Erwin, T.

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Philosophy Of Science Education

By
Tyler Erwin
Teaching Science in Middle and Secondary School
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September 26, 2016

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As I think about my life as both a student as well as a future educator, I feel that
education in science is especially effective when we do not only focus on the topic or idea that
we want to teach, but we also take an interest in teaching the child as a whole. This is why I
relate most to the progressivist method when relating to education. Progressivist education is
described to center their curricula on the needs, experiences, interests, and abilities of students
(Theodore). I feel that this is important for science education because this allows the student
find unique ways to solve the same issue in the lab or to help the students to understand the
world around them. Also the progressivist idea of focusing on the child as a whole when
teaching compared to focusing on the individual topic can help the student relate more to science
as a whole whether it be briefly discussing musical octaves to help reinforce the octet rule in
chemistry or to have the students go outside and throw baseball/softballs in the air to
demonstrate potential and kinetic energy before starting the in class discussion. I feel that
progressivist education goes well with the inquiry-based education that because progressivism is
reliant on the teacher inciting curiosity in the students and this has the possibility to help the
students develop skills that can help them not only achieve in school but even far beyond what I
can teach them. To help build the students' ability to find the answers to all of their questions, I
will help instill the knowledge and resources that the student might need to to help find the
answer to any question that they might have or might have in the future. My goal as an educator
is to help spark the curiosity necessary that the students will need to drive them to answer any
question that they ask as well as to be there as a resource and a mentor they can use on their
journey to become a better student and a better member of society that can form questions and
devise a way to effectively test and reach a conclusion in an unbiased scientific matter.

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References
Theodore, P. A. (n.d.). Progressivism. Retrieved September 25, 2016, from
http://www.siue.edu/~ptheodo/foundations/progressivism.html