Re: What to "cover"

[Rick Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Edmiston" <edmiston@BLUFFTON.EDU>
> There has been some criticism of this program because some do not like the
> idea of departmentalization and teacher specialization clear down to grade
> 4.  But if we want to assure that math and science in grades 4-9 are being
> taught by qualified people, this seems the proper way to go.  Since the
> teachers choose/complete two out of four areas for specialization, the
> specialization is both reasonably broad yet reasonably focused.

I  too would consider this criticism to be invalid.  In fact, I would like
to see grades 1-3 shared by two teachers--one for language arts, and the
other for math/science.  We are graduating far too many elementary-ed
teachers who are math/science phobic.  We need more teachers so I can't see
that we can afford to 'wash-out' these otherwise enthusiastic future
teachers, but we should also not allow them to teach areas where their
attitudes and phobias might adversely effect the children.

Rick

**********************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Associate Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

FREE PHYSICS INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/
PC and MAC software
NEW! OPTICS-2 package for the  Animated Chalkboard
CD-ROMs now available
******************************************************