lenses and mirrors

Writing scientifically is not always the same as writing well. Sadly, using literary flourishes are actively discouraged in scientific writing. The reason this is unfortunate is because metaphors are so powerful. For example, the use of lenses to describe observations is extremely helpful for authors and readers. One reason I appreciate this metaphor is that it illustrates that we see is influenced by our preexisting views. This could apply to predictions about pendulum behaviors. And we are aware that what we expect from students can also be what we end up believing is true. By suggesting that we look at our world through lenses, we can recognize the role that perspective has upon observations.

Especially when discussing about education it becomes important to rely upon metaphors to describe our thinking. All of us are acquainted with reflection in education. Using the idea of a mirror can enrich this idea. First, a mirror can allow us to see ourselves from the perspective of an outsider. Second, using a mirror allows us to see what surrounds us. Third, mirrors can be curved so that the object we see looks different. Car mirrors sometimes say that objects may be closer than they appear. Mirrors then become an interesting metaphor for looking at ourselves.

Similarly, filters can be used as a metaphor for looking at the world. Filters can be used to block certain wavelengths with Polaroid lenses as a great example. What becomes crucial in such circumstances is recognizing that our filters are in place. Otherwise we might believe we are viewing certain schools and some students as the way they "really" are when, in reality, how we seem them is being colored by the perceptual lenses we have been using. In the best of circumstances, we can come across a reading that helps us realize that an optimistic perspective about urban schools is not a foolish lens or filter to use. And when we look at ourselves in the mirror and consider who we might be if we choose to become an urban teacher then we see things in ways that expand our vision and broaden our perspectives.

a counter-narrative

Despite the many discouraging messages, it is essential for those who teach science to hold onto their idealism. Sometimes, though, our hope and faith becomes stronger when there is evidence to support our views. For example, while we might want to accept the idea that students, of all backgrounds, can learn science if it is taught in appropriate ways, having more than a vision seems necessary. In addition to moral or ethical commitments to teaching science to every child, most of us appreciate information that provides a more solid foundation than hopefulness.

We frequently hear stories of "failing schools" and all the associated problems that come with those institutions. Unfortunately for the novice teacher, the supposed common sense of schools that serve culturally and linguistically diverse populations has take on a life of its own. What this leads us to is not just individual anecdotes (e.g., "Hartford students did badly on the science test") but that this becomes The Big Story. As with most powerful stories, there are actors and a setting and a storyline. For schools in Connecticut that struggle to educate all children, this storyline is full of unexamined assumptions. For example, when a school is in trouble it is implied that this happens because of students who are ethnic minorities. This has become a meta-narrative that we may accept as true. The more we hear these stories, and not only from the media but also from other people, we may start to believe that there is some truth that resides just below the surface.

To combat these misleading messages is more complicated than simply pointing at the issues. A strong meta-narrative must be undone through a competing story — a counter-narrative. A group called the Education Trust has provided us with one example. According to that group's Sept 12, 2006 press release: "The Education Trust is co-hosting a Capitol Hill Event today with Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA), and Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL) that features African-American educators who have successfully used standards and accountability to improve teaching, motivate students and faculty, and raise achievement in their schools." At the core of this document are examples that disprove the claims that certain students are pre-disposed to fail in school:

The report, Yes We Can: Telling Truths and Dispelling Myths about Race and Education in America, soundly rejects the myth that low academic achievement is inevitable among children of color and students from low-income families and provides examples of high-minority and high-poverty schools where children perform at high levels.

Such a document helps us to create a counter-narrative. In light of the examples and exhortations in this report, we can find ways to hold tight to our convictions. While the answers may not be 100% clear, this document offers evidence that our belief in every child being able to learn science is reasonable and worth fighting toward. You cam download Yes We Can by clicking on the title … or using this link http://www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/DD58DD01-23A4-4B89-9FD8-C11BB072331E/0/YesWeCan.pdf

experiences and activities

On Week Two, I included in the agenda a John Dewey quote that I failed to expand upon. In retrospect, it seems a very odd contrast with the Roth and Garnier article. So I'll use this space to explore the contradiction. On the one hand, Dewey claims that direct contact with objects and phenomena is absolutely essential. His use of "empirical" is not meant to imply that an experiment takes place. Instead the understandings that develop must be provable and verifiable by using real objects and not just appeals to authority. Notice that he does not say that this only applies to elementary school or that high school kids are beyond this. In fact, at the end of that quote he indicates that children and scientists all need time with unfamiliar objects just to fiddle.

The TIMMS video study uncovered an interesting consistency within science teaching in the United States. Compared to other countries, the US science lessons are full of activities. That would seem to make John Dewey happy. But the problem is that teachers treat activities as if they are sufficient on their own. The problem is that just messing about will not encourage all students to learn the science. What Dewey was advocating was to start with activities — but not stop there. He saw contact with objects as the first step, not the only one. The TIMSS Video Study reveals the importance of having a step that comes after the first one.

U.S. teachers have gotten the message that hands-on science activities are important. The next step is to help teachers learn how to select, sequence, and link those activities to content ideas so that students understand important science concepts (including ideas about the nature of scientific inquiry).

For those of us who want to be viewed as advocates for quality science teaching, our actions will speak volumes. And I believe that there is value with being consistent whether the science content is being taught in a kindergarten classroom or a graduate course. Step Zero is deciding on the learning goal. Step One is finding ways (and allowing sufficient time) for learners to have direct contact with the materials. Step Two is help make the connections between the hands-on experiences and the bigger ideas. This leap from concrete to abstract seems to be what is working well in other coutnries. Finally (but I'm geting ahead of myself) there should be opportunities to apply these newly formed understandings to fresh situations. More on that step in the very near future.