As I read the article, Misconceptions Die Hard, I was astonished to hear that there was very little difference in understanding of sink/float concepts for students in various age groups (elementary school, junior high, and college). While understanding of concepts did not progress through academic levels, the terminology did. The older students used more advanced terminology when describing the concepts, whereas younger students described the concepts in simpler terms. While terminology is important, students need to have an understanding of the concepts behind the terminology. As a future elementary education teacher, it is alarming to see how students can form misconceptions so early on in the educational system. Once misconceptions are formed, they can become impossible to break. Stepans, Beiswenger, and Dyche write, "Some students simply reject explanations that are in conflict with their beliefs or that they do not understand. They opt to retain a misconception that makes sense to them" (1986, pg. 65). These misconceptions become ingrained in the student's mind.
Educators have the opportunity to prevent these misconceptions early on. I am interested in teaching kindergarten someday. I do not want my early elementary students to carry misconceptions with them throughout their schooling. As a future teacher, I will utilize pre-assessments in my classroom. These assessments can be done as an entire class, in small groups, or individually. For example, before starting a new science unit, my students and I can sit together and discuss what we already know about the unit. This will allow me to evaluate what my students know and understand about certain concepts. I will then be able to create lessons that will best help my students to learn. Hopefully, by utilizing a variety of techniques in my classroom, I will be able to prevent or break down any misconceptions that my students may have about science concepts.
No comments:
Post a Comment