Dmmetler Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 DD was asked by a science education grad student what DD's suggestions for improving PS middle school science education were, specifically how to support and encourage student engagement. DD definitely struggled with how to answer. I explained that we were largely interest led and spent long periods of time on topics of interest, filling in gaps as needed, and that doing so had led to gains in other curriculum areas as well as in science, especially in writing and research skills. Anyway, DD wants to know how other kids would have answered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 I'm guessing that this would be a really hard question for many ALs. I'm not sure either of my boys ever did middle school science. They kind of went from unschooling with library books to high school level science. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 My kids age peers (6th and 7th grade) in public schools wants lots more hands on and discussions and much less worksheets/workbooks. Even the girls would rather have more doing than another reading subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted October 2, 2016 Author Share Posted October 2, 2016 I'm guessing that this would be a really hard question for many ALs. I'm not sure either of my boys ever did middle school science. They kind of went from unschooling with library books to high school level science. That's kind of what we did-only we jumped from "big pile of library books" to college lectures, conferences, and books. She's picked up high school science as she needs it-but this year's biology class is the first really formal science class she's taken (and she's finding it annoying). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slackermom Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 I will have to ask dd to see what she says. She now attends a public charter middle school, after homeschooling grades 4/5. One reason we picked this middle school is because it is an Expeditionary Learning school. Her class recently returned from a 3 day camping trip, where they visited geological sites to gather information for further study in their science class. In the spring, they will go on another camping trip, which will include white-water-rafting. They seem to have gotten the kids quite engaged. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 (edited) What my ALs would have said at that age: meaningful labs and poster projects and a multisensory classroom. Multisensory doesnt lean heavily on reading the text and there is no lecture...its a blend and includes applets as demos that are very helpful as they can be stepped thru and paused while discussion occurs, as well as real life examples when appropriate. Understanding and knowing is the goal. What they dont want is a lecture with the expectation that they memorize what they heard and were assigned to read and spit back on the test. They also dont care to spend hours flashcarding vocab after spending hours making said flashcards with drawings plus words. They would also say they prefer a classroom that has an honors pace, or optional enrichment on the days when reteach/review is being done for the included. Basically they want to learn, not spend 3/4 of their time in review. Optional science fair...not at the competitive level.. is intimidating to some, but liked by many. Only one team here does science fair for a grade, but the students on the other teams have been welcomed to participate and many do. Edited October 2, 2016 by Heigh Ho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 (edited) My kids did attend ps until 6th grade, so I have seen what passes for science in school, and have heard her complaints. She would have answered: No coloring sheets with vocabulary definitions, fill-in the blank worksheets, busy work of any kind. * More actual science instead of memorizing words. Real books instead of dumbed down textbooks. No cutesy "hands on" projects. We, too, went from library books+documentaries to introductory college texts. *In 6th grade, on assignment was to make flashcards with pictures for about 40 vocab words - a mixed bag with stuff like "recycling" to words like "alluvial". That was the one time I did her homework, because with her perfectionism this would have taken the entire night - without ANY learning. And the stupid assignment played a role in our decision to withdraw her from school two weeks later. Edited October 2, 2016 by regentrude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathwonk Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 For kids who do not have the kind of high end intellectual stimulation of AL kids, "hands on" is by far the most effective way to connect. In fact also for me, who was an AL learner as a child, I have since then met so many subjects I did not grok, that I would have to admit hands on usually works best for me too. As a refinement, start with hands on, and be ready to upgrade in abstraction as soon as the student seems bored and ready for it. I.e. no one approach works for everyone, only attentive consideration of the student's response does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.