The last word: A final response paper

Secondary School Science Teaching Methods

Many paradigm shifts and conceptual changes ago you listed and described, in order of importance, the following items for your discipline/classroom:

In addition, you have looked into your own teaching philosophy by taking a survey instrument, you have analyzed the core curriculum, you have written papers, you have contributed to valuable discussions, you have participated in multiple activities and labs, and you have designed several lessons that reflect your own stance towards science teaching.

Your reading assignment for this response paper is to reflect upon your first lesson plan and describe the following:

1. What level of inquiry and student-centeredness did your first lesson plan utilize?  If you were to re-write this lesson plan, how would you change it?
2. What was the learning goal of your first lesson plan?  Specifically, what teaching philosophy and level of Bloom’s taxonomy did it address, and what science education emphasis (content, nature of science, integration, habits) did it have?  How would you change this if you were to re-write this lesson today?
3. Summarize what you have learned from this course about science teaching in one paragraph.  Don’t necessarily describe what the class taught, but describe what conceptual changes you have undergone during this semester.

You may answer each of these questions individually, or you may weave them together into an essay, since the questions really should all be connected.

There is no length requirement to this paper, but obviously it should be “long enough.”  This paper will be evaluated according to the level of reflection you demonstrate; therefore you should explain your reasoning, thinking, rationale, etc.