Friedman (2010) reminds us in his article "What is Our Sputnik" that is essential for the President of the United States to focus on how to build our nation. America is losing in the race to remain a worldwide technological leader. Friedman also (2010) reminds us that when Sputnik was launched America's response resulted in advances in technology and a drive to excel and a motivation to become better educated. We need to now focus on how to rebuild our economy and our country. However, I feel we have had our Sputnik and we missed the boat. When Asia started to take over as a technological leader, we missed our opportunity to meet the challenge. Tapping America's Potential (TAP) is trying to meet this challenge by providing incentives to our high school graduates to obtain advanced degrees in science (Business Roundtable, 2008).
Unfortunately, most students are still not motivated to obtain degrees in science. I feel a good deal of students feel that science is too hard. Students also feel they will not be able to do the math involved in science degrees. I feel that in order to motivate and encourage our students, we need to change how science is taught in school. Science class should be about inquiry. Students should be conducting inquiries and solving problems using 21st century skills. At the state and national level, a focus should be on implementing fewer standards to focus on mastery, with a focus on inquiry.
I know from my experience as an elementary teacher, that science is not the top priority in elementary school. Now that I am a middle school teacher, I see students coming from elementary school with a predisposed attitude about science. Students come to middle school feeling that science is not important. Many feel that science is a class that can be neglected. I feel that training elementary teachers how to teach science inquiry is essential.
I also feel that students need to be exposed to science fairs and activities at an early age. Clubs in elementary and middle school may also prove helpful. Incentives to enter these clubs should also be used by states and school systems. Students need to feel that being interested in science is a prestigious endeavor that is essential to the well being of our nation.
References
Business Roundtable. (2008). Tapping America's potential: The education for innovation initiative: Gaining momentum, losing ground (progress report 2008). Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from the Walden University Library using the ERIC database
Friedman, T. L. (2010, January 17). What’s our Sputnik? [Op-Ed]. The New York Times [Late Edition (East Coast)], p. WK.8.
Creating more opportunities for problem solving and creating is an important step to STEM education. Starting at an early age would give student more confidence with their ideas. In addition, students have a way to have more fun with science and take the time to explore their own wonderings.
ReplyDeleteCheryl,
ReplyDeleteYou made an excellent point about middle school students not having an open mind when it comes to science. Students should be exposed to science in elementary school. Science is not the focus in elementary school. The change should definitely begin at that stage of educational process. Likewise, it would be helpful to have standards that are driven by inquiry and not mastery.
Alethea
Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned two key things that stuck with me. The Tapping America's Potential (TAP) article also provided evidence to say that although schools may be trying to improve science education, the government funding is not enough to do this effectively. As a result, we still have a low number of graduates persuing science careers. So, what is our job? How can we encourage students to take to the sciences? To have them see that science does not have to be hard? I believe that we need to show our students, especially those in high school that science is something as much a part of their world and well being as clothing and shelter. Science is what is going to improve our lives, solve the upcoming global challenges, or at least seek to find the solutions.
The students at my school, unfortunately, do not have "real science" at the Elementary level. Teachers are trying to improve, and I commend them in this, but science is just not the focus of instruction because reading and mathematics have taken the front seat.
One thing that several Elementary teachers do not see is how the teaching of a science unit, can be extremely interdisciplinary. When I taught 4th grade, at the beginning of each unit of inquiry, I would create a web to help me see the connections between the science and other subjects I would teach my students. This was extremely effective and students were engaged in their learning whether it was in guided reading, literature circles, during science time, math, or art. I think this is a really important skill for teachers to have, but the only way to be able to connect other disciplines is to know the content ourselves and understand the nature of science.
What are your thoughts on this?
Janice