{"id":2956,"date":"2020-09-08T23:16:54","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T03:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt431-531\/?p=2956"},"modified":"2020-09-08T23:16:54","modified_gmt":"2020-09-09T03:16:54","slug":"reaching-average-science-teaching-to-exemplary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2020\/09\/reaching-average-science-teaching-to-exemplary\/","title":{"rendered":"Reaching Average Science Teaching to Exemplary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“Exemplary teachers illuminate the path to achievement, believing the best way to predict a child’s future is to help create it.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Robert John Meehan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Author Robert John Meehan has affectionately been known as “the voice of the American teachers” and this quote about sums it up! Getting students to understand material and test on subjects well is only average, at best. To be exemplary, teachers need to guide<\/em> students to be the best they can be; teachers shouldn’t be dictators, and they certainly should not be omniscient either. To be an exemplary teacher, we must be willing to learn alongside the students. We must create lasting relationships and trust with our students to help “illuminate their path to achievement.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal of this post is to explore different techniques to adopt into our lesson plans to take science teaching from average to exemplary. I would like to outline three different techniques to try: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Be open to suggestions\/questions<\/strong><\/li>
  2. Be creative with lessons<\/strong><\/li>
  3. Be willing to connect with students<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Be Open to Suggestions\/Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    There is nothing worse than feeling patronized or belittled as a student. As teachers, we need to ensure that students feel fully comfortable to voice their opinions\/suggestions on any topic in class. Some ideas to help accomplish this are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Establish an open dialogue between the whole class; in science classes this can range anywhere from the scientific method to ideas and beliefs on evolution. <\/li>
    • Encourage students to share their opinions without judgement; once students start feeling judged by their peers, or even worse their teachers, their trust and comfort are stripped from the classroom environment<\/li>
    • Be okay with being wrong! Not only will this help us learn more as educators, but also it models to students that it is okay to be wrong; we are all learning and growing as a unit <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Be Creative With Lessons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      If you think back on some of your most memorable activities throughout your educational experience, what were some that came to mind? Was it that worksheet on Chapter 3: Cells and Cellular Processes? Nope, me either. More like making a model of the TRP operon out of pipe cleaners and beads or drawing out the process of photosynthesis in a layer of shaving cream on top of desks. We, as educators, need to use creative thinking to come up with something memorable and impactful for our students to ensure they get a deeper understanding of criteria. Catherine Thimmesh so eloquently explains how to bring creativity in the classroom in her TED talk “Creativity in the classroom (in 5 minutes or less!)” Take a look below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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