Chapter 7 - Case Study
Case Study: Theory of Science Teaching
The Case
Sam Yarsborough, a graduate of the biology department of a small liberal arts college always wanted to be a teacher. He decided, however, to complete a degree in biology, and then try and find a teaching position in a school district near his college. In May he signed a contract to teach introductory biology at Druid Lake High School, an urban school of 1,200 students. The district hired him without certification, and he was issued a provisional certificate to teach science but had to complete his requirements within three years. His department head told him about a teacher education program at a university close to his high school, designed for science teachers holding a provisional certificate. Sam missed the summer institute phase of the program and began his teaching career without any science education preparation. After two weeks of teaching Sam attended the first class session of a combined internship and science methods block which met late in the afternoon at the university. There were 12 other teachers in the program, along with a professor and a veteran science teacher who was also a doctoral student interning in the TEEMS program. After brief introductions, everyone was paired off and asked to describe to their partner what the first two weeks were like, and then to share a key idea with the whole class. The student Sam was paired with explained that she was trying to implement the "constructivist" theory they had focused on during the summer institute. Sam was puzzled, and asked how she could possibly be thinking about a theory of teaching when he was simply trying to survive the first two weeks with discipline problems, paperwork, and meetings. In the large group, Sam asked, how could theory be of help to him, when he was simply trying to teach his students one lesson at a time.
The Problem
How important to a beginning science teacher is theory? How should teachers learn about theories, assuming they might be helpful? Is Sam's reaction typical of beginning teachers? What do you think?
Case Study: The Student Who Thought He Failed
The Case
Ashley Brinkley, a physics teacher in a large comprehensive high school, is known for her innovative approaches to teaching. After attending an in-depth conference and study group on "Implementing Cognitive Theory in to the Science Classroom," she decides that she is going to implement one of the ideas into her teaching approach. At the conference she discovered that determining and helping the students detect their current ideas on the concepts to be taught is an important place to begin instruction. At the conference it was suggested that a simple activity or a demonstration presented to the students would enable the students to demonstrate their ideas verbally and publicly. Mrs. Brinkley planned a demonstration on falling objects. The idea was to let students identify the forces (by making a diagram and labeling it) on the falling object. After doing the activity and having the students make their diagrams, Mrs. Brinkley carried on a discussion with the class. During the discussion she noticed one of the students was quite upset. The student was embarrassed that he didn't label the diagram "correctly," and felt inferior to the students sitting near him. Mrs. Brinkley notices that a couple of other students feel the same way.
The Problem
What should Mrs. Brinkley do? What should she say to these students? To the whole class? Should she abandon this new approach?