President Barack Obama held a town hall meeting at Facebook headquarters on Wednesday… and his comment about making science cool caught my attention.
“I’m frustrated by stories about how we can’t find enough engineers and computer programmers. That means our education system is not working. That’s why we are emphasizing math and science,” Obama said, noting efforts to “make science cool” for minorities and women.
Here’s my open letter to President Obama…
Mr. President, the comment you made at yesterday’s town hall meeting about “making science cool” kept me awake last night because I realized that I actually have something to offer you in the way of a solution to achieve your goal. I was reminded of Don Herbert (the original Mr. Wizard) who made science come alive for millions of kids during the 1950s and 60s. That was exactly what our country needed during the time that followed Sputnik – inspirational people like Don Herbert who made science fun for kids.
Today, we’re faced with a different set of problems that require creative solutions targeted not at the
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Tis the season for spooky, slimy science. The kids are excited for the upcoming holiday, restless in their seats and it’s hard to keep their attention on the lessons at hand. Early childhood teachers know that getting kids excited about science is only part of the challenge. Getting them engaged, focused and excited about what they are learning so they retain it is another big part of the puzzle.
Funnel the excitement for the holiday into an unforgettable classroom experience that will make it home to the dinner table. Why not combine a literary lesson along with a science lesson? For example, read Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin and then learn about polymers while you make Insta-Worms.
This is just one example of a great literary connection to make with your students. Do you want to learn more? Join Julie Gintzler for a one-day training that will help you build more literature connections, teach more science and have more fun while creating unforgettable learning experiences.
Story Time Slime is more than a collection of great hands-on activities. It’s a whole new way to teach science through
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It’s my favorite teacher training of the entire year – Science in the Rockies. It’s a three-day workshop held in the foothills just outside of Denver. The dates for this year’s workshop are July 8-10, 2009. The training typically attracts 150-200 elementary and middle school teachers who are looking for unique ways to make science more exciting and meaningful in their classrooms. At the core of the workshop is learning strategies and better practices for integrating science into an educator’s daily teaching routine.
What happens when you put 150 teachers from 23 states and three countries in the same room for three days with a team of instructors who are over-the-top excited about teaching science? Enthusiasm for making science fun spreads like a virus. Concerns about test scores, curriculum changes or the ever-changing pressures of being a teacher seem to vanish. For three days, these teachers put their worries aside and focus on ways to bring wonder, discovery and exploration back into their classrooms.
Not all of the participants who come to Science in the Rockies start out loving science. Hilary Vanderveen admits she was a student who didn’t like science all that much, but this experience taught her how to avoid that attitude in her classroom. Vanderveen believes the key is raising the “I wonder factor” in her students’ minds as they approach various scientific questions.
To the untrained eye, it might look like teaching science is all fun and games, but there’s a serious side to all of this fun. Many of the participants at this year’s event shared the same fears and concerns that were raised even three
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Imagine a room filled with 183 energetic early childhood teachers and you’ll know how fortunate I was to present our Hands-on Science Secrets workshop in El Centro, California. Heather Vessey-Garcia worked for almost a year to plan every detail of the event… down to lightning fast on-site registration and a killer lunch (always important when teachers are showing up on a Saturday). Speaking of Saturday, I can’t begin to thank all of the participant for taking their personal time on the weekend to attend the workshop, but this shouldn’t surprise anyone who works with early childhood educators. The El Centro teachers were eager to learn about new activities for their children and to share some of the things that are working best for them right now.
As always, if you attended the workshop, I’d invite to share a comment on ways you’re using the materials and information with your students… but don’t blame me for making a mess with the Mentos and Diet Coke eruption.
Mr. President, the comment you made at yesterday’s town hall meeting about “making science cool” kept me awake last night because I realized that I actually have something to offer you in the way of a solution to achieve your goal. I was reminded of Don Herbert (the original Mr. Wizard) who made science come alive for millions of kids during the 1950s and 60s. That was exactly what our country needed during the time that followed Sputnik – inspirational people like Don Herbert who made science fun for kids.
