Determining Gain of Selected Learnings in Science Using a Specific Biological Unit
THE TEACHING of science by a teacher not par ticularly adept in science nor adequately trained be comes a chore. It is a job that is often put off or given cursory treatment with the rationalization of lack of training or inadequate background in science, that science is hard to teach, or that the children really know more about it than the teacher. Often such rationalization is the basis for not adequately teaching science or realistically attempting to teach science. The burden of teaching science then falls upon the teacher in the next higher grade level. The individual teacher, however, regardless of grade level, should approach the te aching of science as he would any other subject, utilizing the portions of science that pertain to effective living in our so ciety. One need not be a scientist to approach the well-known and the enigmatic with optimism anda desire to know. It is also important for the teacher to n ake classroom material practical, functional, applicable, and workable in the everyday typical sit uation. It is well to have theoreticians propose sound ideas and concepts of science teaching, but before the typical teacher is going to accept them for use in the classroom, these ideas must be trans lated into effective and workable classroom activi ties.