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Hi Donna, It’s fantastic that you’re working to empower future educators to embrace science teaching at the K-5 level! As you rightly point out, if your undergraduate students have gaps in their own science literacy, it can be challenging for them to teach it effectively to younger students. However, there are several strategies you can employ to help bridge these gaps and build both the confidence and competence of your students in teaching science. Many undergraduate students, especially those not majoring in science, may have developed a fixed mindset toward the subject, seeing it as difficult or beyond their ability. You can begin by helping them see that science is a learnable skill and encourage a growth mindset. One of the biggest challenges for future teachers is not just knowing the science content but knowing how to teach it effectively. Help your students develop pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), which is the ability to teach science in ways that are accessible, engaging, and developmentally appropriate for K-5 students. I hope this helps!
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