Learning to Teach Science: Activities for Student Teachers and Mentors

Despite the variations in the spontaneous ability of new teachers, teaching is both an art and a craft that can be learned through hard work and that demands close attention to detail. The practical purpose of this book is to provide mentors in England with activities to be used with their student teachers and to provide guidance on activities to help students learn science more effectively and more efficiently. Chapters include: (1) "Science Teacher Mentoring," focusing on the role of the mentor and science teacher development; (2) "Observing Science Teachers at Work," describing various types and levels of observing science teachers in the classroom; (3) "Activities for Pupils," presenting resources and strategies for the teaching of science; (4) "Planning and Managing," offering classroom management and lesson plans; (5) "Science Investigations," helping student teachers develop skills and strategies to learn in open situations; (6) "Communicating Science," helping student teachers recognize the important different modes of communication in the learning of science; (7) "Science and Knowledge," urging student teachers to think about the nature of science itself; (8) "Science and People," showing student teachers ways in which the ethical issues that are raised by science might be presented and explored by pupils; (9) "Progression in Pupils' Ideas," offering student teachers a model of cognitive development; (10) "Assessment," emphasizing the need for student teachers to assess their pupils' performance in science by any method, formal or informal; and (11) "Progress and Potential," providing a framework for working with student teachers as they progress through training. Two appendices include teacher competencies and three addresses of British organizations. (Contains 91 references) (JRH)