ct does a make up lab on the Tuesday following the lab after school. Her policy is if the student is unable to make it up, then they can copy someone else's lab. I totally do not agree with this, as all the student is learning how to do is hand writing skills. However, making up labs can be time consuming.
ReplyDeleteLynn Lynn, I like your teacher's idea about having a make up day, so students know that they will be able to come in on certain weekdays. However, I totally disagree with students asked to copy someone else's lab. Lab is something that students really need to do by themselves. Otherwise, they can just obtain that knowledge from lecture or textbooks. Lab is only valuable when students actually do it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you that make ups are time consuming. I just finished my unit last week and I still have students who are turning in the first activity sheet that they did for the unit. When I have my own classroom, I think I'll have a little more strict rules about make ups, but students should still learn the concept.