Once upon a time, many eons ago, I used to teach at primary (elementary) school level. I loved involving my students in what was labelled in the then curriculum "Nature Study". I always hoped that by studying nature, birds, ants, reptiles, bees, and so on to light up a wonder in children for the world in which they lived. I had to set this up within my generalist classroom having no laboratory in the school and this was very restrictive. I did not use the outside environment as much as I could have as it was not very rich in natural flora and fauna. It was inductive learning of the most basic sort yet I believe it yielded some of the wonder I was aiming for.
In 2020 the schools are so much better resourced and in a Covid free world students experience camps and excursions that provide the opportunities to develop a wonder for the natural world. There is so much access to observable natural species and events by prima facie observation or by secondary observation through the wonderful media streams now available.
I have to recall that as a student in secondary (high) school in the 1940s and 50s : yes that long ago : I only received flashes of the wonder of the natural world, especially being intrigued by the atomic and ionic structures of matter. I think that was my fault with a lack of maturity obstructing me from benefiting from the wisdom of my science teachers.
As a school Principal I regret not interacting more with the science teachers in my school to encourage them to excite every day. To have their students thirsting for the next science learning experiences. I suspect it is easier to excite in the biological sciences than in physics and chemistry, although when I see some of the robotics studies in today's schools and the excited faces of the students I should reserve such judgements.
In the contemporary educational context the emphasis on environmental responsibility for the Earth and the Universe has the potential to make scientific studies more relevant to a wider range of students. I also wonder whether teachers of literature could work in a symbiotic relationship with their science colleagues through poetry genres that light one up about the natural world. There is the whole pantheist movement of Wordsworth, Keats, Byron and Shelley. Today also drifting into my consciousness was a poem by William Henry Davies entitled "Leisure". You may recall it
"What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs.......and so on. Go on Google it!
I am fascinated by clouds and love to sit and watch the changing formations, especially imagining the forces in play as clouds build up for a thunderstorm. I have even written a sonnet about this, but having mentioned Wordsworth and Co would be ashamed to bore you with it.
As a university student studying metaphysics in philosophy I was fascinated by the argument by Design for the existence of God or if you will a Supreme Being. It would be exciting to open a biology lesson with the argument by Design, where we were to microscopically explore the delicate minutiae of some organism where intricate patterns are revealed. This would not be an attempt to convert students to a belief in God, but to show them how areas of learning connect in the creative minds of humans. All good fuel to light up the wonderment in learning. We could then pose the question: How could evolution come up with such intricate designs within these organisms? The teacher, if not framing all this carefully might expect emails from some parents about having raised the Creation theory/evolution theory debate that challenges many educators across the United States. Might be a bit radical to do this and I would only suggest it with Senior High School students.
Buy a microscope and or a telescope for your children or grand children. If you are a school Principal, a leader of learning in your school, take a major interest about what goes on with the science teaching. I wish I'd been more active in this regard when I was a school Principal.
You probably expected I was a bit eccentric from previous posts, and now all doubts can be cast aside.
May the Force be with you!
GD
