Running head: WHY SCIENCE?

Assignment 1: Why Science?

Melissa Plug

0525510

EDUC 4260

Dr. Melville

Lakehead University

September 26, 2016

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Science can be described as the field of study concerned with discovering and classifying

the world around us by examining and investigating it (science, n.d). While I believe that this

touches on what science is, I do not believe that it encapsulates sciences true essence. To me,

science is such a broad subject that having a set definition does not seem possible. Science is

everywhere, how can you describe something that is so infinite? We see science all around us,

including ordinary things, such as the way that our ovens work and how our bodies move, to

even the most extraordinary things like curing serious ailments and walking on the moon. This is

one of the reasons that I want to become a science teacher, I am constantly in awe of how broad

the subject is and how it continues to grow. This sense of wonder is something that I cannot wait

to share with future students. This sense of astonishment translates into curiosity, which I believe

is a big part of teaching science and being interested in the subject. I find myself engrossed in the

subject and constantly wanting more. After I learn something new I have more questions than

before and I feel like I need the answers to them. I want to inspire my students to have the same

passion and drive to get answers as I have.

Throughout elementary and most of high school I had the same opinion of what science

was as many of my peers. I believed that science was something for the exceptionally smart kids

or the adults in white lab coats. I was always interested in the subject but I was never captivated

by it, partially because I did not think I could do it. I never would have guessed that science

would become something that I was so interested in during my post secondary education. I wish

that I was able to see what I see now, so that my passion for science could have started earlier in

life and I could have enjoyed it before I left high school.

As a teacher, I will encourage the love of science and show that scientists are not only

those in the white lab coats but can be anyone. In my classroom I will promote scientific literacy,
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which is when a person can read and understand common media reports about science and

technology, critically evaluate the information presented and confidently engage in classroom

discussions and decision-making activities regarding science and technology. (Ministry of

Education, 2008, p. 3). I believe that one of the most important parts of being scientifically

literate is being able to critically evaluate information presented. Especially in this day and age

as there is so much information being presented through various mediums, the internet being a

big one. With so much information out there it is important to be able to determine whether it is

credible or not.

I believe one way to foster this passion is by relating science and technology to every day

life and things that are relevant to them. Often times during my earlier years in science I found

myself wondering what the point of science class was and saying, when am I ever going to need

this? Due to experiences like this, I was never fully engaged in the subject during elementary

school. Once I hit grade 11 and 12 I had teachers who were able to make the connection

between science and society and that was the beginning of my admiration for science.

Johnstone (1991) put forth an interesting article about why students find science to hard

to learn. He states that rather than the material being too difficult for them to grasp, it may just be

the way that the information is communicated to them (Johnston, 1991). I want to take a similar

approach to teaching science as the definition that is stated above. I will use techniques such as

discovery, examination, and investigation for both my teaching styles and my students learning

styles. I know that each student is different and uses different learning strategies and needs

different learning styles to be integrated into the classroom. I want to be able to discover what

those methods are, examine them and investigate how to best teach science to each student. This
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method will hopefully help me to reach each student so that they will be able to learn, rather than

fear science.

Throughout my education career I have found that the teachers that I liked the most were

the ones who were passionate about the subject that they were teaching. This is something that I

already have. I am passionate about science and about teaching science. As an educator I think

that it is important to lead by example, by showing my passion I want to inspire my students and

share my love of science so that my students will also develop a love for science. Another thing

that I think is important when teaching science is to enjoy sharing your knowledge with the

students you have. Getting to know more than just their names is important so that you can

understand their learning styles and take them into account when teaching. Some of my best

experiences in school were with teachers who coached me in sports; I believe that is because we

had a bond unlike that of most teachers who only see you inside the classroom. I was able to

connect with them, which helped them to transmit the necessary information in a way that made

sense to me. In my experiences as a camp counsellor and a tutor the days go by much smoother

and are much more enjoyable for all when you are having fun with the kids and not just going

through the motions.

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References

Johnstone, A. (1991). Why is science difficult to learn? Things are seldom

what they seem. J Comp Assist Learn, 7(2), 75-83.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.1991.tb00230.x

Ministry of Education (2008a). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 and 10 Science. Retrieved
from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/science910_2008.pdf