As an educator of Science, I believe that children need to understand that science is more than a content. Science is not just the study of the earth nor is it just the study of living and nonliving things. Science is the body of knowledge that people use to make discoveries about the natural world. It's important for children to see the beauty of Science. Children need to be taken from the traditional classroom where textbooks and the end of chapter questions and defining vocabulary are used.
As a Science teacher, I want to provide my students with the experience of discovering Science on their own. Students need the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities. I want to be able to give my students a set of materials and allow them to explore and discover without the help of a teacher. In Science class, a teacher should be there to offer guidance, but to allow the students to explore, form hypothesis, and draw conclusions on their own. It's these natural and planned experiences that are most effective in learning.
As a Science teacher, it's my responsibility to provide an environment that will be beneficial to the learning of all types of students. Whether it is students of color, students will disabilities, ESL students, or gifted students, I must present these students with the opportunity to learn. All students need the opportunity to explore, acquire new knowledge, and apply what he or she has learned. Every child has something to offer to the learning experience.
As a Science teacher, it's my responsibility to make sure that each child learns. If a child has an impairment of some disability prohibiting him or her form learning then as the teacher, I must adjust my lessons. Children with impairments need to learn the same things as other children just in a different way or perhaps at a different rate. It's my duty to know which students require special help or guidance.
Lastly, as an educator of Science, I want to communicate to my students all the windows of opportunity that are open. Science provides the world with the knowledge of how systems work as well as how the Earth's resources are recycled. Science teaches us to appreciate the world in which we live.
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