There is an interesting editorial in the most recent issue of Science by Bruce Alberts on science education. The author does not deny recent attempts at increasing the rigor of classes, but he does question the manner in which the rigors being increased. One such way is the timing of the introduction of topics to students and to what degree they are asked to truly appreciate and understand the concept.
He included one of his quotes from his testimony before the California Academic Standards Commission in 1998 while he served as president of the National Academy of Sciences. I found this quote very thought provoking. I looked up his testimony and included the quote and the link.
"When we teach children about aspects of science that the vast majority of them cannot yet grasp, then we have wasted valuable educational resources and produced nothing of lasting value. Perhaps less obvious, but to me at least as important, is the fact that we take all the enjoyment out of science when we do so. Consider my field, for example. I have spent 30 years of my life working out the mechanisms that allow the DNA in our chromosomes to replicate. The entire DNA story is a beautiful one that should produce aesthetic enjoyment in the student when first learned. I was fortunate enough to have finished my precollege biology education before Watson and Crick unraveled this mystery with their discovery of the DNA double helix in 1953. I can therefore still remember the joy that I felt when I first learned about DNA. Unfortunately, most students today are taught about DNA at such an early age that they are forced to merely memorize the fact that DNA is the material from which genes are made, a chore that brings no enjoyment or understanding whatsoever. Much later, when they do have the background to understand both the structure of the DNA molecule and its explanatory power, I fear that the joy of discovery has been eliminated by their earlier memorization of boring DNA facts. We have spoiled a beautiful story for them, by teaching it at the wrong time."
www.sci-ed-ga.org/standards/Albertstestimony.html I guess my question is do you agree with his assertions?
How do we not trivialize the very concepts that have made us fall in love with teaching science?
Is it even possible not to trivialize with teachers having standards dictated to them and their students followed up with standardized tests?