Tag - steve spangler blog

Carnival of Education: Teacher Appreciation!

We are honored to periodically host the Carnival of Education. Hats off to our good friend Jane Goodwin for all of her work on the latest Carnival. – editor

Welcome to the Carnival of Education, Teacher Appreciation version!  Of course, teachers don’t really need to be TOLD they’re appreciated.  I mean, they get all summer off, and all those holiday vacations, and it seems like every time we turn around, there’s some kind of half-day, or day off of some kind for no apparent reason.  So, why should we go out of our way to pat a teacher on the back and talk about appreciation?

How about, um, because our children’s teachers are the adult role model who spends the most time with our children?  Or perhaps because dealing with a room full of small children five days a week is stressful beyond all comprehension and requires beaucoups of energy, patience, sincerity, devotion,  dedication, knowledge, discipline, and the ability to NOT go
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Magicians do the impossible first

People often ask how I got excited about science. Who was the great chemist who influenced my life?

I grew up in an unusual family. My first recollection was when I was three years old, peeking through the curtain at the Paramount Theater, watching my dad cut my mother into three pieces. Dad would close the show by eating fire. That my Dad could eat fire had amazing applications to my days in kindergarten – I took my Dad to “show and tell”?.

Growing up in a family of professional magicians, I learned how to think like a magician. Magicians always start with the impossible and move to the possible.

All things are possible. The difference between magic and science is the secret. Unlike magicians, science teachers get to create intrigue and wonder, but also reveal the secret. It is a beautiful approach to use when we are teaching science.

Listen to my podcast on magicians and teachers

(File size is 1.1 MB) (Show length 4 minutes 20 seconds)