Preschoolers

In class we discuss teaching to the grade level. We discuss not teaching over our students. Another part that is important to talk about would be, when should we teach. In the article Why Preschool Shouldn't Be Like School Alison Gopnik explains that children at young ages realized what a teacher in teaching them. The children were shown a toy and a facilitator told one group of students here is my new toy I'll show you how it works. With another group the facilitator explored the toy in front of the children. Gopnik observed that the children who were told how the toy works only did what they saw the teacher doing. However, the students who saw the teacher explore the toy found new and different manipulations that created sounds. Gopnik focuses on how preschools should focus on children's creativity and exploration. Gopnik explains that the students tend to learn more when they are allowed to explore and are asked to find something about a toy.

Science Methods stresses the importance of the nature of science. One of the points that the class keeps discussing is that the nature of science is creative and that there is no "right" way of doing something. The article expresses that view. The exploration done by the children on the toy allows the children to know that there are multiple ways to make something happen. The facilitator showed the children the toy made noise in three moves, when the children were allowed to explore the toy they soon found how to make the toy make noise in two moves, which the facilitator never did. The creativity and exploration is an important goal for our students to access. Students should not be afraid to ask questions on why or how things work. They should be encouraged to explore and ask questions. Gopnik sees that importance too. She wants the exploration and the safe environment for students and children early on in their learning. She wants teachers to know when to teach and when the teachers need to allow the students to explore what is handed to her. In our class that is one of our standards, under teaching methods and strategies. Teachers need to learn when to do what methods. Also by allowing students to explore they are learning with other students which is important in social learning theory. And making sure teachers are not teaching over the heads of the students is developmental learning theory. Gopnik starts the children zone of proximal development. The children learn that when they explore they find interesting things and may understand more fully why or how a specific thing work.

Gopnik focuses on the fact that preschoolers should not be taught but be encouraged to explore and look at things. Her article really applies to what we are discussing in Science Methods. It is important for students to understand that they can ask questions and explore the world around them. We as teachers need to know how to differentiate between when to teach and when to watch. Children and students are intelligent. They will astound you in what they know and how they can explain things. We as teachers just have to listen, watch, and sometimes teach.

The aim was a little off

   I personally have made goals for my future students to achieve k-12. The goals that are set are not out of their reach and are easily accomplished when given the right instruction and push to succeed. Two videos that I have viewed, about two different science lessons, seem to have missed some of the goals that I have set for my students. A goal I did not list in the previous post was that the students enjoy the content they are learning. If the students enjoy their learning, they will be more inclined to actually try in the classroom setting. These videos did address this goal. I want to be able to give the students something they can remember and then start to connect learning with fun and enjoyable in their mind. Both videos the students are doing something that they can remember. The first video the students are holding up signs. Now that might not seem very fun however, the students will have a sense of accomplishment for picking the correct sign. Although the students seemed to be engaged in the lesson, the lesson missed my other goals for my students. The students were not asked questions to further their learning and to keep them engaged with what they are doing. Also the subject matter was only being skimmed. The full understanding of what causes certain things in the environment may be lost to the students.
   The second video was very entertaining for the students and very memorable. The "experiment" was fun but, the students were not engaged with their own learning. The students simply watched. They were not asked what they think will happen if the Mentos were dropped into the diet coke. After the first explosion, they were not asked what would happen if the teacher were to add more or less Mentos. The children probably will never forget watching the soda shoot straight of the bottle but they could have missed the entire meaning of the lesson because they were not engaged.
  The videos and lessons were interesting. However, the aim of the lessons and "experiments" were not aimed completely at the goals I have set for my future students to have. The lesson did not reach the target completely.    

Shooting for the Stars

      Through school there are specific expectations for students to reach. The expectations have to be general enough to apply to every subject and content area. If the expectations are too specific, the teachers begin to focus on that specific goal instead of the bigger picture of by the time these students are graduating high school what do I want them to have accomplished. Being able to reach an expectation and goal that stretches across content is something worth praise. The goals that should be set are high enough for the students to reach with help and a small struggle but not so outlandish and high that the students will never be able to reach it. Keeping in mind that the goals will stretch across all subjects and content area some goals I will hold for my students to accomplish over their education would include:

Students will develop an understanding of what learning is
Students will develop deeper understanding of subject matter
Students will understand how to keep engaged in all classrooms
Students will develop skills to further their abilities for the future
Students will develop an understanding of responsibility of their own learning


    Although not complete, the expectations and goals are meant to challenge the students and help them understand what the teachers are trying to accomplish. If teachers keep goals constant in their mind, they can keep pushing their students to become better and keep them reaching for the stars.