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Teacher in Training

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Shelby Owens Shelby Owens 200 Points

Hello everyone,

I am currently a college student in a teacher preperation program for grades k-6. My professor for my teaching science course has highly recomended science notebooks for my future students. I was wondering if there were any other recomendations to keep students involved and interested in their learning?
Mary Bigelow Mary Bigelow 10255 Points

Hi Shelby!  I'd agree with your professor about science notebooks. Also, as a principal of mine once said, "learning is not a spectator sport." So involve the students as much as possible in their learning. For example, display student work in the classroom, let the students create the word wall entries, encourage them to explore on their own, and allow them to make mistakes (with guidance on how to follow up on them). Remind them of the learning objectives related to each activity so that they don't think of hands-on activities as a special event or recreational opportunity! Rather than ask "are there any questions?" instead say "what questions do you have about (topic)?" Or better yet, "ask me three questions." Students love to create games and song lyrics, too. -- Mary B
Apartment Patino MARIO PATINO 1295 Points

Having students keep science notebooks is on way of engaging students here are some others:

  1. give students choices on what assignments to do.
  2. give students choices on how they are assessed
  3. have students create photojournals and have them answer a question or write a brief observation of what they observed.
  4. make models
  5. use portfolios to document learning experiences
  6. integrate art to learn science
  7. teach students to question
  8. teach students to learn [e.g executive functioning skills]
  9. have students reflect often [e.g orally or written]
  10.  teach students to thinkin in different ways [e.g divergent, convergent, abstract,concrete, holistic, etc]

Engaging students can take on many forms in the modern science classroom. The strategies I shared above work and students come out with a well rounded learning experience that promote transfer of knowledge.
Citlallith Mojica Citlallith Mojica 85 Points

Hello Shelby,

I am a college student too but I am working at a middle school as a tutor. I think the best thing to do to keep students highly interested in learning more and more is that you make activities fun, not only writting but including hands on activities. Students like to be challenged and they also wants to be love by their teacher, those things play a big role in their education. Showing that you care for them is really important, those type of things make them wanting to learn because they feel someone is believing in them. You can always have them standing up for an activity not only sitting down like the usual. They love to talk, so probably you can do a time talk where they can share their own responses that they got for the activity. I hope you can get an idea of what I am trying to say!! 

Good luck! 
Citlallith Mojica Citlallith Mojica 85 Points

Hello Shelby,

I am a college student too but I am working at a middle school as a tutor. I think the best thing to do to keep students highly interested in learning more and more is that you make activities fun, not only writting but including hands on activities. Students like to be challenged and they also wants to be love by their teacher, those things play a big role in their education. Showing that you care for them is really important, those type of things make them wanting to learn because they feel someone is believing in them. You can always have them standing up for an activity not only sitting down like the usual. They love to talk, so probably you can do a time talk where they can share their own responses that they got for the activity. I hope you can get an idea of what I am trying to say!! 

Good luck! 
Haylee Trotter Haylee Trotter 60 Points

I think having science notbooks not only helps the students but the teacher as well. I currently have a science journal for my college course and it has already helped so much on being organized which some students struggle with. If a student is not keeping up with their science notebook or is just not interested in it, what are some ways to keep them engaged? 
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