Inquiry and Constructivism
We will be using an inquiry and activities-based approach to learning science.
Students learn best when they are actively engaged with the material, therefore class is structured in a way that will not allow students to be passive participants. Traditional teaching methods, such as lecture, will be almost entirely eliminated and we will instead be playing games, making models, and designing and conducting experiments. The purpose of this type of experiential learning is to force students to develop and use critical thinking skills.
My goal is to help students learn to think for themselves and to become scientifically literate citizens and consumers. Using these methods will foster the growth of their natural curiosity that may have been diminished over the years. Students will be expected to do the work of learning for themselves; they will not be "spoon-fed" information and asked to reproduce it for a test. They will be asked to construct meaning of the course content in their own words and by using their own real-world connections. They will be expected to perform at a higher level of cognition and will be asked to justify and explain their responses to course content.
My role in the learning process is different from traditional teaching methods to which students have become accustomed. Rather than being a presenter of information, I am instead a guide and facilitator in the student-driven process of learning. I am here for support and guidance. Students are the ones expected to do the work of learning the material through the experiences we utilize in class, the experiments they design, and the projects they create.
Students who only remember facts for a test are not making connections and showing true understanding of a concept. This type of learning is short-lived. For them to truly retain the content of this class, they must construct their own understanding and make connections among various topics.
This type of learning environment may be very different from what students have experienced in the past, and therefore it may be difficult for some of them to adjust to the changes. I truly believe these methods are more effective for real learning, and I will support and guide students through the adjustment so that all students can be successful learners.
By structuring class using inquiry and experiential learning, students will develop not only content knowledge, but also critical thinking skills, perseverance, technology skills, teamwork and resourcefulness.
Students learn best when they are actively engaged with the material, therefore class is structured in a way that will not allow students to be passive participants. Traditional teaching methods, such as lecture, will be almost entirely eliminated and we will instead be playing games, making models, and designing and conducting experiments. The purpose of this type of experiential learning is to force students to develop and use critical thinking skills.
My goal is to help students learn to think for themselves and to become scientifically literate citizens and consumers. Using these methods will foster the growth of their natural curiosity that may have been diminished over the years. Students will be expected to do the work of learning for themselves; they will not be "spoon-fed" information and asked to reproduce it for a test. They will be asked to construct meaning of the course content in their own words and by using their own real-world connections. They will be expected to perform at a higher level of cognition and will be asked to justify and explain their responses to course content.
My role in the learning process is different from traditional teaching methods to which students have become accustomed. Rather than being a presenter of information, I am instead a guide and facilitator in the student-driven process of learning. I am here for support and guidance. Students are the ones expected to do the work of learning the material through the experiences we utilize in class, the experiments they design, and the projects they create.
Students who only remember facts for a test are not making connections and showing true understanding of a concept. This type of learning is short-lived. For them to truly retain the content of this class, they must construct their own understanding and make connections among various topics.
This type of learning environment may be very different from what students have experienced in the past, and therefore it may be difficult for some of them to adjust to the changes. I truly believe these methods are more effective for real learning, and I will support and guide students through the adjustment so that all students can be successful learners.
By structuring class using inquiry and experiential learning, students will develop not only content knowledge, but also critical thinking skills, perseverance, technology skills, teamwork and resourcefulness.