The document discusses trends in elementary science education. It notes that many elementary teachers do not feel confident or comfortable teaching science. It raises the issue that science education is important given its role in today's technology-focused global economy. The analysis reflects on strategies for improving science education, such as inquiry-based learning that engages student curiosity and prior knowledge. It agrees with promoting student independence and inquiry-based approaches but acknowledges this can be difficult to implement, as teachers may lack experience with these newer methods. It stresses the importance of teacher training in inquiry-based techniques to better motivate and develop students' scientific thinking.
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The document discusses trends in elementary science education. It notes that many elementary teachers do not feel confident or comfortable teaching science. It raises the issue that science education is important given its role in today's technology-focused global economy. The analysis reflects on strategies for improving science education, such as inquiry-based learning that engages student curiosity and prior knowledge. It agrees with promoting student independence and inquiry-based approaches but acknowledges this can be difficult to implement, as teachers may lack experience with these newer methods. It stresses the importance of teacher training in inquiry-based techniques to better motivate and develop students' scientific thinking.
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EDU431 METHODS OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS AND
SCIENCE IN THE PRIMARY/JUNIOR GRADES
Required Reading M: Analysis and Reflection. Title: Trends in Elementary Science Education CITATION: Allen, R. (2006). Chapter 1: Trends in elementary science education. Priorities in Practice: The Essentials of Science, Grades K6. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/106206/chapters/Trends-in-Elementary-ScienceEducation.aspx ABSTRACT:
ANALYSIS/REFLECTION:
Many elementary school teachers, the
proverbial jacks-of-all-trades, face a trio of issues when it comes to teaching science: they don't like science, they don't feel confident in their knowledge of science, and they don't know how to teach science effectively.
Teaching science has proven to be a challenge
for many educators, especially at the elementary school level. This raises an issue, however, since science and technology are a significant part of todays global economy, and students are expected to have an advanced knowledge pertaining to todays digital society. There are many strategies that teachers can employ in order to promote science in the classroom, including inquiry-based learning and drawing on students previous knowledge. This will likely encourage children to pursue scientific topics and conduct investigations that spark their interest, thereby allowing them to explore their curiosity even further. With these strategies in place, students will be expected to take on a lot more responsibility in the classroom rather than merely passively learning during a lecture. I strongly agree with the main premise that Rick Allen is putting forth, in that students are expected to be more independent and engage in inquiry-based learning in order to get the most out of their science education, but this is easier said than done. Since this is a relatively new approach to learning, many teachers might not have experience with this method, making it that much more difficult to implement it into the classroom. I believe that students of all ages can be expected to ask thoughtful and reflective questions if they are given proper guidance. To do this, teachers should receive inquiry-based training so that students are motivated to develop their scientific knowledge that they can utilize in the future.