Science Philosophy Statement
I believe that learning style varies by student, but that all students are capable of learning. Through encouragement and development of metacognition, students will become aware of their own learning and see it for the positive thing it is. Even students who struggle in school are capable of finding the rewards that come from learning something new. To get them thinking this way, students should know why they are being taught the things they are being taught. Children should see education not just as busy work or a way of passing through childhood, but as the communication of matters that affect them personally and affect the world as well. A concept is considered “learned” when a student fully grasps how it is applicable to life. That student’s ability to then communicate those concepts on their own is a sign of total understanding. Learning is also much more than the memorization of ideas or concepts. Critical thinking is necessary to learn the true meaning behind a concept, so our students must be taught how to think with a mindset based on application and deeper understanding. As students develop cognitively, the ability to use this type of application will develop as well. In relation to science, students are learning when they are actively exploring concepts related to the world around them and connecting those concepts to their own lives.
To facilitate this kind of learning, teachers must first be enthusiastic about science. From my own experience, I never cared to make scientific connections because it seemed as though my teachers did not care. Fortunately, I have now shadowed many teachers who love science and want to see their students thrive in their abilities to apply scientific concepts, but growing that enthusiasm is something I hope to consistently improve in for the future. Encouraging experimentation is key to a successful science class. Not only will experimental exercises be engaging for students, but they will also teach them crucial problem-solving techniques. An excellent teacher will push students to come up with solutions to problems, and to try again repeatedly if those solutions do not work. Students need to know that discovery never occurs without mistakes along the way, so encouraging them to persistently create teaches both valuable science skills and life skills. This also pushes kids into a healthy curiosity, or one that will lead them to ask critical thinking questions and seek out their answers. To help nurture that curiosity, it is important to teach students how science applies to everything they see and do. Once they begin to find and appreciate science in their surroundings, they will hopefully develop a fascination with knowing how things work. Because it involves so many unknowns, science can feel intimidating to many students; however, with the proper encouragement, I am confident that any student can learn to love science and all that it teaches them.
The most important part of teaching any science lesson is engaging students. Allowing them to participate in hands-on activities in both whole group and small group settings will teach the class to work together for the ultimate purpose of discovering the world around them. Project-based learning is especially useful in science. For example, a class that simply reads and learns about composting may understand the concept, but a class that actually builds a compost bin will be able to put their learning to action. Not only is this much more fun than sitting in a lecture, but experience will teach students so much more than a text alone can do. Another professional goal of mine is to learn as many ways as possible to engage students in science lessons. I never want students to look back on my class the way I look back on my former science classes, only to find that little experimentation and meaningful learning ever took place. My classroom will be one that fosters scientific creativity and exploration that is driven by a desire to know the surrounding world.