Re: [Phys-l] High-School Science Teaching as a Profession

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

A reply to R. H.'s post on physhare

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SUBSCRIBE PHYSHARE Lynda Elliott <le6e@VIRGINIA.EDU>
	Subject: 	Re: [PHYSHARE] High-School Science Teaching as a Profession


I teach 9th grade physical science at an urban high school in NJ, and 
completely agree with the three arguments made by Anne Baffert and Sheila 
Tobias in “Science Teaching as a Profession: Why it Isn’t and How it Could 
Be”- that science teachers want more autonomy, more control in what they 
teach, and to be considered professionals.  This is actually an amazing finding, 
because when asked the question, “How do we not only recruit, but retain 
science teachers?” the answer usually given is that more funding is needed.  
But, a higher salary will not change the frustration caused by teaching-to-the-
test methods inspired by NCLB, covering a vast curriculum in 47-minute 
periods, or being treated like less than a professional.  In the high school 
where I teach, the head of the department gives me all quizzes and tests to 
be administered, and I routinely meet with the other two teachers who teach 
the same classes to make sure that we stay on the same pace.  This may 
seem like less work, but the reality is that the labs that I come up with and 
the demonstrations I create are sacrificed in an effort to cover more material.  
All of the creativity that I thrive on, the reason I went into teaching, becomes 
minimal.  Luckily, I also teach two courses on the weekends for a middle 
school-age enrichment program at a local college: “Skateboard Science” 
and “Amusement Park Science and Math.”  Aside from the obvious incentive of 
not having to produce formal lesson plans, I am able to be as creative and 
throw in as many concepts, demonstrations, and hands-on activities as I like.  
The parents and director of the program treat me as a professional, to the 
extent of allowing me to order whatever textbooks I like, and give the course 
the name I like.  The result is that the kids go home excited about science.  
While they are only in seventh grade, their experiences with buoyancy, 
gravity, and centripetal acceleration leave them thirsty for high school 
physics, which is my intent.  Giving teachers more autonomy and control in 
adapting their course to the needs of their students means trusting their 
judgment as professionals.

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On 2009, Dec 19, , at 08:54, Richard Hake wrote:

> *************************************
> ABSTRACT: Jane Jackson, in a Physoc post of 1 July 2009, called 
> attention to Tobias & Baffert's (2009) FREE online book "Science 
> Teaching as a Profession: Why It Isn't, How It Could Be." I join Jane 
> in urging teachers to (a) read the Tobias/Baffert book, and (b) work 
> collectively to promote increased professionalism in high-school 
> science teaching, one of the country's most vital occupations. 
> Biologist James Gentile, in a Huffington Post article at 
> <http://tinyurl.com/nh2uo2> provides an excellent review of Tobias & 
> Baffert's (2009) book in the context of "Improving Science Teaching 
> in America's Schools."
> ************************************