Megan

Journal 5
Agency and Gambare are two words that may be new to you this summer. What do you think they have to do with teaching science? What other words or phrases would you add that sums up your experience in this class? Gambare refers to persistence, which has an important place in science, because we don't always find the answers to questions on the first try. Most scientific discoveries take years and several people and experiments in order to learn what is really going on. And agency refers to people being "agents" within the science classroom, discovering things that they themselves would like to learn about/have answered, and taking those things outside of the classroom into the real world. I would also add choice and hands-on learning, as well as integration as words relating to this science class, because students are given choices as to what they do, they are given the opportunity to experiment and discover for themselves, and different types of science are really integrated into everything, from other subjects, to the cafeteria, to their time at home. If you answered the question above, you are being reflective. How can reflection help you be a better (science) teacher? In order for one to be more successful in anything, it is important not only to reflect on what went right, but also, what could've gone better. This is especially true as a teacher, when you are planning lessons that sometimes don't go as smoothly as you had anticipated, or that could be made more current, or fun! What have you noticed about the classroom where we meet each week? What aspects do you like and what would you change, add, or remove if it was your classroom? There is so much going on throughout the classroom...big fish, dinosaurs, tanks of things, lots of books, things by students, stations set up with different things. And there are A LOT of bins in the front of the room, all stacked very high, but also very neatly and methodically. I was very impressed that it was kind of organized chaos in a way. I think being able to have a lot going on in the science classroom is a good thing, as long as it has some sort of control.

Journal 4
How does promoting logical and critical thinking fit into a science curriculum? Does this save time or waste time? Scientists must use logical and critical thinking in order to ask appropriate questions, gather information, efficiently sort through the information, reason logically from the information, and come to reliable and trustworthy conclusions about the world. But one doesn't have to be a scientist to use these method. The more students are taught to question and to think for themselves, the better they are at finding the answers on their own. And because of these authentic, hands on experiences, they are more likely to learn from what they are doing, and more able to apply it in the real world. Therefore, it's less about time, and more about the efficency of the experience. Is a textbook needed all the time? When is it needed and when is it not needed? A textbook is definitely not needed a lot of the time. It is a good thing to use as a reference, like a dictionary, but the best type of learning is hands on learning. And often, the most interesting things that I learned in class came from supplemental materials such as magazines, articles, videos, etc. And the WORST Master's class that I've had so far was the one where we literally went through book chapters in class page by page. I can do that on my own time, and I nothing stuck that way, because I was bored. What would be the most interesting science topic to share with another subject? How would your students prove mastery? I picked it for my unit! I think health and nutrition because I love ethnic food and I think the differences in diet/differences in money spent on food/differences in how food is obtained cross-culturally are astounding. Therefore, it can be shared with social studies class. However, as teachers, we have to incorporate many different subject matters within our classroom, so it could also be math class (money spent per week on food) and english class (writing about your own diet, how you could improve it according to food pyramid standards, etc). Start a list of community science resources (institutions or agencies/ people, materials, or websites) that could be used to support the unit you are planning. -Gateway Greening (growing fresh produce for the less fortunate- gatewaygreening.org) -A Nutritionist (could skype or come in and speak) -Parents/students from different cultures (what kind of food they eat-differences?)

Journal 3: What is Differentiated Instruction and what can it do for students and teachers? Differentiated instruction refers to the idea that all students learn differently, so several methods of instruction should be implemented by the teacher within the classroom. This helps all students learn effectively, regardless of their abilities, learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses. And therefore, teachers are more effective as well. Shouldn’t all students have the same opportunity? Is it fair for some students to do less and others do more? In an ideal world, all students would be given the same opportunities. But of course, that is not the case. In poorer communities, where schools lack funding, there is less access to things like computers, field trips, etc, and because teachers are often paid less, they are often less trained, less experienced, or of a lesser quality. However, that is a very different thing than some students doing less than others. Student ability is very different, and because of this, student growth and progress should be more important than students starting at the same place or reaching the exact same end point. What is the difference: ‘What gets rewarded gets done’ vs. ‘What is rewarding gets done.’ Which is more true for you? "What gets rewarded gets done" refers to external motivation, like a piece of candy, a trophy, a sticker, or even a grade. And "What is rewarding gets done" refers to internal motivation, and can be things you find rewarding, like learning something new, helping someone else, or answering your own questions. I would say that I value both being rewarded, and finding things rewarding myself. I don't want to put too much emphasis on doing things for a grade within the classroom though, because growth, progress, learning, and the experience should be important as well.

Journal 2: Did technology help you understand buoyancy? If it is still unclear, how could you find out now that we are not in class? I wasn’t in class, but for me, technology would be the easiest way to understand buoyancy. You can look it up on the internet, read about it, and watch videos and demonstrations online. However, I feel that I have a pretty good understanding of why things float/buoyancy/density, and would just enjoy experimenting. How could you do this without technology? Without technology, you could look things up in science books, in the dictionary, and of course, the most fun way to figure things out in science is to be hands-on and to experiment. How can technology leverage learning? Technology definitely makes information more easily accessible, is available in one place, is faster and at times, if you use it properly, more efficient. Byou ut also in the classroom you can use different technologies to cater to different types of learners, such as using a Powerpoint presentation or an iVideo to aid those students who are visual learners. What exactly is technology? What is available? Do I need the Internet? "Technology includes the use of materials, tools, techniques, and sources of power to make life easier or more pleasant and work more productive. Whereas science is concerned with how and why things happen, technology focuses on making things happen." You use hundreds of different technologies daily, including phones, computers, televisions, cars, microwaves, etc. But many of them aren't NECESSARY. You don't NEED the internet, but it makes life a lot easier in a lot of different ways, and makes information so much more easily accessible. And it can be a lot of fun too! Never underestimate the power of fun in a learning environment. Do I need a bunch of computers? The amount of computers needed depends on the assignment. I work in a school where there are laptops available for all of the students, and all of the students have access to a computer at home. But this isn’t always the case. You can hook one computer up to a projector, or use a smart board, to show things in class. And kids can take turns using a few computers as well. What role does technology play in schools? Is it used too much, too little? Technology is often used too little in the classroom, because many school districts don’t have the budget for things like new computers, computers for every student, or for technology training for their teachers. And many teachers, especially older teachers, are not as technologically advanced as the younger generation, and could be taught a thing or two by their students! But even the younger generation needs to be trained on up and coming technologies that can enhance the learning experience in the classroom. Is it the teacher’s responsibility to teach the tech or expect a certain level of expertise on the part of students, or should tech be avoided? I think that most students growing up in this day and age have a certain level of technological knowledge. But if they don’t, they need to be taught, because otherwise, they won’t be prepared for the world around them. And that is an important part of 21st century education. How does technology fit into pedagogy and curriculum? Like I said before, technology is an important part of 21st century education and curriculum, because it is necessary in the real world as well. Not many jobs require zero technological knowledge. So in order to prepare your students, it must be present in the classroom and understood, and in order to teach the students, teachers must understand and implement it properly as well.

Journal 1: What was the best thing you took away tonight? The best thing that I took away from the first night was the reminder that science becomes that much more interesting when we have choices. If I was given flower seeds, I would have been so much less excited about growing plants than I am now that I was able to choose the varieties/how many to grow. Being able to grow herbs and vegetables is something that I’ve wanted to try again for a long time, after the squirrels and bunnies of Webster discouraged me from doing so a few years ago. And having a reason to (class) gives me the motivation to do so. This is how I would expand this idea… I think that when doing a big group project I would have the students "grade" themselves on how well they work with others, how well they contributed, etc, even thought the evaluation wouldn't count, because I think it's important to remind them that doing the work is only half the battle in the real world. You have to be able to collaborate and work well with others, like the Monsanto example we talked about. And giving students these authentic, real world experiences and simulations is necessary in preparing them. What is Inquiry Learning and is it a valid way to teach? Inquiry learning is learning based on student questions, and requires teachers to provide an atmosphere of student discovery. Teachers don’t just provide knowledge, but encourage students to be scientists themselves, working together in an active, hands-on way, asking questions, experimenting, and problem solving. While there is debate over whether or not this is a valid way to teach, I believe that it is, but that is because I am a hands-on learner. However, every student learns differently, so differentiation/various methods of instruction are important. What is ‘Gambare’ and does it have a place in science education? Gambare is a concept taught in Japanese education and it means “to persevere.” It encourages students to do their best, and to continue to try. This is important in science education because students don’t always answer questions on the first try, so it encourages them to keep experimenting, and reminds them not to give up when the answers don’t come easily. Sometimes we never find a definite answer in science but we get closer and closer to the end goal.