Rethinking Science Education

    It has only recently occurred to me the direction science is going in terms of how it's taught in classrooms. I can remember back as a kid that sitting down to read whether in a classroom environment or at my own recreation time; it was painful. From that young age, also, though grade school and into life after schooling, if something was taught to me or if I had to portray my knowledge, I needed to use my hands, I needed objects, draw something, anything tangible helped me ten fold. My message in this isn't that kids and students need to have a classroom lesson where they go roll around in the dirt, however, the way science is taught, is the exact way it shouldn't be…


    The regurgitation of facts after reading them out of a book or after they've been spoken and drilled into the students mind is a way of learning that only a selective few can handle. Granted there are lessons that should be taught like that and it's appropriate. Physiologically it's impossible for students to sit in one spot and pay full-attention to an instructor for 60 + minutes. Aside from paying attention, too, they'll need to pass tests and written exams. Science is a practical subject, only practical examinations and labs are the answer to see if the student(s) have fulfilled the requirements. 


    Science isn't all sunshine and rainbows (metaphorically and literally), it's the study of everything going on around us, and if this generation and ones therefore after are going to be the future scientists and leaders of the world, we should probably start teaching them the right way.

How can you make a classroom interactive for all ages…

Specifically in the science and social studies categories- classroom management, more towards time-management, classes are more geared to focus on reading and writing (lower grades). Not to mention, once you reach the high school level, science has been motivated by reading. Don't get me wrong; reading and writing are essential and should be a daily practice in order to excel at it. However, science is a very practical subject. Science is hands on and it's taught better kinesthetically; using your hands, working with things, making things and seeing the results.

Depending on the grade level, science (specifically) needs to have a practical lesson every week if not more. Lower grades can be taught the conceptual concepts:

1. Recycling
2. Water Cycle
3. The Environment
etc.

Within these topics, it is very easy to take a take, prepare a lesson and notify the students that they will have a "lab" tomorrow, or the following class. Recycling can be easy especially if you gat the home-life involved too! Tell the students to bring in an old shoe box or something cardboard. From there you can create a list of things to make! Making gifts and anything actually tangible makes learning easier and it creates a better visual for a school subject.

When older grades come about it's the same exact concepts and topics, however, the labs become more involved and in depth. The more that science is provided as a hands on class experience, the better off the students can and will learn

Educational Technology Experience(s)

Experiences (Or lack there of)

From what I could always remember is that my educational technology experience was either minimal or absent. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, for me, I’m extremely traditional- pen and paper with written assignments type of student. That may be because I was raised from two parents that grew up without technology and were very detail oriented when it came to writing everything down with a pen or pencil. Technology, for me, is somewhat difficult to wrap my head around. 

 In middle school up into high school the only use for computers that I can recall is typing any paper or document that we needed for class.  If I needed a computer to do research on, for the most part, it was done at home either on my mom’s computer or my old, run-down, brother’s hand-me-down college computer that was used when the wheel was invented. 

It first came to me once I arrived at SNHU. Never have I heard of online assignments and places where you can turn in documents to the teacher via the internet. As a senior, it took me practically all 4 years to somewhat grasp the technology experience. This class, to me, is already filling my head with different tools, resources and applications not only for my own use, but if I have students down the road. 

Who I am

I came to SNHU because, mainly, for lacrosse. We’re in a competitive league and that’s what I was looking for. The school, as well, was in an ideal location for me. I have always been around New Hampshire for family so the atmosphere around here was great for me. I’m also a huge fan of the NH falls and winters so that too, was a plus. A smaller school was something I was looking for too, and SNHU offered a smaller tight-nit community. What brought me to an education minor was my older role model in high school. I originally came to SNHU and decided to be a Criminal Justice major, but after a while I came to terms that it wasn’t for me. I knew that I had liked science and that type of work, so I switched to Environmental Science. My role-model, was my Env. Sci. and Biology teacher in high school that was also my soccer coach. I thought that with at least a minor in education that I could try and pursue that goal with either coaching lacrosse, soccer or wrestling.