I know I want to become a Science Teacher, but what kind should I choose?
My dream is to become a Secondary Science Teacher, but I am unsure which area to focus on. I never enjoyed Anatomy as much because I have a hard time remembering all of those definitions and crazy names on a whim, and my passion has always been Physics, but I am unsure as to how well I will be able to teach sure a hard subject to a 'difficult' age of young adults. Should I merely allow my specialty to encompass all sciences or find focal point? #science #teaching #teacher #physics #secondary-education #home-school
3 answers
Martin Melus
Martin’s Answer
Interesting question to ask other what do you like :)
Here a key based on perspective of view...
There is Biology on the top...
... tries to describe everything alive from single Bacteria to the most complex Eukaryota organism, their life-cycle, behaviors, environment, food, etc. Something what can be seen and shown at easiest. :)
A step below from perspective point of view there is Chemistry...
... it will describe how the complex sugar from the potato/corn will be transformed in to glucose, which can be used in cells as energy supply, what proteins consist of, why lead can do to human or what is needed to create a bar of soap. This world is full o awesome and often colorful or even explosive experiments.
Below chemistry you can find the physics...
... starting with basic things like why you can´t jump 4 meters high high or why an empty can will be squeezed deep in the sea, to creating magnetic fields by inducing electric stream and letting ferromagnetic objects levitate or even creating plasma in the microwave.
And all this is based on mathematics. This science is really for those who love theories. It is base for all physical theorems.
So depends if you are more the theory or visual type of future science teacher.
I´ve personally chosen chemistry and biology for me.
Hope this helps :)
Ken’s Answer
Here is some helpful informatoin !
Talk to you science teacher to see what he/she might add:
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/jun/23/science-teaching-raising-aspirations
Best of luck! Please keep me posted. You can keep me posted by entering comments into the comment section below.
Vernon’s Answer
Being a science teacher must begin with absolute knowledge of the curriculum. The scientific method is paramount and many lessons must be planned to teach it and incorporate it in every class. The teacher might have a favorite science, but that same teacher must be competent and knowledgable about ALL the sciences. The internet is awash with science class lessons for all sciences and all levels. The role of the science teacher is to prepare students for laboratories, activities and projects. Keep emphasizing how important science is in all of our lives.
Then there are the religious issues. Be prepared to have kids tell you they don't "believe in science because their preacher says so." This is where the science teacher must not engage in religious dogma discussions, but instead promote the scientific method, critical thinking and trials. It's a science class, not comparative religion. Evolution, of course, will be the big topic for disagreement. Know the topic better than any other. Stephen J. Gould used to write essays and books on the subject and you should be very familiar with them. You cannot be afraid to teach evolution because it is the basis for all of biology on Earth. That means you're going to have to understand paleontology, geography and geology too. They are all intertwined. The elegance of this subject will open up to you as you keep learning more and more.
Model being a critical thinker and a life-long learner to your students. Science is a moving target and changes daily. Stay up on everything via nice little summary journals like "Science News".