Final Blog!
This week I am excited to speak about a very fun science related activity that was done in class! During this class, the focus was on teaching science in classrooms in an inquiry-based way and allowing students to take agency in their learning. Inquiry is not about invented context or external motivators but about framing the world that learners already inhabit (Davis et al., 2019).
The above pictures are ones that were taken on a walk around Brock University. In pairs, we were looking for things around campus that as teachers we would find interesting. Then back in class, we came up with questions that students may ask about these pictures. From this, we came up with short lesson plan ideas that could be implemented to create a hands-on learning experience for children. My partner and I came up with a lesson that focused on the surrounding area of this pond area. During this activity, the students would ask questions about the area such as; is the water safe for fish? Is it safe for humans to swim in? Is the dirt healthy? What type of plants are in the water and around the water? All these questions can be scaffolded by a teacher but are still giving the students agency in their learning. After this, students can take samples of the water, the dirt, and many other things to bring back to the classroom setting. These samples can then be tested, and an answer can be formulated for their questions. In this lesson, students oversee their learning and are gaining a real life, hands-on experience instead of simply being taught facts from a textbook. Traditional schooling operates on the assumption that learners can spontaneously make the jump from routine classroom exercises to meaningful application however, this leap does not always happen (Davis et al., 2019). This activity allows students to take control of their learning, ask questions that the textbook and the teacher might not think of, answer these questions themselves instead of being taught the answer, and so many more great things.
It is crucial for children to have a strong STEM education as this allows them to make a sound decision in whether they want to pursue a STEM related career (Davis et al., 2019). A well-designed setting introduces play, innovation, and invention (Davis et al., 2019). As a future teacher, it is important that I reflect on how I was taught and what I have learned in university so I can support a classroom full of 'new age' learners. To do this, I must be aware that I was taught in a way that focused on reading and memorizing facts. I want to be a teacher that can balance structured lessons with more of an exploratory approach. Finding a balance between highly structured, regulated activities and more fluid, explorative activities is the hardest part of lesson designs (Davis et al., 2019). Teaching is always about designing, it is blending the anticipation with the emergent, the planned with the unexpected, and the required with the possible (Davis et al., 2019). I plan to continue my journey as a life-long learner and build skills that support inquiry-based learning in a classroom. STEM education is a different way to think about what it means to teach and to be taught (Davis et al., 2019).
I welcome everyone to leave any comments or questions! Thank you for coming along on this journey of STEM education with me over the last few weeks. I look forward to continuing to learn about STEM education and how to incorporate it into a classroom!
References
Davis, B., Francis, K., & Friesen, S. (2019). Stem Education by Design Opening Horizons of Possibility. Routledge.
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