Science and Everything Else

This article constitutes a reaction to the No Child Left Behind policy of pressuring elementary teachers at schools which haven’t attained adequate yearly progress to forgo science teaching ... See More

This article constitutes a reaction to the No Child Left Behind policy of pressuring elementary teachers at schools which haven’t attained adequate yearly progress to forgo science teaching and focus on math and reading. While the age of No Child Left Behind is behind us, Keeley’s words here resonate in the context of any governmental program trying to limit student access to any particular subject. She recognizes that all school subjects exist connected to and building from each other in a system of thinking about the world, and regards each of them as vital for student understanding. Leaving out science for the sake of competency in other subjects, in her eyes, misses the point of teaching altogether, and leaves students deprived of a scientific understanding of their world. Additionally, she notes that students undergo scientific ideation regardless of whether or not they are being taught science, and when they are not taught science in elementary, it can result in misunderstandings about the world that persist into middle and high school. To counter these, she suggests garnering support from parents and the community as well as seeking professional training. All in all, I think she makes a great case against this No Child Left Behind policy and for elementary science education in general.