Understanding of Science Education Theory and Literature
Reflection
Evidence - Educational Philosophy Paper (see below)
Why I choose this piece of evidence:
During "Leadership for Middle School Education" we were asked to write our philosophy of education. I have been teaching a number of years but this caused me to reflect on classroom practices I believe are essential to good teaching. While formally constructing this I was asked to find articles that support my philosophy and those that oppose it. Researching articles gave me the opportunity to look at my philosophy critically and to find scholarly articles that reflect both what I believe as well as counterarguments.
Evidence of Growth:
This piece of evidence illustrates growth because prior to this class I had not thought about writing down my philosophy or looking for evidence to support it from outside sources. This paper required me to focus on what is important to me in my teaching. It also required me to read research that both supported and refuted my beliefs which gave me an opportunity to reflect on opposing viewpoints and contemplate their merit.
Evidence:
Philosophy
The “eye dance” is the first thing that drew me to teaching, that look of merriment that exudes from the eyes in an “ah,ha” moment. This expression on a students face is what has driven me to be passionate about what I do, to strive to replicate the “eye dance” again and again. It’s exhilarating to see the effect that can be produced when a well planned lesson demonstrates excellent teaching and helps students conceptualize something that they previously didn’t understand or know about. It makes me feel that what I do is important and I am making a difference in how a student might view the world or approach something new. It connects me to the student and the student to me. Findings from The American School Board Journal confirm this. The quality of the teacher “more heavily influences differences in student performance than does race, class, or school of the student.” Quality is demonstrated in daily preparation, possessing strong background knowledge and caring about students.
Quality lessons can only be developed when a teacher has a firm understanding of what they are teaching. As a youth I sat through many a boring class. Hindsight and experience tell me my teachers did not spend much time developing the lessons and were often inadequately prepared. Unlike now, I was not motivated enough, if the lesson was not stimulating, to pursue the information on my own. As a result I wasted time that I could have used to a better advantage. Some of my peers performed very well with the same teacher. Perhaps they were already intrinsically motivated or got reinforcement from home or were more naturally intellectually curious or more resilient. Resiliency can be a strong contributing factor to academic success. Some children despite negative conditions are able to perform well in the educational forum. This is not due to IQ but to several other reasons that have been identified. “Four particular characteristics have been typically found in resilient children; social competence, problem-solving skills, autonomy, and a sense of purpose.” (Waxman, Gray and Padron, 2003) I, however, needed a teacher that recognized my learning style. I needed someone to help me recognize the value of what I was doing. I was in the majority of middle performing students, not poor enough or exceptional enough for anyone to take notice. A study (Lee and Anderson, 1992), found that students in the same classroom can have very different attitudes because of prior experiences. Being aware of the background students bring to the classroom can make a difference in the type of community and learning that takes place inside it. In order to do this it is necessary to establish a rapport with students and gain insight into their learning styles. Each learner is an individual. Learners need to feel respected and know that they are an important part of the classroom community. I am sensitive to the background that students bring into the classroom. I plan with this in mind and have an array of challenges that fit the needs of the variety of students that will walk through the door. I have sought to educate myself so that I am equipped with techniques that will address the learning styles and attitudes of a myriad of individuals. I want students to know that I care and that I am willing to make the effort to establish a classroom that respects their individualism. I want the class to be a haven that promotes educational excellence and embraces and respects differences. I make an effort to know my students names relatively quickly, to share anecdotes or daily happenings. I try to show up at games, school activities and musical concerts because it provides opportunities for personal interaction. After making every attempt to set up a risk free environment I try to engage even the unusually quiet student on a personal level and be available to all students outside of the classroom for questions and feedback. The classroom social environment is important in supporting or undermining “changes in young adolescents’ motivation and engagement.” There are four dimensions that can affect this:
My personal experience as a teacher has confirmed that the above is integral to student achievement but there is also research which emphasizes that there are other factors that influence student success. One factor aside from resiliency is intrinsic motivation. Dembo and Eaton (2000) point out most truly successful students possess this characteristic and these students often succeed despite a poor teacher or classroom environment. I would agree but argue that this is the exception rather than the rule. It is my experience that most students need to have a connection that in some way ignites the desire to learn. It could be interest, social interaction or competitiveness. I try to wean students away from learning for extrinsic rather than intrinsic reasons and found the steps students with intrinsic motivation use, such as setting goals and managing time, to be ones I encourage my students to use also. Some are more successful than others and need more time to incorporate them.
Students need an appreciation of knowledge in order to move forward as learners. How this appreciation is developed is part my responsibility as a teacher. I am a facilitator but also must provide lessons that will draw in a student and captivate their natural inquisitiveness and provide them with reasons for learning. I share with them my curiosity about life and how it works.
Science is a subject that sparks natural curiosity. It engages interest. It is very personal. Science is practical and infiltrates all the aspects of ones life. Knowing the properties of substances gives us information about how to use them. Understanding our bodies helps us lead healthy lives. Knowing about the earth’s makeup can direct us to know where to build and how to work with nature rather than against it. There is a plethora of information to learn. It’s unlikely that we will all become experts in every area but there are fundamentals that are necessary for students to know in order to be able to make informed choices. Learning science helps students investigate their world and find a deeper understanding of it. I believe that the six goals laid out in Teaching Science in Elementary and Middle School classes, fit in with my ideas of the themes that are essential to teach. The concepts should be broad rather than narrow. We should not be teaching minutia. When examining data it is important to look at it critically in order to solve problems and make decisions. Students need to be active in order to be able to construct meaning to what they do. They should be able to apply what they learn to the world around them. “Science should foster the development of natural curiosity, creativity and interest.” Finally students should have a scientific attitude. They should be taught to question and analyze information with a critical eye. (Krajcik, Czerniak and Berger, 2003)
Because I respect that my students will be approaching learning differently I want to provide opportunities for them to work diversely. I want them to be challenged but in a way that makes sense to them. This is why I believe it is best if students have some input into a lesson. When students are interested in what they are doing they are more likely to challenge themselves and strive to reach their full potential. It is my job to provide them with the tools they need to do this. Sometimes students need to work in groups with peers, other times they need one on one instruction. Whole class discussion can be a forum for listening to other people’s opinions and drawing conclusions after hearing many sides. It is important to think about the objectives of a lesson and plan accordingly to meet the students’ needs. Lessons have to be purposeful with well thought out goals. The lessons should excite and engage them in the learning process, creating in them a joy of learning and enthusiasm for deepening their understanding of the world around them. I believe to accomplish this I must take into account the various learning styles of students, differentiating instruction and providing the necessary accommodations to make meeting the goals a possibility for all of the students. Tomlinson (1999) has pointed out in many of her books that the “one size fits all” style of teaching is passé. There is too much diversity in the classroom to cling to one method of teaching. Flexibility is important. Sometimes it is necessary to stop, regroup and change focus. I believe that the above behavior exhibits to children that I am kind, caring and sensitive to their academic and emotional needs. It connects them to me and provides them with the nurturing necessary for them to be open to what I have to offer. Rigorous instruction that is standard based but respectful of learning differences is necessary. “In order for students to achieve genuine success in both academic and real-life settings, they must achieve deep understanding of what they are studying and demonstrate a capacity for individual creativity, self-expression, and critical thinking.” (McTighe and Brown, 2005) This can be accomplished by giving work to students that is respectful and considerate of their readiness.
Once the student’s intellectual curiosity is stimulated and there reason for learning accessed, the next step is to model for them how they can use information learned to make decisions that can affect their personal lives, analyze the validity of these decisions and reflect on the impact they might have globally. This can be done by providing an atmosphere in the classroom that encourages open communication and discussion as information is acquired. I offer opportunities for students to look analytically at information, learn how to determine if it is valid and how to connect it to other information that they know. Open discussion is encouraged and along with that, an insistence that everyone respects, even if they disagree, the views of others. I model how to reevaluate information when new facts are introduced and encourage the students to do the same. I do this by listening to student information, researching thoughts or concepts that are challenged and being willing to change my viewpoint based on new evidence. My classroom motto is that learning is never finished. The door is always open for revising thoughts as new information is discovered or revealed.
Course assignments and tests need to be constructed so they assess what a student knows and communicate to me if the goals I have laid out are being met. It’s important to find a balance between giving students work that is too easy or too difficult. I encourage students to develop a support network. I constantly keep students apprised of where they are in term of my objectives and give them many opportunities to reach them. I give students options in how they learn the objectives. Students appreciate having a choice in how they assimilate the material.
I think that it is important for an educator to understand the importance of their job. I try everyday to become a better teacher. I spend a lot of time researching and designing lessons. I continually reflect on how I can improve as an educator and as a person. I try to model this behavior to my students so they can understand how vested I am in them. But maybe my most important quality is that I love what I do. I care about the children I teach and the difference I might make in their lives.
Bibliography:
Patty McCarrin - September 30, 2007 Back to e-portfolio