Importance of Science in children's learning

[nellydamz]

I was just wondering why should we teach about Science? I'm not a science fan myself but i am gradually learning science by reading books especially biology. I will just like to ask everyone why they think children should be taught Science? what is the important? would it benefit them? or what should i t tell a child about the reason why he should like science and not to be like me.

 

Grateful for your response

[PhDP]

Well, there are many reasons....

 

#1. As a society, we need people with skills in maths & science. Where would we get our engineers, physicians, geneticists… ? Science-related jobs are often among the best one.

 

#2. Politically, it would certainly help if most people had a good general knowledge of science. Science is a powerful force, and as we live in a democracy the ignorance of the public opens the door to populism and confusion (it's the case with global warming "scepticism", stem cell research, evolution, homosexuality, et cetera...).

 

#3. Intellectual development. Science is hard; it requires the child to build a strong intuition on complex, and sometime counterintuitive, notions. I think science is not taught very well, however, I must admit that I hated science until I started reading about it on my own.

[Lear]

The problem with simply teaching a science curriculum to a child, is that by definition, it is doing the opposite of what science is all about.

 

Schooling systems differ on how science is handled in the classroom. However, the general trend is of spoon-fed learning.

 

Rather than teaching your child "science", take a more relaxed stance and simply teach your child to think for him or herself. Reasoning and logic etc. Question their assertions and assumptions with what you know, and don't always assume what you know is right.

 

You could both go searching for a better (not correct) answer to a problem.

 

Science is about searching for these "better" answers. And in turn, being humbled by more complex and fuller answers in the future.

[Mr Skeptic]

I've always thought that school should teach more of life skills instead of focusing so much on academics. If they spent a little time nurturing a healthy love of learning, then maybe the kids would have something more worthwhile to do than play computer games and watch TV all day. Anyhow, I learned a bunch of physics and other science during leisure reading, and even learned calculus. However, I study much slower on my own, and the education is less formal. However, it would be interesting if there were good online textbooks.

[Rev Blair]

The problem with simply teaching a science curriculum to a child, is that by definition, it is doing the opposite of what science is all about.

 

Schooling systems differ on how science is handled in the classroom. However, the general trend is of spoon-fed learning.

 

Rather than teaching your child "science", take a more relaxed stance and simply teach your child to think for him or herself. Reasoning and logic etc. Question their assertions and assumptions with what you know, and don't always assume what you know is right.

 

You could both go searching for a better (not correct) answer to a problem.

 

Science is about searching for these "better" answers. And in turn, being humbled by more complex and fuller answers in the future.

 

I agree to a point, but kids also have to learn the basics of science. They need to learn the scientific method, then some guided experimentation with the amount of guidance dropping off as they become more adept.

 

Something I haven't seen a kid get (or ask for) in about a generation is a chemistry set or microscope. When I was a kid, we had hours of fun with those things. We learned a fair bit too.

 

I'm going to use my grandfather as an example of how science should be taught, at least partially, here.

 

I also don't see a lot of kids just figuring things out for themselves. When I was 11 or 12, our summer project was to take a combine apart. Grandpa said he wanted the spare parts and scrap metal, but he really wanted us to learn how things worked.

 

For anybody interested in mechanics at all, a combine is about the most complex thing out there, so you can learn a lot.

 

We had a conversation like this several times: I'd ask about some part and he'd say, "Well, what does a combine do?" I answered and he said, "Well where is that part?" I answered again and he asked what I thought the part did. We went through the whole thing.

 

It was really the scientific method. Theory, experiment, adjust or discard theory as needed, then try again if necessary.

 

He also explained both nature and farming and farming as everything having a job. Snakes do this and mice do that, cattle do this, and so on. A simple explanation of the ecological niches different organisms fill.

 

When I started asking about how you chose bloodlines for cattle etc., suddenly there were books on evolution and books on animal husbandry. He never told me what to read, but he'd kind of guide me to the bookshelf in the office. I'm pretty sure that he put the books he felt were appropriate up there too....

 

He did the same kind of thing with photography. Physics and chemistry. Here's the camera, here's the darkroom, there's some books. Go ahead and try it.

 

Anyway, I think that kind of thing combined with classroom learning is the way to go.

[Phi for All]

I've always thought that school should teach more of life skills instead of focusing so much on academics. If they spent a little time nurturing a healthy love of learning, then maybe the kids would have something more worthwhile to do than play computer games and watch TV all day.

It's always been this way, unfortunately. I never had a math course that taught me something as basic as how to balance a checkbook. I always wanted a "Math in Everyday Life" course. Or a course on how to organize yourself for studying.

 

I'm not sure how much pressure has been placed on education by corporations interested in making a profit from higher education, but I suspect at the very least that little will be done to improve public schooling. I think the purchase of consumer debt and specialized education will become the next two big markets.

 

I see it going something like this: you get approached in high school to either go on to college or take up a trade. Either way you're going to have to pay for some training and education, and potential employers from the really huge mega-corps will pay for it if you agree to work for them on contract till your debt is paid off. They might even help you with a loan for a house (if you agree to extend your contract).

 

I think a good science education before this happens will allow a young adult to make more reasoned decisions about his/her future. I think a mind that has been groomed by science is less likely to fall prey to grand claims and marketing schemes. A well-educated person is more likely to be a good citizen, instead of just a good consumer.

[thedarkshade]

Practical use. This is the biggest reason why so much focused in science. Taken generally, there is a impression that all what science is are a bunch of fancy equations and playing around with math. Well perhaps a part of it might indeed be that way, but what people don't really realize is that there is science all around them. I mean, there isn't a single thing that there is not science in it. Everything in our houses is a product of science. We often take all our gadgets for granted and never realize that there actually are a direct product of science. What science does, except the theoretical part (which I think is the desert), is improve our live. This is the main reason why science should be taught.

[Rev Blair]

It's always been this way, unfortunately. I never had a math course that taught me something as basic as how to balance a checkbook. I always wanted a "Math in Everyday Life" course. Or a course on how to organize yourself for studying.

 

I learned how to balance a cheque book when I was 19, making decent money, and suddenly cheques started bouncing because my account was short by less than a dollar. Nobody ever mentioned it before that.

 

Turns out that the kids in non-university entrance courses, what we called general math, or sometimes practical math (always with a bit of sneer), learned how to balance a cheque book though.

 

I notice both universities here offer courses on how to study and one offers one called "Lecture Notes" which is basically how to take notes. Frankly, I'm pretty amazed that kids aren't learning that in high school anymore.

 

Practical use. This is the biggest reason why so much focused in science. Taken generally, there is a impression that all what science is are a bunch of fancy equations and playing around with math. Well perhaps a part of it might indeed be that way, but what people don't really realize is that there is science all around them. I mean, there isn't a single thing that there is not science in it. Everything in our houses is a product of science. We often take all our gadgets for granted and never realize that there actually are a direct product of science. What science does, except the theoretical part (which I think is the desert), is improve our live. This is the main reason why science should be taught.

 

I know a biologist that works up north. They use a lot of students in the summer. According to him what they really need are kids that do things like take accurate measurements and operate power tools/equipment. He says he gets kids who can't operate an auger, can't run a cordless drill, can't drive a standard, and think measurements include the word "about". Apparently last year he had a couple who couldn't set up a tent and complained about the guide with the bear dog and the 30.06 because they were afraid he might kill a bear. Ummm...that's why he's there.

 

I don't know how much of that is just good old fashioned bitching about "these kids today" (we're both old and prone to that kind of thing, and I generally talk to him when he comes back to drink beer for a weekend) and how much of it is a real problem finding people with the right skills, but I can see it happening quite easily.