Changing Expectations

I am learning so much about teaching in this class. Even though we don't get to look at the quizzes we took on the first day of class until the end of the semester, I'm sure many of my answers would already be different. What we are talking about is easy for me to understand. I can understand that teaching the scientific method is inaccurate, and as many of us have said, ineffective. But I am definitely not at the point where I see how to apply these new ideas to a classroom.

I did not feel confident about teaching science walking into this class. And at this point I am probably feeling even less confident. I'm hoping to turn that around before the end of the semester. All that I do know at this point is that I want to be a teacher that teaches, not just instructs students. I feel that this class is bringing me closer to that.

I can't say that I'm frustrated by this class. If anything, it's just that I wish the answers were written in some way over priced text book from the book store, like I am used to. But I'm starting to wrap my head around the idea that that isn't going to happen.

Science

In class last Wednesday we talked about how science is fueled by our own curiosity about the world. This idea made science seem much more approachable to me. I have always been intimidated by the subject of science. Thinking of science as just learning about something I am curious about seems much more interesting, and way less threatening, then picturing some chemistry formula on a test I probably did horribly on in High School. I know this concept is something that will be useful in future teaching. I want to make sure my students see science as something cool and limitless rather then how I have always seen it.
Another big idea I took from our last class was the difference between science and technology. Before I considered science and technology one in the same. While the two subjects go hand in hand I'm glad the difference was pointed out to me. It actually makes a lot of sense. Science is the knowledge. Technology is the application of that knowledge. This class is helping me to discover what science is, which is such an odd thought considering I have been learning about “science” since I started Kindergarten.

Classroom Goals

I am so glad we spent the time needed to create this goal list. When I first wrote out my own ten goals I did not think much of the assignment. Not to say that I did not give any thought to the goals I wrote, I just was not expecting to do much with them. When I read back through what I had wrote, even though each goal was something I truly wanted for my future students, I had no idea how I would even think about getting my students to meet them. The goals I created seemed to me like things that only a class full of perfect students could reach.

After we started talking in class I realized this assignment was worth much more then I had originally thought. Everyone contributed such thoughtful input when editing the class list. As we continued to talk through each goal I realized that having students that are motivated to learn through curiosity might actually be something that is attainable, as well as the rest of the goals we created.

I am interested in seeing how we integrate these goals into our own work in class this semester. I wonder if I will gain more insight as to how to help students reach these goals. I am also curious about whether or not goals on the list will change as we continue through the semester. Overall I think writing the goals has been a positive experience that will help all of us in our future classrooms.