tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12563769.post329545271707906516..comments2023-11-05T04:40:53.265-08:00Comments on Vonny: A 2-Year Science Course for Grades 9-10. What do you think?Mark Vondracekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07968005525366534358noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12563769.post-17142712056558245242009-07-15T22:05:31.263-07:002009-07-15T22:05:31.263-07:00Thanks, Mark. And it was great to see you.
I per...Thanks, Mark. And it was great to see you.<br /><br />I personally think it would be great fun to teach this with other teachers from other disciplines. It would be necessary at some level because I also think it is necessary to try and break free from a 'rent a teacher' or 'convert a teacher' practice that has become an unwelcome necessity, where a math teacher is converted to teach physics or a chemist is converted to teach biology, due to a lack of qualified teachers with an actual degree in the subject. I know my limitations in biology and chemistry and geoscience, and it is a disservice to students for me to teach those subjects. But if the stars align properly and we have someone who is an expert in those subjects, and we team teach, it would likely benefit kids and I would learn. <br /><br />This is an entirely different topic and issue within our education system. I know you agree that we need to overhaul our certification system, and welcome those who want to change careers to teaching and offer years of experience in some field to share with kids. We should not make this transition so difficult and tedious with coursework that it chases many away from teaching. Reform on a large scale must start with teacher training programs in college.<br /><br />Talk with you soon.Mark Vondracekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07968005525366534358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12563769.post-26090319297251935782009-07-14T18:54:12.299-07:002009-07-14T18:54:12.299-07:00This is very good. Several comments:
1. It de-com...This is very good. Several comments:<br /><br />1. It de-compartmentalizes and puts science into a comprehensible, connected, context for the student - theory to experiment, one field to another then science to society. It has rigor and it has liberal/classical ed inquiry. Exactly what public ed should be striving to do!<br /><br />2. While you were shooting for "big picture", from the interconnection aspect, there's also the answer for the eternal student question "Why is this important?"<br /><br />3. At the end of the two years a student has an educational platform to handle college level science classes down the road as a non-major or to focus more on science as an upperclassman in H.S.<br /><br />4. This could be mirrored by a parallel 2 year humanities class that rolls Literature, History,Philosophy and Culture. District 99 in Downers Grove recently approved a 1 year course of this nature that students can opt to take instead of the normal English class in their junior or senior year.markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16283319657103608208noreply@blogger.com