Huckabee is a huckster disguised as a huckleberry..

Gov. Huckabee is a photogenic and sweet tongued fellow who will surely charm many people who are looking for an excuse not to engage in the tough work of observing and thinking about the world. I respect any person's right to believe what they wish. However, I do not think that belief in pseudoscience qualifies one to be in any sort of leadership role which touches on education. While a sitting president has little to do with educational policy, he/she sets the tone for discourse on the topic and can be a cheerleader for initiatives to improve what we are doing. We have had seven long years where decisions were not made using the data at hand. It has been said that the current president has relied largely on guidance based on his beliefs. The result is that we are reviled by over a billion muslims and laughed at by our EU peers. In science, we have let ourselves drop to the bottom third of the developed barrel. I would propose to Gov. Huckabee that if there ever is/was an intelligent designer, he/she/it used good old data driven scientific method to guide things to where they are. I also suspect that the designer might have already finished and is observing us to see if we have the intellect to be included in further experiments. The only candidate with an actual track record on education is Gov. Bill Richardson who helped pump 700Million$ into New Mexico's educational system. Money isn't the only answer, but you don't need to do an experiment to realize that lack of monetary support does not work at all. I am appalled that my own teacher's organization, NEA-NH has endorsed Huckabee. He is a populist candidate with nothing in his experience for science, education, or the combination of the two!

BTW: credit to the Charlotte Conservative News for the 'holy mike' image

2006 PISA Science Assessment Results

On December 4, the OECD released the 2006 PISA assessments which focused on science and math. Sadly, the summary results placed the US below the average for the 57 countries taking the test. At 29th overall, it doesn’t appear that we will be relinquishing our love for creationism and astrology any time soon. China and India were not included in the assessment, but they are the two countries which have benefited the most by the failure of our system to entice students into STEM careers. The complete OECD US briefing can be found at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/30/17/39703267.pdf
and does have some important nuancing for policy makers. Apologists for the bad results are claiming that other countries ‘hide’ their poor students in vocational pools which aren’t included in the sampling. One valid point is the fact that high scoring countries tend to be small, homogeneous entities in the developed cadre of countries. Countering that fact is the idea that the US is really 50 such entities – why can’t we get our act together? New Mexico is one state which has pulled itself up some distance with a 700 million dollar educational investment pushed by former governor and presidential candidate Bill Richardson. It can be done. Here in New Hampshire, we still rely on the shrinking resources of property owners and lottery tickets to prop up the system. We do OK, primarily by being a great place to live and attracting good teachers willing to be paid poorly. Unfortunately, our higher ed system is languishing with the same number of full professors now as in the 1960s, but triple the student load. The University of New Hampshire has a nationally recognized athletic program which loses a million a year, but has a shrinking number of students enrolling in STEM fields which get grants and outside funding. Maybe we are counting on a quarterback to be able to throw a satellite into orbit?

What is Technology (elementary)?

As I prepare for the Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference, I have been thinking about the appropriate emphasis for technology in the K-5 years. Wikipedia defines technology as “…a broad concept that deals with a species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment.” A New Caledonian crow has been observed using technology for the first time (National Geographic 2002). It was observed bending a wire to get food from a hard to reach location. The old adage, necessity is the mother of invention, is appropriate to the process of developing and applying technology. Paper is one of the technologies an elementary student must master early in the educational process. There are tools related to using the paper such as, pens, pencils, crayons, scissors and glue. Each tool represents its own technology. Paper can be folded into artwork, airplanes, and booklets. All of these are obvious in their necessity to the learning process. As I observe students struggling with scissors in the fourth grade, I wonder about the place of electronic gadgetry at that age. Before using the electric pencil sharpener, the old hand crank type must be used to appreciate the consistency achieved with the electric one. The same goes for an electric stapler, calculator, and computer. Spell check is great, but not until a student knows the alphabet inside and out and the basic rules of spelling. A calculator saves time, but ignorance of multiplication facts could lead to a compounding of errors. I would make the case that an invention looking for a use is really a toy. The process of inventing based on need is one which must be learned, and the earlier the better. Perhaps the process of developing and implementing technology is where the emphasis should be for our K-5 students, saving the expensive electronic toys for a time where the necessity is obvious.

Integrating Knowledge

One of the daunting tasks for anyone purporting to be a teacher is the process of distilling what you know to a form which is appropriate for your audience. Mahesh Sharma, Chancellor of Cambridge College in Boston, states that a teacher should have two years of mastery beyond the grade they wish to teach. But mastery of a subject area is only part of the equation for stimulating growth of thinking. The other piece is what I call the integration process with the whole of what we experience. The ability to integrate knowledge allows insightful questions to be asked, disparate pieces to be collected into a creative whole, and a deep appreciation for the complexity of being. I recently went on a 'walk in the woods' with a person who has expertise encompassing the field of ecology and many subjects connected with understanding how ecological processes work. The person is Tom Wessels, associated with Antioch NE College, and the location was Crawford Notch. Tom displays the depth of kowledge which comes with sustained inquisitiveness and long experience. It goes beyond wisdom, in a sense, in that Tom's insights also have a bit of ground truth from data built into them. Integrating knowledge with experience is a goal for an elementary teacher, but my observation is that teachers who embody that tendency in their thinking unconsciously transfer integrative principles through modeling. Tom has a few of his musings available as books. is latest "The Myth of Progress" is appropo of this year of electioneering and decisions driven by advertising rather than data. Check it out!

Parent Involvement In Science Education

While teachers in most elementary schools see their students for four to five hours per day, parents influence the remaining eight to ten 'awake' hours. Parents have many choices for dealing with these hours, from day care to sports teams, but for the pre-school to primary age group, parents are still the main event in many cases. A recent trip to Italy highlighted the different attitude to parental involvement in early childhood education, which is heavily subsidized. To offset the cost and improve the experience, parents are an integral part of the early school day. Parents are exposed to trained educators who model appropriate teaching and behavioral techniques, and children get to socialize and learn from a developmentally correct curriculum. Exploring the natural world is an integral part of the process. Without early experiences, later observations will be meaningless and the ability to make generalizations and extend concepts will be limited. The Italian model won't be coming soon to the US, but there are many excellent science and natural history activities available to parents who know where to find them. I hope the interested reader will check out our page which begins to catalogue some of the many cool things you can do with your child which will support their natural talents as budding scientists!

Technology must add value in the classroom!

The word 'technology' when used in the educational setting, is viewed almost as a longstanding and vital piece of curriculum. Its true that word processing has revolutionized the way high school and college students write papers, and that data logging in the sciences is easier with digital adjuncts. For primary children, struggling to get the basics of reading and math operations seems to make more sense than struggling with a keyboard and a mouse. For upper elementary students, compiling a powerpoint presentation or learning to make a video can be a powerful enrichment activity, but can't replace the wonder of walking in the woods or the excitement of performing a skit for classmates. The demands of an elementary curriculum require that each added piece in the day must add value to the experience of the student. One of the main benefits of what we refer to as technology is enhanced communication. E-mail, texting, IM, and cell phones have changed the culture of an entire generation. But in a closed classroom of twenty odd students, enhancing communication may be more effectively accomplished with a lapel mic and amplifier for the teacher. The real value of technology in the elementary classroom may actually be to the teacher in the access to information which may be valuable to his/her students. The challenge is that the average age of most elementary teachers is well above that of the generation for which electronic communication is ubiquitous. I've heard the complaint many times from administrators that the information is there if the teachers would only get it. I'm discovering the hard way how many obstacles there are to achieving the access which is assumed by our electronically connected culture. The simplest function, e-mail, is hampered by filters for spam and worse. The filters are so good, they filter legitimate communication and information from the average teacher. Adult-adult e-mail means that a teacher must have their back turned on their students to access it. Before they can even take that hazardous step, the mail must be pulled up - of course it times out while you are answering zillions of questions about the day. When the mail is finally received, it must be printed or copied elsewhere to be retained for use. The utility of the medium is lost in the maelstrom of a typical elementary classroom. the vital information, like great ways to teach science to your students, is assumed to be far more difficult to access than the cantankerous e-mail. The one exception for my generation: shopping! Surfing for a book, clothes, or acccesories is simple. My goal is to make surfing for science curriculum almost as easy.

Christa McAuliffe and Barbara Morgan - Teaching Pioneers

The desire to try something new for their students got Christa McAuliffe and Barbara Morgan out of the classroom and into the rigors of astronaut training. It makes triathlon training seem a bit feeble! Christa made the ultimate sacrifice for the chance to stimulate her students. I see echoes of that drive in the lengths that my elementary colleagues go to reach their students. Elementary teachers in particular spend thousands of dollars of their own money to supplement teaching supplies. They spend their vacation time at inservices and conferences, and meet after the school day to support IEPs and 504 plans. This spirit kept Barbara Morgan in the program for 20 years until her successful flight with STS 118 this summer. I honor both of these women for their courage and Barbara in particular for her persistence. The following link will take you to the mission website:
STS 118 link

Tri new things - keep fresh for your students!

Upper elementary students are amazing innovators, natural scientists, and explorers. They are still excited about learning new ideas and skills, unlike their older middle school brethren. Adults can fall into a rut of busy schedules and obligations which can stifle the inner light of enthusiasm students can detect in us adults. For those of us just starting a family, plenty of new things are happening every day. Sharing a bit of that with your students will involve them in the growth and excitement you are experiencing. With my two sons off to college, I can tackle bigger new things. My latest challenge is a competition known as a triathlon, combining swimming, cycling, and running. I can only compete with myself, being athletically challenged. I'm also learning how to swim for real - not just floating or splashing around. The sport has spurred my wife into bigger challenges, and has involved my son as well. He's coaching me on my swimming, and doing a great job of it. Like many things, I didn't know I could do it until my first race. I survived to race again, and have some great new things to keep me motivated and fresh.My science side has been investigating diet, heart rates, gear ratios, and hydrodynamics. Personally, I'm getting into better shape with more energy for my students!

Why elements?

All of our science education relies on a solid foundation in inquiry based science and accurate general knowledge of science principles gained in the elementary years. For young girls in particular, this is also crucial time for developing a love of science which will carry them through their high school science experience with confidence and pleasure. Sadly, the importance of this foundation is not reflected in our teacher training process. While I am continually amazed at the mastery of subject and technique that my elementary colleagues must maintain, they are also honest in the fact that science was not an area of adequate focus. The result has been that my background as a science educator in an elementary setting has kept me busy sharing both science content and technique in my school.
Just as the elements of the periodic table are key to understanding matter as we experience it, a good science education is the elemental foundation for understanding how things work . The LMNTS website is an attempt to collect useful teaching materials and ideas for elementary teachers.

Whiteash

Getting Started

This year is dedicated to making life for my elementary colleagues a bit easier when they consider teaching science. If you've gotten here from the eLeMeNTS website, you already know that. If you are surfing blogs and know an elementary teacher, pass the word along that a forum is available for discussing science for kids. If you have ideas about what students K-5 need to know, share them here. If you have ideas for lessons, curricula, or rants about the system of teachig science, let us know.
I've been teaching for more htan 25 years, mostly in science. Most of my early time was spent with HS and MS students who had serious holes in their understanding of the natural and physical world. It wasn't until I reached the elementary crowd that I realized how important laying a good foundation is to future science insight or understanding. I also quickly realized that my elementary colleagues were overwhelmed by the breadth of curriculum they had to master, overlain with the wet blanket of testing and NCLB. I'm hoping to tap into some of the incredible wisdom of those who have been teaching young scientists for as many or more years than I have. Thank you to those of you who choose to share that wisdom!

Whiteash

BTW: the white ash is the tree of knowledge in Norse mythology, also known as Yggdrisil!