The past five weeks I have been researching different forms of professional development. Just to recap, I have researched free online services, seminars and classes you can enroll in. I have also reviewed two articles that have studied the most effective way to stay current in science. Most of my research has lead me believe that our co-workers will be the most effective piece of professional development. By collaborating and encouraging constructive criticism from co-workers we learn how to improve.
To mix things up I thought I would focus my last few blogs on materials to have in the classroom that would provide ideas or starting places. I ran across a website called The National Academic Press. Here I discovered the book “Science for all Children: A guide to Improving Elementary Science Education in Your School District”. The website listed above allows you to view the entire book online FOR FREE (as well as several others). But after going over a several chapters I think the 18 dollars the website is asking to buy the book would probably be well spent.
To give you a brief over view, the books central idea revolves around inquiry based teaching of science. The book provides insight to what this means and why it is so critical, including research based opinions. I feel that this book would be a great thing to have in a science classroom. It provides in depth details from 8 different classrooms, teachers at any grade should be able to find something to branch off from by looking over this book. There is an entire chapter devoted to planning your lessons in an inquiry based way. Chapters also cover materials that are helpful, strategies for assessment, and professional development.
I looked at the chapter on professional development for the sake of this blog, and once again found that collaboration is the most effective form of professional development. The chapter gave ideas such as sitting in on another teacher’s class and planning lessons together as vital pieces of teaching development. A new term I picked up from the chapter is “One Room School” syndrome, a theory by Carl Glickman. This is when teachers plan and teach alone, which Glickman feels limits the classroom’s potential.
To View the book go to:
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4964&page=1
I think you bring up some really great ideas on how teachers can expand their new knowledge and incorporate new ideas. But, I also agree that one of the most beneficial ways to learn new things and enhance your lessons is to collaborate and receive constructive criticism from your colleagues. I think people have become afraid of receiving criticism from others, but it is important to remember that it will only make you better and strong in the long run and if it is going to help yourself and your students, why not be more than eager to make a positive change. You bring up some great ideas and a very beneficial subject!
ReplyDeleteI think that this book would be very helpful. As I will be graduating in the spring, I would love resources that can help me teach inquiry based lessons. As we have learned in class, inquiry based lessons have students working high on Bloom's Taxonomy. Inquiry based lessons get away from cookie-cutter lessons that are not creative, innovative, and allow students to activate their higher level thinking. While I know what inquiry based lessons look like in the classroom, I think it would be very helpful to see them in a lesson plan format, especially since there is so much abstract thinking involved.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that the resource is only 18 dollars. You and I both know how frustrating it is to buy a text, and then realize it’s not meaningful. The fact that this book is based around inquiry based science teaching is already making the resource sound meaningful. Containing assessment strategies is also a plus. For me, there is nothing worse then coming up with a generic, boring assessment. This resource seems like a good buy!
ReplyDeleteFOR FREE is my favorite words these days! Any kind of helpful and meaninful text or information is outstanding for a teacher to inform themselves on! Any ideas to help with student's development is a plus for me! I do enjoy the idea of teaching through the learning theories. This just makes sense, there are many years of research to back this way of teaching. So the more inexpensive ways to get the information, the better!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your research findings regarding teacher collaboration being an important resource for professional development. Last year I was in a Kindergarten for a practicum and my mentor teacher and the other K teacher planned together each week, shared resources, and even switched rooms (for a read aloud or something minor) from time to time. I loved this idea and It seemed to really keep the classroom and lessons flowing smoothly. I think all teachers need to be collaborative partners! I learn best from seeing others, especially when it comes to classroom management, which is an aspect of teaching that is hard to become good at if all you do is read about it and never observe.
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