This quote applies to high school, but can it relate to elementary school classes?
Students who had more math courses in high school did better in all types of science once they got to college, researchers say.
On the other hand, while high school courses in biology, chemistry or physics improved college performance in each of the individual sciences, taking a high school course in one science didn’t result in better college performance in the others.
Source: Want to be good at science? Take lots of math – CNN.com
Enjoying math myself, I see the relationship of math being the foundation for all the sciences. It gives the student a base of analytical understanding. In elementary school, the students are just learning what science and math are, but a good foundation in math would certainly help a student feel more comfortable with science as they start to learn it.
At our school we use a multitude of programs to help the students learn math, especially when it is a major part of the FCAT in Florida. They run the gambit of knowledge levels from pre-K to 6th grade and from easy to hard within each program. Ones that are used everyday include Harcourt Math, FASTT Math and SuccessMaker.
All three are very successful, but the one the kids like the most is FASTT Math because it is like a game to them. They like to do it, so they spend more time trying to do the best they can at it. You advance by being able to answer math questions fast, but also correctly. Here are a couple of screen shots.
I see this as a beginning to understanding science, but also creating students that are more organized and analytical. Maybe these studies need to be moved to the elementary level. That is the place where the learning foundation starts.
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Technorati tags: Math, Science, k12 Education, Educational Technology, Education
Filed under: Education, K-12 Ed Tech, K-12 Education , Educational Testing, Math, Science
This caught my eye while I was reading my RSS feeds today.
Ever noticed what a pain in the butt it is to teach teachers? They gab, chatter, giggle, and do everything for which they give students detentions. I’m sitting in training for our new SIS and, fortunately, I only have to handle the technical pieces of the training. Some poor sap from the SIS vendor has to actually teach these big kids. Of course, I’m a teacher myself, so I’m guilty, too. It’s really remarkable, though, just what awful students we are.
I think it’s especially bad trying to train teachers on technology issues since so many of them are not only clueless but disinterested in ed tech.
Source: » Why is it so hard to train teachers? | Education IT | ZDNet.com
I have to disagree with this to a point. Here’s why as I pointed out, in less detail, in my comment on the blog….
If you support a teacher, they will use the technology. We are now teaching the teachers to use ActivBoards, moving them toward a center of learning with it. Once they get over the initial shock they love it. Of course we give them a lot of support between the ITC and myself we even spend time in a class with them to help them through. When they have a problem, I’m there in minutes to help.
That’s why a teacher will learn, we’ve given them support after training. They don’t feel like a new way to teach has been thrown at them, told “here it is, here is how you use it, now go use it” and they are left to flounder with the technology.
It’s a paradox, they gab, chatter and do email the first time you train them. But then you support them and they return that support with open ears, while paying attention the next time you need to train them on something new. Of course another benefit of this approach is that when they know you will support them they will start asking more questions about other pieces of technology they already have that they haven’t been using because they know you will be there to support them and teach them.
Technorati tags: Promethean, ActivBoard, Education, Educational Technology
Filed under: ActivBoard, Education, Educational Technology, K-12 Ed Tech, K-12 Education, Promethean
While scanning my RSS feeds I ran across this interesting blog post.
How to write a five-sentence email…Whether UR young or old, the point is that the optimal length of an email message is five sentences. All you should do is explain who you are, what you want, why you should get it, and when you need it by.
Source: Guy Kawasaki & the art of the 5-sentence email | 43 Folders
That about covers it. I hear about and see all the email that teachers get. It takes a lot of valuable time reading and replying to email. By following the advice above I can see a time savings in this area that isn’t a hands on teaching tool, leaving more time for the kids.
Technorati tags: Email, k12 Education, Education
Filed under: Education, Educational Technology, K-12 Ed Tech, K-12 Education , Email
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