So I am still not sure what to write in this blog, if it is my feelings and/or reflection or responding to the reading. For this blog, I have decided to write what I am feeling in terms of teaching science now. Science has never been my strong point for me. But after student teaching, I realized how much I do like it (even if I need to get better at it). I student taught in 5th grade in East Hartford, where not much science was being taught. Actually, they were starting a new science program that year, but none of the 5th grade teachers had actually started teaching the new program, let alone open the boxes. I took it upon myself to start the program in my class (and open the boxes!) and began teaching science to 5th graders. I realized how important science is, how little my students knew about science and how eager my students were to learn science. The students were so interested in science and it made me think that even if science is not taught regularly, it is the kind of thing that can be taught at any point in the classroom. Those kids and their enthusiasm for science when I taught it was part of the reason I wanted to take this class. Science is so vital and every child needs to learn science. Now I am in a kindergarten classroom in Mansfield, and science is not being taught at all. It frustrates me to see this in a district that is suburban when I thought it was just an urban problem. Where exactly is science being taught? I want to learn more about science so I can include it in any class that I am in.
3 comments:
Kara- I have had very similar experiences with teaching science. Prior to student teaching, I wasn't sure how well I would do teaching science, but I actually found out that I really enjoyed it! My kids weren't getting ANY science before I began student teaching. Once we started, however, they all really seemed to enjoy it, and I definitely think that science is extremely important to include in elementary schools.
Hi Kara,
Thanks for commenting on my blog. I'm switching because I want to have the dual certification. It will open more doors and eventually help me when I decide to go into administration. (Have to get that sixth year first!)
I have also seen little science in the classroom. In both my internship and my previous teaching experience it seems that teachers over look the importance of science. I think that some school systems put such an emphasis on reading and math that teachers feel that it simply isn't important to teach anything else.
Andrea
Kara,
On the one hand, I completely agree that not having science is a really really bad thing for kids. But what makes me even more irritated are the school systems where science is NOT being taught. My sense is that the kids who would MOST benefit by science are often not allowed to learn it because of the scripted reading programs. But no parent would allow for that in more privileged school systems.
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