The word “science” comes from the Latin “scientia” meaning “knowledge.” Even having completed numerous college level science courses, I spend a lot of my free time continuing my own outside research online, or discussing other subjects with friends in a variety of fields including physics, computer science, plant biology, entomology, and neuroscience. Through such discourse and debate I continue to learn about the natural world.
At the same time I realize that not everyone has the same thirst for learning that I do, even less so when they don't have much choice in what they learn. so in order to get all students engaged, one must show them something relevant or interesting, perhaps even unexpected, to provoke curiosity, then help them come to understand what is really going on. Discrepant events are great tools towards achieving this in the science classroom.
Everything in science is interconnected, and the most exciting part of teaching science is watching the students discover the interconnected nature of science for themselves. When teaching students science, one must be able to show them how the subject is pervasive and pertinent in everyday life. If their interest cannot be captivated, a bounty of useful information will simply fall on deaf ears. If you can get students who want to know more about what you are going to teach, or who even just want to learn about the world around them, you are halfway to teaching them some meaningful science.
To me, teaching is about the sharing of knowledge. Just as history instructors impart millenia worth of wisdom about humankind's past follies, science teachers must lead students through centuries of scientific breakthroughs and advance made by the brightest minds. Our modern world operates at such an advanced level that we can ill afford scientific ignorance. Science's methodical and logical approach to understanding the world around us allows it to provide great insight into everything from knowing how cars work to those pesky questions parents don't want to answer. “Why is the sky blue?” “Why is grass green?” Through my studies of atoms, molecules, minerals, cells, trees, tectonic plates, physics, chemistry, natural disasters, planets and stars, I have spread the scope of my knowledge from the subatomic particles along a continuum all the way up to the scale of solar systems and even galaxies. I hope to be able to share my knowledge from both ends of that scale, and through everything in between. I hope to share my scientific knowledge with the next generation, so that they may expand upon it and continue to share their knowledge with the next generation. Or, to paraphrase, Sir Isaac Newton, "If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants."
Technology:
Every day technology becomes a bigger and bigger part of our lives. As such, I feel it should also become a bigger part of students' experiences in the classroom, so that they can be adequately prepared for their future. Furthermore, science and technology have always gone hand in hand, both stressing a logical and analytical approach to understanding and solving problems. Science has also provided the backbone of technological advances, while technology has pushed science to limits that humans cannot perceive without the aid of technology, from the deep seas, to the stars, and all the way down to subatomic particles. Therefore, I endeavor to enrich my classroom with technology, using it to engage students in learning, explore the wonders of the scientific world beyond the classroom walls, and finally, to help my students learn and understand the technology itself, so they can continue to push its boundaries.
The education of future generations may be the second most important thing to the continued success of our species. The first is procreation, of course. If the next generation isn't taught everything we already know, not only will they find it difficult to progress, they will find themselves slipping backwards. Education is one of the most vital obligations humans have to themselves, and I will be honored to help in any way I can.
At the same time I realize that not everyone has the same thirst for learning that I do, even less so when they don't have much choice in what they learn. so in order to get all students engaged, one must show them something relevant or interesting, perhaps even unexpected, to provoke curiosity, then help them come to understand what is really going on. Discrepant events are great tools towards achieving this in the science classroom.
Everything in science is interconnected, and the most exciting part of teaching science is watching the students discover the interconnected nature of science for themselves. When teaching students science, one must be able to show them how the subject is pervasive and pertinent in everyday life. If their interest cannot be captivated, a bounty of useful information will simply fall on deaf ears. If you can get students who want to know more about what you are going to teach, or who even just want to learn about the world around them, you are halfway to teaching them some meaningful science.
To me, teaching is about the sharing of knowledge. Just as history instructors impart millenia worth of wisdom about humankind's past follies, science teachers must lead students through centuries of scientific breakthroughs and advance made by the brightest minds. Our modern world operates at such an advanced level that we can ill afford scientific ignorance. Science's methodical and logical approach to understanding the world around us allows it to provide great insight into everything from knowing how cars work to those pesky questions parents don't want to answer. “Why is the sky blue?” “Why is grass green?” Through my studies of atoms, molecules, minerals, cells, trees, tectonic plates, physics, chemistry, natural disasters, planets and stars, I have spread the scope of my knowledge from the subatomic particles along a continuum all the way up to the scale of solar systems and even galaxies. I hope to be able to share my knowledge from both ends of that scale, and through everything in between. I hope to share my scientific knowledge with the next generation, so that they may expand upon it and continue to share their knowledge with the next generation. Or, to paraphrase, Sir Isaac Newton, "If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants."
Technology:
Every day technology becomes a bigger and bigger part of our lives. As such, I feel it should also become a bigger part of students' experiences in the classroom, so that they can be adequately prepared for their future. Furthermore, science and technology have always gone hand in hand, both stressing a logical and analytical approach to understanding and solving problems. Science has also provided the backbone of technological advances, while technology has pushed science to limits that humans cannot perceive without the aid of technology, from the deep seas, to the stars, and all the way down to subatomic particles. Therefore, I endeavor to enrich my classroom with technology, using it to engage students in learning, explore the wonders of the scientific world beyond the classroom walls, and finally, to help my students learn and understand the technology itself, so they can continue to push its boundaries.
The education of future generations may be the second most important thing to the continued success of our species. The first is procreation, of course. If the next generation isn't taught everything we already know, not only will they find it difficult to progress, they will find themselves slipping backwards. Education is one of the most vital obligations humans have to themselves, and I will be honored to help in any way I can.