To Science, or Not to Science

Call me the choir. I'm so with you.

Not sure about delving into quantum physics. For it to mean anything, the math is obnoxious. However, astronomy and orbital mechanics is a great way to learn classical mechanics. There's so much information out there. Biology, you bet. Something else that's cool is to make some MacGuyver-type contraptions: solar still, sand filter, windmill, etc. And the HISTORY of science, how people discovered what they did – too often that's a mystery so people don't realize what goes into making it. Great stuff!

Going to split this up.

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What I would LOVE to see in math, rather than endless years of repetitive arithmetic and formula memorization is something is focusing on word problems – now don't groan! – because the reason we do math is to solve life's problems. If you can't see the connection between math and the real world, you'll never understand why you're doing it. I'd love to do that with geometry…figuring how much water goes under the bridge, how many shingles you're going to need, how much paint for the walls.

And I knew I wanted to write fiction at twelve and never considered engineering or science. Just goes to show you what you can become by accident.

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Agree completely. Unfortunately, look who's teaching. If the teacher doesn't have the education to grasp the greatness of sciences, how do we expect the kids to? This country also feeds to the masses, so the few that really enjoy science will be held back with the rest of the crowd.
These studies you cite are from England, where, as in other countries (unlike the US), kids are not taught to the lowest common denominator. I'd bet the same study in the US would yield dramatically different results.
The big problem is no one is willing to step up and say, "y'know, we've been doing it this way for years (and years, and years), and maybe we ought to completely revamp our curriculum. Also, if a student doesn't want to get a higher education, we should allow them to go to trade school and then go out and get a job. They do that in many countries and it opens up the schools to kids who really want to learn.

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Have you got room for one more student in your home school?

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I remember hating math during high school, then taking it later in college (as an adult) I found it so much less painful. Granted I took it as an open college course, where I basically read the material and went in for testing. But it was really almost fun to work out on my own. I know the drilling my kids have to do with some of their math and science can get so redundant and exhausting, they develop this "I hate math" mentality that becomes almost like a mantra, they want to quit before they even begin.

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Standing and applauding!!! I decided to do a Crime Scene Investigation science program with my 6th grade son this year, but haven't gotten around to most of the experiments because of the pesky migraines. So, I looked through our shelves and realized that we have lots of biographies of scientists which are right at his reading level. Introduce the science in a historical context with a story – talk about a win!! Keep preaching!

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Together with three other ladies, we taught our boys preschool last year. One lady taught letters & numbers, another sight words. When it was my turn, we made volcanoes, added Mentos to bottles of soda and tried not to get wet, watced the trees in my garden grow flowers that turned into tiny fruits which we later picked and ate, made goop and a bunch of other fun stuff. They had a blast. And months later still remembered the names for the different parts of the tree, although they all had trouble remembering the volcano ingredients. Silly boys kept confusing baking soda and baking powder. We also baked cookies one day and messed with the ingredients. What happens if you leave out the eggs? What happens if you forget the flour? Not many people realize that baking is science and a fantastic way to illustrate chemistry to little ones…And Delicious!

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When I was in school I hated math. I hated it so much that I did everything I could to avoid it. It is still one of my least favorite memories with every member of my family trying to help me. It was just awful. I was very thankful that I didn't have to take it after pre-algebra because I could do band and drama and choir.

Anyway, my point is now I can't help my kids with math because I still totally suck at it. And that makes me feel really bad. So… I guess I wish I had paid more attention and listened to my Dad and done better in math.

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I also agree with Dr. Dad. I would love to see the public schools curriculum revamped. I didn't study math and science in college beyond the general requirements. I studied people. And people do not do well sitting in a class seven hours a day being lectured on any subject. Especially elementary kids…which is where science needs to be taught. People learn by doing. By doing and screwing up and figuring out how to do better. They learn when they get their hands dirty and play. I once read that it's useless to teach a child to read unless they have a base on which to understand the things they are reading. You can have a child read a story about a forest, but until they've actually seen a forest, they will not understand. You can teach the elements, but unless you can see and understand how they work together to form everything, you just won't comprehend or remember.

Sorry to ramble on so. I'm usually just a lurker, nodding my head in agreement to your views on math and science and cringing as I read your history of women's medical treatment and thanking my lucky stars I wasn't alive back then.

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Great post! I'm in agreement. Unfortunately, most schools now have to perform well on standardized tests in order to receive funding from the government, so until the standardized tests are changed, I fear the curriculum in most schools doesn't stand a chance. Although there are many science and math teachers who aren't very adept at or enthusiastic about their subject, I think there are just as many fabulous teachers whose hands are tied by the mandates of their school district and state. Today, the curriculum is so prescribed for most teachers that there is little to no room for anything "extra." My husband teaches HS math and is fortunate to be in a magnet school where they can really go above and beyond the average math curricula. He is a huge believer that the thought process behind the math is more important than being able to do algorithms. Fortunately, our boys have grown up with a love for math and science; I just hope it continues!

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It's not just math and science being taught poorly, when I was getting my masters in ed and student teaching US history I was disappointed to find that surprising my students with a short answer section on their history test (which was usually all multiple choice date memorization) completely stumped the HONORS students. Teaching history as a series of dates is truly missing the fascinating narratives and learning from past mistakes and deep analysis of policy choices made by governments and so on and so forth. Couldn't even answer in 2 words a question they knew the answer to if given in multiple choice format. Think that information stuck?

And not to be a PITA, Grinnell has two 'n's please. Twas my undergrad and while I never took a course from that teacher, I'm sure proud to take some credit!

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I get all depressed reading this, as I agree. Our schools are sorely behind in this. I wish, so badly, that we could do better. I see it every.single.day.

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I don't even know where to start. I think it's a general problem with many subjects, not just science and math. OUr educational system is so passive and completely anti-liberal arts; and even history curricula and teachers overall suck until college, unless you are an AP student. If we could get students fascinated by that, I think all kinds of good decisions regarding one's future could be made at 11 or 12.

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Here, Here! And in the words of Arthur C. Clark: “New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can't be done. 2) It probably can be done, but it's not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all along!”

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