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Inquiry into Empowerment:
Science/Math Core Strategies
Research plays an active role in
my classroom. As students are investigating the natural world,
learning to use the tools of science, I am investigating my teaching
practice. What follows is a description of my goals for the next
school year, the strategies I plan to use, and the assessments
I will use to measure the effectiveness of my approach. I am
making these available on the web as part of the open inquiry
into my practice. I invite you to collaborate with me by sending
me your thoughts, goals and ideas as well.
Goal 1: Student Investigators
Students will investigate topics
of interest to them. They will learn how to focus on investigable
questions, how to set up and conduct experiments, how to record
observations and analyze their results. Projects of increasingly
high quality will be produced.
Strategies
a. Teacher-led investigations will
give students the experience of generating questions and hypotheses,
and designing experiments.
b. Independent investigations will
give students a chance to investigate a topic of their choosing.
Students will be given access to a wide selection of self-contained
investigation kits, some highly structured, others more open-ended.
Students will be asked to define their question, keep records
of their results, and report monthly on their findings.
Assessment
By the end of the first marking
period, students should have completed one complete independent
investigation, including a full report. By the end of the semester,
students should have completed a major science project.
References
Goal 2: High Expectations for
all
High expectations will be set and
made clear for all students, and shared with their parents as
well.
Strategies
a. Students will work with the teacher
to define grading rubrics for projects. These rubrics will define
high expectations, and will be well understood by students because
they will have helped write them.
b. The teacher will share work samples
with students, highlighting success, and uncovering areas in
need of improvement.
c. Authentic assessment will be
used. The students' most important grades will be on the important
projects they do. Students will maintain a portfolio of their
most important work.
d. Class participation will be expected
and rewarded with credit. A system will be used to ensure everyone
is called on regularly, so the same students do not always dominate
discussions.
Assessment
Students will understand and be
able to apply the rubrics they help to create. Their portfolios
will show an increase in quality over the course of the semester.
References
- Moses, Robert, et al. (1989) The
Algebra Project: Organizing in the Spirit of Ella, Harvard
Educational Review.
- McTighe, J. (Dec.
1996 - Jan 1997). What Happens Between Assessments? Educational
Leadership, 6 - 12.
- Neill, M.
(Summer, 1996). What is the Purpose of Assessment? Rethinking
Schools, Vol. 10, #1.
- Wiggins,
G. (Dec. 1996 - Jan. 1997).
Practicing What We Preach in Designing Authentic Assessments.
Educational Leadership, Vol. 54 #4, 18 - 23.
- Wong Fillmore, L. (?) When Does
Teacher Talk Work as Input?
Goal 3: Increased Competency
in Math
Students will significantly raise
their capacity to do math. Students will feel increased confidence
in themselves as problem-solvers.
Strategies:
a. Math will be related to their
everyday lives and possible careers.
b. Mental math will be stressed.
Students will be given tools and practice in performing mental
calculations.
c. Attention will be paid to overcoming
"math phobia."
Assessment
Students will raise their scores
on Terra Nova tests by at least one grade level during the year.
There will be an increase in the number of students who like
math.
References
- Tobias,
Sheila. (1993)Overcoming
Math Anxiety, Norton.
- Hope, Jack A. (1987) Mental Math,
Dale Seymour.
- Saunders, Hal, (1988)When are We
Ever Gonna Have To Use This?, Dale Seymour.
- Spangler, David, (1997)Math for
Real Kids, Good Year Books.
Goal 4: Partnership with Parents
Parents will be brought into playing
a strong supportive role for the efforts of their children.
Strategies
a. A parent letter and survey will
be sent home the first week, informing parents of class goals
and policies. The survey will ask parents about their expectations
of the class, and how they would like to participate. Materials
sent home will be translated into as many languages as possible.
b. Phone contact will be initiated
the second week of class with every parent. The emphasis will
be positive, establishing a line of communication and mutual
support. Followup calls will be made to all parents on a monthly
basis.
c. Expectations for student work
will be made clear. Homework will always be assigned on Tuesday
and Thursday, so parents can check. Parents will be notified
about major projects, and sent copies of expectations for those
projects.
Assessment
Parents will actively participate
in special class events. Parents will play an active role in
assuring student accountability, especially followthrough on
projects.
References
- Ascher, C. (1988). Improving the
Home-School Connection for Poor and Minority Urban Students.
The Urban Review, 20, 109 - 123.
- Cummins, J. (1986). Empowering
Minority Students: A Framework for Intervention. Harvard Educational
Review, 56, 1, 18 - 36.
- Delpit,
Lisa. (1995)Other People's
Children, Cultural Conflicts in the Classroom, The New Press.
Goal 5: Education with purpose
Both the science and math curricula
will be closely tied to a sense of purpose for the students.
Strategies
a. A student survey will uncover
the topics students are interested in, and the reasons why, as
well as other student interests and career goals. A list of these
interests and purposes will be posted and added to during the
semester. Whenever possible, material from this list will be
brought in to the curriculum.
b. Students will be encouraged to
pursue independent investigations in topics of genuine interest
or concern.
c. Math and science curriculum will
be closely tied to real-world applications. Community connections
will be actively sought. Science and math will be portrayed in
service of both individual and community needs.
Assessment
All students will engage in investigations.
By the end of the semester, students will be able to explain
why science and math are important and useful, and will rate
them so on a survey. Some of the strongest areas of interest
will have been incorporated into what we have learned.
References
- Villegas, A. M. (1988). School
Failure and Cultural Mismatch: Another View. The Urban Review,
20, 253 - 265.
- hooks, bell.
(1994). Teaching to Transgress, Education as the Practice of
Freedom. Routledge.
- Freire, P. (1992). Pedagogy of
Hope. New York: Continuum.
Goal 6: Cultural Connection
Students will feel their culture
is reflected and supported by the classroom and curriculum.
Strategies
a. Room decoration will initially
reflect major cultural groups. Students will be invited to participate
in redesigning and decorating the room, reflecting their cultures.
b. A variety of music will be played
in the room while students are cleaning up or doing project work.
c. Different languages and dialects
will be honored and incorporated into student expressions of
their knowledge.
d. Science and math will be actively
portrayed as a tool for advancing the interest of represented
communities. Historical and current contributions will be brought
in to illustrate this.
e. Science and math will be portrayed
as arenas where women and minorities have made valuable contributions,
and will continue to do so. Guest speakers will help get this
message across.
Assessment
Students will actively participate
in decorating the room. Students will develop an appreciation
for the music of other students' culture. Students will see science
and math as avenues for service to their community. There will
be an increase in students who list career choices in fields
related to science and math.
References
- Ladson-Billings, G. (1992). Liberatory
Consequences of literacy: A culturally relevant instruction for
African American students. Journal of Negro Education, 61 (3).
378 - 391.
- Pactec Project, (1996)Connections
Across Cultures: Inviting Multiple Perspectives into Classrooms
of Science, Technology, Math and Engineering.
Goal 7: Girls Excel Too
Special attention will be paid to
correcting inequities regarding female participation in math
and science.
Strategies:
a. Encourage girls to find answers
for themselves.
b. Work to strengthen spatial visualization,
an area where girls are sometimes thought to lag boys.
c. Teach strategies for solving
word problems.
d. Highlight female role models
in science and math, including guest speakers if possible.
e. Encourage girls to join the FIRST
(Females Involved in Real Science and Technology) Science Club.
f. Use a system for calling on students,
so all are called on often.
Assessment
There will be an increase in the
number of girls who like math, and an increase in math competency
for girls.
References
- Sadker, David and Myra. (1994) Failing at Fairness: How Our Schools
Cheat Girls, Touchstone.
- Clewell, B. C. (1992) Breaking
the barriers: helping female and minority students succeed in
math and science. Jossey Bass
- Tobias, Sheila. (1993) Overcoming
Math Anxiety, Norton.
Goal 8: Student accountability,
cooperation and respect
Students will feel real ownership
of the class, and buy in to the goal of becoming investigators.
They will cooperate with hands-on activities, working responsibly
and carefully. They will show respect to one another and to their
teacher.
Strategies
a. A field trip will be planned
and organized by students, to create a community spirit in the
class.
b. Classroom discussions of ground
rules for effective learning will establish the need for mutual
respect on the part of everyone. The class will participate in
generating a short list of rules and behavior expectations.
c. Open class discussions of goals
and classroom management issues will establish a clear connection
between things the students want, like time to do experiments,
and their behavior.
d. Students will be given credit
for effective work habits.
e. Parent partnership will provide
leverage with many students. Positive contact will encourage
and reward cooperation. Critical contact will result in parental
action to improve behavior.
f. Before-school detention will
be given to students who fail to meet minimum behavior expectations.
g. Referrals will be given as a
last resort only, or in the event of extreme behavior.
Assessment
Few referrals or detentions will
be needed. Students will clean up well after lab activities.
Students will get on task quickly and not wreck equipment. Students
will actively participate in helping create rules for the class,
and provide support for the enforcement of those rules. Students
will be respectful of one another.
References
Goal 9: Oppositional Classroom
Culture
A classroom culture will be fostered
in active opposition to destructive features of the dominant
culture.
Strategies
a. Class discussion early in the
year will draw out from students things they hate about the way
people treat each other. We will focus on sexism, racism, making
people feel bad about the way they look, or their clothes, calling
people names, and teasing people about their sexual orientation.
b. Rules for classroom conduct will
include prohibitions on this kind of conduct. Violations will
result in consequences, and followup discussions.
c. The social nature of science
and technology will be developed. Science will be contextualized
as a force, both positive and potentially negative as well.
Assessment
Students will suggest rules regarding
racism, sexism and insults in their proposals for class rules.
Their will be negative peer pressure applied to those who act
in these ways. Students will reflect less alienation in their
response to survey questions.
References
- Villegas, A. M. (1988). School
Failure and Cultural Mismatch: Another View. The Urban Review,
20, 253 - 265.
- hooks, bell.
(1994). Teaching to Transgress, Education as the Practice of
Freedom. Routledge.
- Freire, P. (1992). Pedagogy of
Hope. New York: Continuum.
- Ladson-Billings, G. (1992). Liberatory
consequences of literacy: A culturally relevant instruction for
African American students. Journal of Negro Education, 61 (3).
378 - 391.
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