Chapter 4 talks about the 5-E model of instruction: engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and elaborate. The chapter talk about how teach about electricity indepth and I realized many similarities in the activities that Dr. Clishem has had us do in class. I notice that even though both lesson on focused on electricity and light bulbs, the text and Dr. Clishem each have their own aproach or way in which they do each of the 5-E's.
The Chapter also includes some other examples of methods of instruction such as: guided discovery, direct instruction, and textbook approach to teaching science. As a student I believe that I only encoutered the last two methods in elementary school. As a student in elemantary school, I never knew there was such a thing as learning about concepts other than reading and memorizing information.
I agree with the statement the author makes towards the end of the chapter. The author recognizes that while no method will garantee that all the students will learn and understand everything that is taught to them, as a teacher one has to be aware of the different methods of instruction and what will be succesfull for the majority of one's students actually understanding the information.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I appreciate your reflection on your own activity presentation and how you would have done things differently in light of the reading you have done. You are a reflective practitioner! Good teachers are reflective practitioners!
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, you will feel pressures from many sources. You will encounter obstacles as well. You mention this in your comment. But these are the very things that will allow your creativity to emerge. And as long as you don't give up on what you know is right for kids, you can go confidently forward!
No more sermon from me. Here are some more thoughts about the chapter . . .
More thoughts . . .
This was an interesting chapter. The authors, clearly, do not rule out the use of other, more traditional, teaching methods. However, the authors are just as insistent about their preferred approach to teaching science. When it comes to teaching scientific THINKING, inquiry methods rise to the level of best practice. For many in the profession, the 5-E model is, arguably, the best articulated approach to teaching scientific inquiry.
One more thought.....I agree with your reflection that no single method will guarantee success for every student. But we have to teach with the belief that every student can learn, and so we choose an approach that, we believe, will give every student the best chance to learn.