Stop squeezing my science
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Science instruction has come to a dismal halt or been severely curtailed in far too many elementary classrooms across the United States. While we do not argue that these subjects are also important, science, like all subjects, requires a developmental building of conceptual understanding that must start in kindergarten. Yet many students reach the intermediate and middle grades with little or no science instruction, and if they receive any, it happened when the teacher could **squeeze** it in.
To effectively improve elementary science, it has to be taught at the elementary level. Schools and administrators need to value the science education they offer, and they must provide quality professional development, mentoring, and resources to our elementary teachers. This will be vital if as a nation we want to truly see students achieve in science.
This warning comes from Dr. Joanne Vasquez, a member of the National Science Board, the oversight body for the National Science Foundation. She has taught science at all grade levels, was a science supervisor, and for 10 years was an associate professor of Science Education at Arizona State University.
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