Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Reflections on China




What a privilege to be part of the NSTA USA delegation to Shanghai for the organization's first ever Sino-US Science Education Forum! Hearing from Chinese education leaders gave our group perspective on the challenges they are facing, which often mirror those in the USA. Chief among those concerns is making sure that teachers are using the inquiry approach to science instruction whenever appropriate and possible.


One of the most pronounced differences of education in China and the USA is that China's central government prescribes and requires a national curriculum. In the United States, state and local choice is the rule. National documents such as Benchmarks for Science Literacy or the National Science Education Standards are widely used, but certainly not required.


Another difference is the amount of time average students spend in school and at after school academic activities. Chinese students are likely to spend much more time on their academic endeavors than most US students. It is not uncommon for school and after school programs to keep a student engaged from 8:00am until 9:00pm. While there is plenty of physical excercise and several popular sports, it seems most students are spending time preparing for the ever looming standardized test that will determine their future - which university they will attend and, based on its prestige, what the students' station in life will be.
What is most clear from my trip is that Chinese people are not afraid of hard work - academic or otherwise. The Chinese man carrying his goods above reminds me that no matter what the task - every Chinese student or teacher I met is not afraid to carry his own weight - without complaining. That's something many of us in America could work on. I for one have a renewed sense of shouldering my responsibilities without complaining and fretting. There's nothing like a trip to another country to serve as a reminder of the abundance and relative ease of life in the United States of America, and I am grateful for it.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

First Monarch of the Season



As an avid, amateur lepidopterist, I have thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of butterflies in my gardens over the past couple of weeks. Swallowtails have been the most visible as they feed on the nectar of the butterfly bushes throughout the area behind my home. While I adore all of them, none has captured my attention over the years like the Monarch. Therefore today I was delighted that finally one has arrived to signal the pending southward migration that will no doubt find dozens of Monarchs feasting on the flowers in my butterfly garden, and laying their eggs on the milkweed plants. As it turns out, the spring tree trimming was a great investment for the milkweed plants that seem taller than ever. The additional sunshine paired with generous rainfall produced very healthy tropical milkweed plants. There were so many plants in the spring that I thinned them and transplanted the seedlings to more spacious areas of the garden. Now I wait for the Monarchs to arrive in force. Once they have mated, the females can lay as many as 400 eggs each. When the eggs hatch and the caterpillars emerge, they will feast on the milkweed - and grow larger with each leaf they consume. As they reach maturity, I will place some of them in containers which I will take to area schools. The students will have the opportunity to witness metamorphosis. Once the caterpillars make their chrysalis and the butterflies emerge, students and teachers will be able to release the butterflies and witness the beginning of their journey southward. It will give me the chance to get a glimpse of what is happening in science classrooms, and hopefully give students and teachers a glimpse of the excitement and wonder of the natural world.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Earth Day Ideas






When I was a classroom teacher, I had a captive audience each year for Earth Day. Some years we focused on recycling and other times we planted trees. When my son was young, we often went to special events or festivals or planted something new in the yard. In my own yard and in my school yards, I have gardened for butterflies and caterpillars for 15 years. Whether you have young people to share it with or not, Earth Day is a time not only to take action, but to reflect on the actions you take all year. Here are some ideas to think about:



  • What item are you not recycling that you could add to your recycling routine?

  • Is there a local school that could use some of the plants that you need to separate and thin?

  • What local creek or stream needs someone to organize a clean-up day?
  • Which kitchen items are you throwing away that can be composted?
  • Are there plants in your garden that provide a habitat or food source for caterpillars and butterflies?


Recently my efforts have been focused on reusing and re-purposing. Before I throw something away, I am thinking about how it can be used again. A simple exercise that I used to have my students do was to keep a plastic bag with them throughout the day. If they wanted to throw something away, they had to put it in the bag they were carrying. It's really an eye opener to realize at the end of the day how much one person puts in the trash.



So as I wish you a happy Earth Day, I ask you to think about the Earth everyday. Take care of it. The next generation that will inhabit it are depending on you and me to leave it in good shape.



Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Time to take Science (and kids) Outdoors!

April is the month for events that celebrate environmental education and our great planet Earth. Environmental Education Week, April 11-17, 2010, is the perfect time to reflect on efforts in our schools and communities to reconnect kids with nature. Earth Day, April 22, 2010, is another opportunity to find connections to the natural world, and to explore what can be done to preserve our environment.

Getting kids engaged in science outdoors has anchored my career in science education, drawing on the early experiences provided to me by parents who valued the natural environment. From the snakes, turtles, frogs, and lizards that slept in the clothes chest in my bedroom, to the collections of sharks' teeth, feathers, bugs, and rocks, my childhood was filled with treasures from nature. I learned to treasure time outdoors, and all of the creatures I encountered while camping, boating, or walking through the woods.

Partly out of the necessity of being a teacher of meager means, I raised my own son with similar experiences - playing in parks, exploring piles of fall leaves, catching tadpoles in creeks, and collecting feathers and rocks. During his childhood, I revisited favorite memories of walking along a river with my own father and learning to dye Easter eggs with natural materials from my mother.

If you are a teacher or parent, you may or may not be giving the children you have responsibility for outdoor experiences, but I encourage you to try. The first outing can simply be an observation walk. Consider the activities in Outdoor Science: A Practical Guide, that suggest looking for animal artifacts in the school yard or taking a survey of what resources are available to wildlife around your school or home. These are easy enough that any parent or teacher, with any level of outdoor experience, can feel comfortable giving them a try. Just take a walk with kids and ask them to look around, make observations, and reflect on their observations in a class discussion or nature journal. This experience is simple, yet powerful. If you try it, comment on my blog and let me know how it goes.

On my nature walk around my yard this week, I have seen a rabbit hole with two new bunnies, and the first Tiger Swallowtail butterflies of the season. What will you see? What will your child or students see? I can't wait to find out. Go outside today!

(Reference- Outdoor Science, A Practical Guide, www.nsta.org NSTA Press 2010)