Saturday, 12 February 2011

The Teaching Of Science In Primary Schools

Teaching - Seven Uniquenesses of the Teaching Profession
The teaching profession is profoundly unique. Let's look at some of the reasons teaching is unique and why shortages are common across the country, specifically in specialized subject areas such as science, math, and special education.
There are seven ways in which teachers/educators are unique professionals:
First, we've already established the fact that teachers embrace the field of education as a calling not as a job. Let's face it, teaching is a very complex and demanding career that requires teachers to be managers of people, analyzers of data, and researchers of best practices and instructional methodologies-and these skills are utilized each day. In any other major profession that required the same unique qualifications, teachers would make significantly more money.
Undoubtedly, the salaries for teachers must be reexamined and adjusted to reflect the uniqueness of the profession and provide balanced scales for all teachers, whether they work in a big city or a small town or country hamlet.
Second, teachers are also unique because the profession is now driven by so much data. Differentiated instruction is a newly celebrated philosophy, and a mandate for all teachers, that requires teachers to find effective teaching strategies that will meet the needs of students with different learning styles, all in the same classroom at the same time. Teachers must, then, be competent and active in enlisting the unique resources and skills necessary to meet the needs of kinesthetic, visual, and auditory learning styles. Today's teachers are practitioners, researchers, and change agents; but, none of these unique skills are recognized or rewarded.
Fourth, continuing on the same theme, teachers must work with every child, despite the challenges of that child. Teachers get into the business to change and enhance lives-uniquely, and one by one, as needed.
Fifth, teachers are unique because the line of accountability in education has many levels and tangents. In one way or another, teachers are impacted by the federal government, a state department of education, the local school district, and administration at their school. What does this mean for teachers? It means that the results of classroom practices go far beyond the classroom, students, parents, and principals. I can't name another career field that has as many accountability variables and levels as does the field of public education. As a teacher-educator, be aware that your individual results in the classroom are data and will be analyzed as data and that those results will be evaluated in ways that are unique to the field of education. Teachers work with up to one hundred and eighty students or more each day and are required to ensure that each of those students succeeds academically. Lastly, teaching is unique because it is the only profession where the federal government has mandated absolute perfection. The expectation that teachers teach is warranted. It is my strong belief that very few professions demand what is required of teachers in the public sector. No, not everyone can do what teachers do. Join the movement - The Teachers Movement and make a difference.
Many people do not have good memories of their high school and university science-based classes. The traditional style of teaching science does not reinforce this goal; rather it hinders it from becoming a reality. Thankfully, a revolution in science instruction has begun. Read on to discover the Science Learning Cycle: a new, effective way to teach science.
Stage 1: Exploration
The science teacher facilitates an experiment or investigation concerning a certain science topic or principle. Students follow the prescribed procedure of the experiment, which provides the students with data to analyze. This data is gathered and presented by the teacher to the class as a whole.
Stage 2: Expansion
During the expansion stage, the teacher facilitates classroom discussion about the observed data. Students begin to discover trends as the teacher questions what they perceived during the experiment. The students should still play a major role in discovering this idea, so the teacher must refrain at all costs from simply revealing the idea without allowing the students to ask questions and predict a solution. Through a review of the exploration and expansion stages of the science lesson, the science teacher can carefully guide the students to the key science principle at stake, using what the students have already experienced and participated in!
The Science Learning Cycle is a helpful model for teaching science in which science students are consistently, actively involved in their lesson. Exploration, expansion, and explanation are three easy steps to more effectively teach science at all age levels. This learning cycle promotes science students to use their critical thinking skills to discover the idea behind the lesson that is being presented. The Science Learning Cycle reinforces engaging investigation, and allows the goals of education to be fulfilled for all students participating.
If you love to read science magazines, feel happy doing research on fascinating plants and animals and have a degree in science then there are several science teaching jobs available for you. Teaching science allows you to share your knowledge with others and improve your own knowledge of the subject.
Science Teaching Jobs - Description
Science is a subject in which one studies nature. Science teachers teach the subject to their students and help them find answers for their questions. Science education courses falls under several categories. Some of these are: botany, zoology, physics, chemistry, fire science education and investigatory courses.
To teach science effectively, you have to incorporate lab experiments, field trips, mixed media resources and e-learning into the curriculum. This helps the students gain practical knowledge of the world around them. How To Become A Science Teacher?
If you have passion for the subject and hold a valid degree then you are the right candidate for science teaching jobs. As an graduate, you could opt to teach in middle or high school setting. If you have a post-graduate degree or doctorate, you can teach college students.
As a science tutor, you are expected to break up the teaching sessions between classroom teaching and lab activities. There is an increase in the demand for science teachers today, So, science teaching jobs are ready to offer them a competitive salary. Also, the government sponsors pension plans and health care packages for teachers.
To become a science teacher, you need to complete a certification program in teaching. Once you complete a science degree, you are eligible for an alternative licensing program that focuses on effective classroom teaching.
Teachers that start their career with a primary school don't require a teaching license.
Nowadays, many science teaching jobs are available. You are eligible to apply for those jobs, if you are a passionate science learner and hold a valid science degree and certification in teaching. Once you become a science teacher, you have to implement a natural learning environment by arranging lab sessions, field trips and outdoor science activities for the students in addition to teaching them in a classroom setting.


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