Interactive Workshops -- Science of Teaching Science

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Workshop 7: Specific Instructional Strategies

The work of these teachers will be featured in Workshop 7:

Name:	Terez Waldoch
Experience:	31 years
Grade & Subjects:	Grade 4; all subjects
Demographics:	Elementary school in a small college town
Classroom:	22 students; 7% special needs; 5% ESL
Science Teaching:	One-hour sessions, three times per week
Curriculum:	Life, physical, and earth science; specified by district
Other:	Holds a doctorate in science education Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, 1993

Name:	Pat Coleman
Experience:	21 years
Grade & Subjects:	Grade 8; Life Science and Social Studies
Demographics:	Middle school in a suburban town
Classroom:	48 students; 20% special needs
Science Teaching:	Two classes, 40-minute periods, five times per week
Curriculum:	School is moving toward an integrated science ("spiraled") curriculum; specified by district
Other:	8th-grade team leader Shares classrooms with other teachers; does not have his own classroom

Name:	Tom Banaszewski
Experience:	First-year teacher
Grade & Subjects:	Grade 5; all subjects
Demographics:	Suburban school in affluent town
Classroom:	26 students; 10% special needs
Science Teaching:	50-minute sessions; twice per week
Curriculum:	Life, physical, and earth sciences; specified by district
Other:	Shares teaching responsibilities with Andy, another first-year teacher, who was initially brought into the classroom to assist with special needs students

Questions to ponder before and after workshop 7:

1. How could portfolios be used in science units?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of keeping subject matter portfolios?

3. How can journals be used most effectively in the classroom?

Assignment:

Ask your students to tell you how they feel about the ways in which you evaluate their learning? What do they like best?