A lot of students don't like subjects related to science such as physics, chemistry, or biology. I can say this with some degree of authority because besides being a teacher, I was one of those students who didn't feel sympathy for these wonderful subjects.
But then I found out that there was something that didn't let me enjoy it. And when that was cut off, I discovered that I was indeed very fond of science... it intrigued me how it was, and piqued my interest into finding out more about it.
I think some people might relate with me here. In my case, it was the approach that was wrong. I used to take science who was taught from a very theoretical point of view. That is that it was taught only in a classroom, following the instructions from a book. That was it. There were rarely experiments or anything like it.
And once one teacher used a more practical approach, my appreciation about science totally changed. Of course, In must admit that it wasn't all teachers' fault. It was a mainly institution problem where the budget didn't go to where it was supposed to go.
Anyway, whatever the reasons are, students can surely show more engagement if there is a tweak in the teaching of science.
So, I like to highlight some good points and benefit when you go into different direction about science.
Laboratory
It is always imperative to have students in the laboratory for all science subjects. And even when the theory part is introduced, it is a good idea to do it in the lab. Students need to feel the essence of experimenting. This lets them know that they are part of their own learning process.
Also, it makes them think in a way that the teacher in class wants. We all know the complication to make students focus and think appropriately. With all those distractions in the world, this is one of the most difficult tasks all teachers face.
So, when they are in the lab, you as a teacher are creating the perfect environment for them. And as they proceed to experiment, they would be more focus, and their mind is somehow more tuned up relating to the subject they're taking.
Usefulness
Once they are experimenting, we need to show them the applicability of the experiments. In other words, there has to a purpose behind practice. And such a purpose must serve something in real world. Or, it must illustrate and explain something that students still ignore.
When the "wow" moment shows up in the lab, you know that you have won the students' attention and trust. And most importantly, you have made themselves see the importance of learning.
We all have had students that don't do well in some subjects, but they get wonderful results in science. They can even show the so called "rebel attitude," but they also show inclination towards certain subjects because they appeal to them in the sense that they are interacting in a way that no other subject can provide.
Freedom
When students are in a lab, their minds are less restrictive to go beyond the book of class... because be in a lab means testing, discovering, having your creativity flow. There can be rules to follow if some serious experiment is taking place, but there's no this "dead end feeling" that can be perceived in a regular classroom.
So, vibe also allows to have initiative. And teachers don't only have to welcome it, they have to encourage it because that makes the class more intuitive and progressive.
There is nothing wrong in giving students the liberty to create, even if that implies that they make mistakes. Sometimes, it is better if they do. Most of the great advances made by great minds have come into fruition after they failed miserably. But the key point is that they have got out of the classroom, practiced what they learnt, and went beyond without restriction, always creating and insisting in what they believed.
So, are you having problems receiving engagement from students in science classes? Well, change your approach and make it more practical.
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