Thoughts on Summer Tutoring

In many cases parents consider hiring tutors for their children during the summer. While having your child attend tutoring during the summer can be helpful and beneficial to his or her education career, it is not always appropriate or necessary. Before hiring a tutor over the summer for your child, consider why you feel that the tutor is needed. Did your child struggle with his or her course work during the previous school year? Did you choose tutoring over having your child be retained? Did a teacher suggest tutoring for your child? Does your child have a learning disability? If … Continue reading →

Concerns of Public Education: K = Keeping Records

In my concerns of public education series, I am to the letter K. For my concern of K, I have chosen keeping records. Organization has never been a big strength of mine. I keep the things that I am supposed to keep but finding them may take a little time. In public education, we are required to keep everything. We must keep track of all money coming in and money going out. The record logs must be in a certain type of ink and signed in a certain way. We have to keep track of what the students are eating … Continue reading →

Concerns of Public Education: I = Intrinsic Motivation

My concerns of public education have led my conversations from attitude toward teachers to the home lives of my students. Today, the concerns bring me to the letter I. In this article, I will discuss my concerns of intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that we have to do something from within our own selves. We do because we are willing and want to do it. There are no rewards or special treats for our actions. We work on the satisfaction of completing the task. Motivating children can be a very challenging task for teachers. Teachers are often forced … Continue reading →

Concerns of Public Education: C= Consequence

So far I have listed attitude toward education and blame as concerns of public education. Today I would like to add consequences to that list. In today’s society teachers often have a difficult time with behavior. Behavior often worsens due to lack of significant consequences. Most states have placed a ban on corporal punishment. The states that still allow corporal punishment leave the choice to parents. Most parents are against it. I am not an advocate of corporal punishment. I would feel very uneasy about others spanking my children. However, I fear that the banning of corporal punishment is only … Continue reading →

Expanding Your Horizons Network

While searching various subjects on science and technology, I came across an organization that supports girls and science. Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) is a non-profit organization that supports girls in selecting careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This organization consists of teachers, scientists, family members, community officials, and government representatives. The network began very informally in the San Francisco Bay area in 1974 after a group of women scientists and teachers began meeting. The women received a grant in 1978 by the Carnegie Corporation to support their efforts. A resource center with professional staff members was created in … Continue reading →

Fun with Oobleck

One scientific mystery that I have seen enjoyed by students in pre-kindergarten through the eighth grade is the creation of Oobleck. Oobleck can be a very fun experiment to try when studying the phases of matter. The lesson’s objectives can be condensed to fit any age level. If used with small children try reading Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss before the project begins. The Recipe for Oobleck (enough for six groups of students to investigate) Ingredient List Large mixing bowl 4 boxes of cornstarch 6 ¾ cups of water 15 drops of food coloring (Oobleck is usually made … Continue reading →

Outdoor Activity Ideas

Outdoor classrooms are wonderful for adding to the science curriculum. However, they are not available at many schools. Just because your school does not have an outdoor classroom, it does not mean that you cannot have outdoor science instruction. There are many activities that you can do with your students without having an outdoor classroom. I have listed some ideas below. Be creative and adapt them to meet your needs. · Go on an insect hunt. Give students bug catchers and magnifying glasses and head outdoors. Students will love turning over rocks and digging around for crawly creatures. After several … Continue reading →

Tips for Managing Outdoor Instruction

Many teachers are reluctant and even fearful of outdoor learning centers or outdoor class instruction. While the outdoors can open more opportunities for misbehaving and minor scraps and bruises, teaching outdoors can be a wonderful experience with the right rules, guidelines, and preparation. Every school that encourages outdoor exploration and has an outdoor classroom area should have a set of rules that the staff has agreed upon. Having a set of rules that is consistently used throughout the faculty and staff can make the outdoors safer and easier to manage by the teachers and students alike. Materials should be checked … Continue reading →

Outdoor Classrooms- The Teacher’s Role

In a previous article, I discussed my school’s outdoor classroom. An outdoor classroom can be a great addition to any school campus. However, just having the building and area does not enhance student learning. Teachers must take an active role in making an outdoor classroom meaningful for students. The ideal situation is to have a member of the faculty assigned to the outdoor classroom. However, most districts do not have the extra teachers or staff members to cover such a position. Therefore, it may work best for qualified teachers to take turns taking students to experience the outdoor classroom. The … Continue reading →

Science

Science is all around us. Studying and learning science helps us to understand the world around us. Science begins as a small infant begins to explore and question its surroundings. Science has brought us many inventions and cures. Science has two main parts. First, science is a process. It is the way we think and the way we learn. Second, science is content. It is the knowledge and information that we gain. Children need to learn both how to think and new knowledge in order to process their thoughts. Science also has much to do with terminology and vocabulary. There … Continue reading →