For many years science has been viewed as the domaine of the weird scientist, wearing the lab coat, messy hair, glasses, things in the pocket, and mostly men. If you ask anyone to draw a scientist you will most likely see the above being included. You can try this activity with very young children and they will provide you with the very same drawing. What we need to ask ourselves is how do we move beyond these conceptions, how as educators do we get children to reimagine this stereotype? Fristly, talking about this misconception or stereotype with children is very important as a means to re-think this image. Get children to think about the different kinds of scientists in our society and the various jobs they do. Get a scientist to visit your class so children can see for themselves what an actual scientist looks like in the flesh. Reinforce to the children in your class that we are all scientists in our daily lives. Get them to think about how this might be, ask them to talk about how science and technology surrounds them and how it helps them everyday. I think asking the BIG questions is very important from an early age. I remember doing this activity in my own class and at the end of the lesson one young fellow stated that scientists are cool and that science rocks! Still trying to work that one out!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
science rocks!
For many years science has been viewed as the domaine of the weird scientist, wearing the lab coat, messy hair, glasses, things in the pocket, and mostly men. If you ask anyone to draw a scientist you will most likely see the above being included. You can try this activity with very young children and they will provide you with the very same drawing. What we need to ask ourselves is how do we move beyond these conceptions, how as educators do we get children to reimagine this stereotype? Fristly, talking about this misconception or stereotype with children is very important as a means to re-think this image. Get children to think about the different kinds of scientists in our society and the various jobs they do. Get a scientist to visit your class so children can see for themselves what an actual scientist looks like in the flesh. Reinforce to the children in your class that we are all scientists in our daily lives. Get them to think about how this might be, ask them to talk about how science and technology surrounds them and how it helps them everyday. I think asking the BIG questions is very important from an early age. I remember doing this activity in my own class and at the end of the lesson one young fellow stated that scientists are cool and that science rocks! Still trying to work that one out!
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