|
Items in cart [0] |
Questions? Call 888-624-8373 |
| Copyright © 2009. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Statement |
Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 191
Epilogue
Nothing is in the mind that is notirst in the hand.
Aristotle, 384-322 B.C.
For more than a decade, the Na-
tional Science Resources Center (NSRC) has been actively en-
gagec! in elementary science education reform. During that time,
we have been fortunate to develop meaningful partnerships with
more than 200 school districts. From these partnerships have
emerged a few "basic truths" about reform. Districts new to this
work may Anti that these truths become guideposts as they set out
to bring inquiry-centerec3 science to their elementary schools.
· Close partnerships between the stakehoIclers involved in sci-
ence education reform are preferable to the distant relations
that were previously the norm.
· Leaclers in science education reform must work in teams
characterized by concern about elementary science educa-
tion, consistency in the way they implement change, en cl
commitment to seeing the program through to completion.
· Strategic planning serves as the umbrella for all the elements
of reform. It gives stakeholders a clear iclea of where-to go
and the key things that must be clone to get there. This in-
formation establishes how each individual's efforts fit the
goals and provides a standard against which to measure how
well the goals are being achieved.
191
OCR for page 192
Epilogue
· It is not enough to design a good curriculum; the processes
needed to implement that curriculum must be designed at
the same time.
It is crucial for districts to begin with some concrete initiatives
and to demonstrate some successful results, even if they are
small.
Teachers must be provided with the materials neecled to
teach inquiry-centered science. Furthermore, leaders must
be provided with opportunities for continuous professional
development.
The publication of the National ScienceEducation Standards has
given new direction to the elementary science education reform
movement of the 198Os en c! 199Os. For the first time, school dis-
tricts engaged in reform have clear-cut goals. The Standards delin-
eates what children shouIcI know en cl be able to do in science from
kindergarten through high school. The NSRC model for reform
provides guidance on how to achieve these goals. Of particular im-
portance is the development of a shared vision of teaching science
through inquiry and the adoption of an implementation strategy
that focuses on the five key elements of reform-curriculum de-
sign, professional development, science materials support, assess-
ment, and administrative and community support.
Informed by the Standards and enlightened through experi-
ence, we are ready to embark on the next clecade of reform. New
issues have emerged, en c! we are face cI with new challenges. For ex-
ample, although the NSRC and other organizations have reached
several hundred school districts, our goal is to increase these num-
bers significantly so that the majority of the nation's children have
an opportunity to learn science through inquiry. We must also
work to improve the quality of inquiry-centerecl science in districts
that have already institutionalized reform.
Charles Hardy
Deputy Director
National Science Resources Center
1Q'
Representative terms from entire chapter:
education reform
