The future science educators of our cohort this year have similar worries about what their career will look like and how effective of a teacher they will become. I think that practicing being exemplary teachers today will help us put our best foot forward as we begin our careers.
Practicing being exemplary science teachers today will help us put our best foot forward.
What does it mean to be an exemplary science teacher?
From what I have learned about being an exemplary science teacher, it’s all about changing your mindset about how to teach science. Here are some of the ways I plan to do that:
- Understand that every student has preconceptions about science. Some students could come into your class with negative feelings about science. If you acknowledge this and have patience, you have the chance to reignite an interest in science.
- Invite all students to be part of scientific discovery. Create STEM-centered activities and lessons that the whole class can be involved in.
- Be as motivated to learn about science as you want your students to be. This goes hand in hand with the previous point. People often learn by example; if you show your students that you are a pioneer in science, they’re bound to get curious.
YOU can practice being an exemplary science teacher!
Being an exemplary science teacher does not come naturally or overnight. It’s something that takes a little extra effort but makes a world of a difference to your students. Here are a few things you can do to practice being exemplary.
- Encourage scientific inquiry. Make sure your students’ environment cultivates their need to be curious. Encourage students to ask their questions and investigate things they care about.
- Include the outdoors in your lessons. Whenever possible, try to include nature in your lessons, whether that be keeping a low-maintenance classroom pet or taking students outside.
- Use relatable examples of science. Try to investigate science that is particularly relevant to your students’ everyday life or interests. For example, if a student is interested in how spider webs are so strong, allow them to go in depth on a project.
I really liked your emphasis on practicing being an exemplary teacher. It’s really easy to get discouraged when we’re not immediately perfect at something, but we owe it to our students to keep trying! As you mentioned, it is about the mindset. I also liked your example of using relatable examples of science. We can get students engaged by teaching about something that interests them! What stratagies do you think would help if a student is not receptive to becoming engaged in science? Great post!
I found it really inspiring that you acknowledged that not every student would show up to class loving science. As a teacher, I think it is essential to delve into the student’s own interests in the field of science to inspire them. I liked that you wanted to give students an outlet to explore their deeper interests such as the spider web example. How would you set a limit on what a student can explore? Great post, I love the graphics and layout!
I love the photo you included with the rainbow on campus, so cool! I think the point you made about including the outdoors in lesson plans is so important. Many educators view getting outside during the school day as allowing too much “free time”. I think it’s because these teachers are so used to standing in the front of the classroom all period lecturing at students. Allowing students to explore the natural world outside of the classroom encourages them to engage with authentic science! It’s such an important aspect of being an exemplary teacher!