Re: [ISTATALK-L] Thinking issues

["Judith A. McKee" <JBMCKE@xxxxxxx>]

Kent Schielke makes very valid points.  Now a science consultant after many 
years as a teacher in primary classrooms, I, too, see that children have 
changed in important ways over the years.   Many teachers have worked hard to help 
their students develop critical thinking skills in all areas of the curriculum. 
 Many were trained to do so in their teacher education courses while others 
have access to strategies through in-service in their districts, through the 
conferences they attend, or by keeping up with journal reading.  Nevertheless, 
some kids, not all but some, seem to be having  difficulty with critical 
thinking and other skiills necessary for success in science classes.  

Young children come into school these days with less experiential background 
because of the push for early academics in so many pre-schools and  
kindergartens. This results in a lack of curiosity about the world around them because 
they have been given less time to explore, to experiment, to learn through 
play.  

Then, too, the constant lure of TV and computers keep kids captivated and out 
of parents’ hair at home but at the expense of developing the ability to 
enjoy discovery, or learning patience and perseverance.  Another critical result, 
especially problematic for teachers, is the lack of auditory skills resulting 
from all the visual input of early years.  Most teachers seem to think that 
students today have more difficulty following oral directions.  I work on 
developing specific listening skills to help students follow auditory directions, 
certainly directions in a series, such as those that occur in hands-on science 
lessons.  There are still other fallouts from all the TV and computer activity 
that goes on.  Sometimes it shows up in science when simple projects involving 
putting things together like paper airplanes, or making pin wheels are 
difficult for children.  They simply haven’t had the prior experience needed to 
develop fine motor skills needed to accomplish tasks that, in the past, were easy 
and fun to help students form science concepts.  That doesn’t mean these 
projects shouldn’t be done to enhance a unit, but it certainly takes more time and 
effort on the part of teachers.  

The current emphasis on testing does little to help. Preparing for the tests 
takes valuable time away from the more productive endeavors we’re discussing.

Judy McKee
Scientist in Residence
Co-author:  INTEGRATING INSTRUCTION:  Literacy and Science
            Guilford Press, May 2005

In a message dated 1/14/06 11:42:47 PM, schielkesspp@xxxxxxxxx writes:

<< Last winter I took a day to talk to the science teachers at one of the 
high schools to which many of our eighth graders feed.  As a group they told me 
that many of the students were great at memorizing facts but poor at critical 
thinking.  I think it would be a mistake for anyone to jump on the idea that 
this was "caused" by old fashioned "drill and kill" teaching methods.  Most of 
these students are coming from teachers who have been all taught to emphasize 
critical thinking and hands-on science.  So I think the source of the problem 
is different.

   

  Many students now have short attention spans because other forms of 
activities provide continual and instant forms of feedback, excitement and 
entertainment.  Science classes can do that, sometimes, but certainly not all the time, 
nor should they.  But students are impatient and won't work it through without 
seeing a clear relevance to themselves or some kind of payoff.  I think many 
of my students are just not that curious about how or why things work the way 
they do.  They have to be faced with a question, issue or problem they really 
care about, OR a presentation that intrigues them (remember the "discrepant 
event?").  Either way, I share much of your problem.

   

  The other important part of the issue you raise is the difficulty in 
getting students to see the importance of good quantitative data measurement and 
collection to good science , and the importance of taking the time to patiently 
analyze it and understand what the data means.  To me this is a hugely critical 
problem, because I think sloppy or impatient practices here spill over in 
students' later work, including those who actually get into science fields, 
resulting in bad science at higher levels.

   

  Kent Schielke

  Ss Peter and Paul School

  Naperville

  


Eeva Burns <eevaburns@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

          I am working on narrowing down a research project topic and I 
wanted to get some feedback on a couple of things.

   

  Do you see a problem with your students not wanting to have to "think" 
about their work?

   

  Is it instantly "too hard" because there is some deciphering or pondering 
that needs to occur?

   

  Are critical thinking and problem solving skills missing in the majority of 
your students?

   

  Does this seem to be more of a problem in the middle school years as 
opposed to elementary school?

   

  I have all of these issues with my students (8th grade) but I want to see 
if this is unique to my school (probably not) or if it is a global issue.  Any 
response will be appreciated.

   

  Eeva Burns

  8th Grade Science Teacher

  Tavierne Middle School

  Ingleside, IL

***********************************************************
For problems with ISTATALK-L, please contact
listadmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for assistance.

To unsubscribe, send a message to listadmn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
that states, "Please unsubscribe me from the ISTATALK-L listserv."
************************************************************