Comments on: Encouraging real science… http://blog.brettmoller.com/2006/05/01/encouraging-real-science/ Technology Resources for Educators Thu, 30 Sep 2010 03:25:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: wfryerhttp://blog.brettmoller.com/2006/05/01/encouraging-real-science/#comment-110 wfryer Tue, 02 May 2006 05:05:07 +0000 http://blog.brettmoller.com/?p=95#comment-110 I totally agree. We need to find ways to encourage more creativity and exploration. Who knows everything about science? No one! Not even the best scientists! As I've listened to podcasts by real cutting-edge scientists I am struck by how they readily admit the limits of their own knowledge, and discuss how they need more creative, out of the box thinkers to help solve the problems of the next century in science.I am becoming increasingly convinced that we need to abandon this path of high stakes testing we are on wholesale if we want to get kids and teachers thinking creatively. I agree 100% with you that we need teachers who can admit the limits of their own knowledge in front of students. But how do we get teachers to do this? Surely their preparation programs are important, but we have to work with teachers in the classroom now, too. Administrative leadership is another important key. I think you are right, the importance of this does not end with science. It goes into other content areas too.I think we need to strive to get kids engaged in conversations about issues they are studying in school, and find ways to help them be motivated to take these studies to another level of inquiry-- that can't happen if we're focused on just following a curriculum guide script, or staying at the lower levels of Bloom's taxonomy. That type of teaching is much more difficult and challenging, and I wonder if many teachers now in schools are even comfortable with that type of teaching role? I know some teachers who are, but they seem to be in the minority. Glad this post generated a response from you! :-) I totally agree. We need to find ways to encourage more creativity and exploration. Who knows everything about science? No one! Not even the best scientists! As I’ve listened to podcasts by real cutting-edge scientists I am struck by how they readily admit the limits of their own knowledge, and discuss how they need more creative, out of the box thinkers to help solve the problems of the next century in science.

I am becoming increasingly convinced that we need to abandon this path of high stakes testing we are on wholesale if we want to get kids and teachers thinking creatively. I agree 100% with you that we need teachers who can admit the limits of their own knowledge in front of students. But how do we get teachers to do this? Surely their preparation programs are important, but we have to work with teachers in the classroom now, too. Administrative leadership is another important key. I think you are right, the importance of this does not end with science. It goes into other content areas too.

I think we need to strive to get kids engaged in conversations about issues they are studying in school, and find ways to help them be motivated to take these studies to another level of inquiry– that can’t happen if we’re focused on just following a curriculum guide script, or staying at the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. That type of teaching is much more difficult and challenging, and I wonder if many teachers now in schools are even comfortable with that type of teaching role? I know some teachers who are, but they seem to be in the minority. Glad this post generated a response from you! :-)

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