Initial Reflection: Science Philosophy
and Vision
September 8, 2012
September 8, 2012
As a
science teacher, my vision is to become Ms. Frizzle and take my students on the
Magic School Bus. I would be omniscient in
the area of science and would have a hands-on lab every day of the week for my
students. No need to formally assess
because I would know the experience my students just had would last forever.
Now, let me
get back to reality. I only know so much
about science, mainly biology, from my coursework and my first year of
teaching. During my first year, I was
not the only teacher in the classroom as my students had some great questions
in which I did not know the answers. I
chose Biology because it is the content area I excelled at in school and it is
the content in which I am the most interested.
This makes teaching easier, because I pass on my excitement of Biology
to my students through my personality, approachability, open communication,
promptness, and my ability to say, “I do not know the answer to your question,
but I will find out.”
Going on a
mission to mars and creating a Mars Land Rover to collect data was the
highlight of sixth grade science; while the rest of middle school was science
fair projects and my poor choice to test the strength of a toothpick. Dissections in high school Biology classes
had a lasting impression and really grabbed my attention, as well as, the
science teacher who used a microphone when he spoke. AP Biology was the epitome of a class that
contained thousands of notes.
One was
unable to see the true use of technology within a lab setting until
college. In my classroom, students would
be engaged and would want to come to
science class. There would be plenty of
gloves, lab coats, goggles, lab desks, working sinks, plenty of storage for lab
equipment, a separate room attached to mine with lab kits and necessary
chemicals, a working SMART Board, and a knowledgeable teacher – ME! A typical day in Ms. Mahon’s Biology class
would start with a higher-level question for a student to answer. This would be followed by an anticipatory set
to grab students’ attention, a short lecture, and a meaningful, fun lab. Finally, students would be able to answer the
question posed to them at the beginning of the class. During the class, students would be
respectful of each other and I would provide them more things to do and experience in hopes of student reflection and understanding. I refuse to be the AP Biology teacher who
gives her students fill-in-the-blank notes that fill up a 2” binder by the end
of the year.
To make that
typical day occur, I am hoping the VISTA program can teach me how to give my
students more meaningful hands-on experience.
I hope I learn experiences that are able to be differentiated, low-cost,
time efficient, and inquiry-based. In
addition, I would really love to learn how to make students see the purpose of
a lab. Students need to make connections
between content and labs instead of just seeing the lab as something to do
before their next class.
Hi, Kirsten,
ReplyDeleteYour comment about wanting students to see labs as more than something to complete before the next class is right in line with what we want to help you gain skill in, in this class. Watch for the lessons on inquiry and nature of science.. they'll be pertinent and hopefully give you strategies so your students view labs differently.
Hello Kirsten,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree that being Ms. Fizzle would be any science teahcers dream. I believe that we can have bring some of that into our classrooms. Especially the hands-on reallife experiences, without needing a bus to shrink us down or to take us into outerspace.
I found my first year to be successful due to the inquiry lessons and labs that I taught. I found that conducting a demonstration before content or before a lab gave students the prior-knowldge needed to make and build meaningful connections. I found my students intruiged by the questions like; what do you think will happen next?.
I too wish for, plenty of gloves, lab coats, goggles, lab desks, working sinks, plenty of storage for lab equipment, a separate room attached to mine with lab kits and necessary chemicals. The other sicence teachers in my school have classrooms with all of that available. I wonder if I will be able to do the things I want; experiments that use real chemicals, not food products. Not having sinks, an eye wash station, gas spouts (I forgot the scientific name), Fumehood, fire blanket and fire extinguisher is unsafe. Without those materials I feel unsafe conduting labs that would require washing hands or fire.
My goal is to find a way around these obsticles and still have successful labs and meaningful experiences for my students to enjoy.
Mrs. Fizzle is an excellent role model for a science teacher. Her students were always fully engaged and it was easy for them to tie their experiences to “everyday” as the science lesson was conducted in the “real world”.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is great that you will tell the students that you don’t know the answer to some of their questions but that you will find out. The students, I believe, will respect your honesty, willingness to help them, and eagerness to learn too. Students will enjoy science classes more if they can keep their sens of curiosity alive.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteWho else was it in the room with you your first year? I like that you don't worry when you aren't sure of the answer to student questions. I think it's a really powerful tool to admit you don't have all the answers. Shows students it's ok not to know the answer, Science is all about investigation. -Just ask Ms. Fizzle! Also, as obvious as this may sound, they will respect you more if you don't give them false information just so you can "sounds smart."
You and I have simular expectations to take away from this course. Those hands-on labs are going to be what keeps student curiosity up, and keeps them thinking about science class outside of the classroom.