Shop by Topic
Shop by Product
ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues
<< Previous Issue
| View Past Issues | | Next Issue >> 
Is Science Education Failing Children?
November 27, 2006
Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
-Carl Sagan
-Carl Sagan
Many children insist that the moon produces its own light, and that Earth’s changing shadow causes the moon’s phases. And many believe summer is hot when Earth travels close to the sun, and winter is cold when Earth travels far away from the sun. Can science teachers change students’ misconceptions? The answer is yes, but only if teachers are competent, patient, and willing to do more than cover the curriculum and coach students on test questions. Thomas Carpenter says the best way to improve science teaching and learning involves training teachers to understand scientific concepts, practicing scientific inquiry the way real scientists investigate problems, confronting their own scientific reasoning and misconceptions, and generating and demonstrating scientific understanding. For more information, see: www.asbj.com/current/research.html
Contributed by William Strader
ExchangeEveryDay
Delivered five days a week containing news, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
What is ExchangeEveryDay?
ExchangeEveryDay is the official electronic newsletter for Exchange Press. It is delivered five days a week containing news stories, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
Teaching Science in the Preschool
The Exchange book, The Wonder of It: Exploring How the World Works, explores teaching science in the preschool. Teaching science, at best, is supporting the curiosity of children, simulating their thinking, helping them ask good questions, sharing the joy of discovery. Chapters in The Wonder of It, from a variety of early childhood specialists, speak to the excitement of scientific pursuit and to the importance of wonder in the lives of young children.
Comments (2)
Displaying All 2 CommentsUSARMY
United States
I tried to update my distribution from [email protected] to my current e-mail, [email protected]. Your system told me that [email protected] was a current subscriber. However, I am not receiving you distribution at that address. Please update my distribution to my [email protected] address.
Westover Consultants, Inc.
Bethesda, Maryland, United States
And read Piaget! Children's assumptions about natural phenomena derive from their developmental stages and listening to children discuss their own brand of science will be basic to teaching anything scientific. Children are never wrong - they come to conclusions that differ from what we adults "know" based on the information at hand. Teachers (i.e., any adult who cares about what a child knows and needs to know) must understand the science involved and know how to teach it. Telling a child "you're wrong" about the moonlight and other things is not the way to go about it! Science educators of early childhood teachers, listen up and get busy!
Post a Comment