Author |
Post |
|
|
I would love some advice on how to teach science, when science is not technically my favorite subject and I find it very hard to understand myself!
|
|
|
|
Could you please give us an idea of what grade level you will be teaching? This will help us narrow down our answers.
|
|
|
|
Hi Mary,
You are not alone! Please do provide some additional information - are you teaching now or student teaching? Is there a specific science content area that you need to bone up on before you start teaching it? The Learning Center has both free and some "for purchase" materials designed to help teachers improve their understandings of various science concepts. The SciPacks at about $40 each are excellent self-paced interactive learning modules (about 10 to 12 hours each) designed to help elementary ed teachers increase their knowledge base of science concepts. The Science Objects are less intense (1- to 2-hour interactive modules) that are free to NSTA members. Ask away here. There are a lot of experienced teachers following the discussion threads that would love to provide assistance and helpful ideas.
If you are able to attend one of the science teacher conferences in the next year, you will pick up so many great ideas for teaching science as you attend various workshops. Some of my best teaching strategies were picked up at NSTA conferences. Well known, published science authors are often highlighted. For example, attending a workshop given by Paige Keeley on using science probes; or a workshop given by the Picture Perfect Science ladies on how to incorporate trade books into science lessons; or watching Dr. Bill Robertson in action as he shows how to use his Stop Faking It science books will provide you with gobs of great ideas for how to teach science.
Let us know more how we might better be able to help you.
Carolyn
|
|
|
|
Hi Mary,
You have come to the right place. You are not alone. I admire you that you are willing to ask for help. What grade level(s) are you teaching? What does your curriculum suggest that you should teach first or are you free to teach whatever you want as long as you tie it to a standard?
The Learning Center has myriads of resources that you can use in virtually any situation. Have you tried the search tools to look for ideas that will help?
|
|
|
|
Hi Mary, there are a great many of us that felt exactly as you when we first began. I am actually a middle school teacher and my first response was, “Who me? Teach Science?”
Both Tina and Carolyn have given you excellent advice on beginning your adventure as a Science teacher. If you allow your curiosity to be your guide, you will really enjoy yourself. Remember, you don’t have to have all the correct answers, you just need to know where to look alongside your students.
Once of my favorites in the Learning Center are the Web Seminars. There are two types. One are the live seminars where you can sign up for free and learn about all sorts of topics. They are absolutely fantastic. You can find a list of what is coming up at http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/webseminars.aspx I have found that I register for all of the ones I think I can attend even if I don’t know much about the subject. I always come away learning a lot. The advantage to the live seminars is you can ask questions of the presenter in the chat box and they will respond to you during the seminar. If you are shy, you can just read what others post. Lots of people do that until they are comfortable becoming more active. If you stay to the end of the seminar, you get a chance to answer a quick survey and can then get a certificate of attendance that is delivered to your “PD Record and Certificates” folder, which is found in the Learning Center under the “My PD Tools” tab.
The second are the archived seminars which cover a wide range of topics as well, but have been presented over the years. These are found at http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/web_seminar_archive_sponsor.aspx The advantage of an archived seminar is you can watch it at any time you would like and revisit it over and over. All of the web seminars NSTA puts on for the public can be found in the archived seminars. The disadvantage of the archived seminars is you don’t get to have the live chat feature and don’t get a certificate. There are times I have been in a live session and for whatever reason have had to leave or I just needed to hear everything all over again so I would be able to do the lab with my students or learn about something I didn’t know anything about.
Best wishes as you begin your journey. Relax and enjoy yourself. I look forward to hearing how it goes. Please come back and share what is working for you.
|
|
|
|
|
I loved this video that was sent to me today about what and how we teach
http://vimeo.com/30924981
Turning Mistakes into Learning Opportunities
|
|
|
|
This has been very helpful for me as a future teacher. Sometimes I find some of the standards boring to teach but this has greatly helped!
|
|