I found this article about learning science today and thought about how many times we have talked about the inch deep, mile wide curriculum we try to teach in science. It looks like we are doing it all wrong.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/03/11/24science_ep.h28.html?tkn=LVVFoWB49T0plJ6gtjr7m%2BLqb1qnf7hBvCCB
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I would have to agree an inch deep and a mile wide does not work. we need to find someway that we can teach students the inforamtion better. If this means going to a half a mile deep and 5 inches wide me should do that.
ReplyDeleteThe inch deep, mile wide thing has plusses and minuses. As the article states, the state standards have to be addressed, and I am sure the topics are numerous. When I think about science, it seems that it would be cumlative knowledge and understanding over the years, from grade to grade. That is, introductory knowledge from early grade school on lots of topics, and then increasing depth of understanding at higher grades. Sounds easy as an outsider looking in, as so many things do. But I know it is not that easy.
ReplyDeleteI still believe that the US is doing it right by introducing many things. Students can follow the topics they want to learn about, or learn more in depth from other student's research. For example, we had the opportunity to learn in depth about the research done for our papers in Ray Brown's last class. We all learned more about other's topics without having to research every subject ourselves.