Effecting Change

It is my belief that all students at our school should experience high-quality science instruction.  I feel that my Walden learning has prepared me to be an agent for change.  I often share articles and information from my course work with my colleagues.  Actually, I am looking forward to completing this program in order to more fully implement ideas I have gained from my learning.  I spend so much time writing about teaching science that I am limited on time for implementing new ideas.  I think my colleagues will be open to new ideas after I get a chance to try them out and share the results with them.  One obstacle that I have had to overcome is that one member of our team has a very strong personality.  It can be intimidating to share ideas with this person.  I plan to work on this relationship after I complete this program.

Our Sputnik

After reading the article, What's Our Sputnik?, I asked my students and family this question.  I got an interesting list of responses.  Here are the most popular:

• Discovery of human life on other planets
• Discovery of water on other planets
• An asteroid on a collision course with Earth
• Imminent eruption of the Yellowstone Volcano

Their answers indicate that most people pull together in the case of startling or life-threatening events.  I think we need to make the average citizen understand that we are in danger.  Danger of losing our competitive edge.  Additionally, I think the effort to make change begins in our classrooms.  As teachers, we are in the most influential positions, because we work with the leaders of tomorrow.  McGinnis and Robert-Harris (2009) suggest that for curriculum to succeed, students need to be motivated to learn.  Difficult as it is, it is our jobs to find ways to help show our students the relevance between STEM education and their lives.

Reference

McGinnis, J. R. & Robert-Harris, D. (2009, September/October). A new vision for teaching science. Scientific American Mind, 62-67.