Science Makes Students Smart
Encouraging high school students to study science is important because we live in an increasingly technological and scientific world and being scientifically literate opens doors to many career choices. Teaching science to students makes them learn how to think, solve problems and make informed and logical decisions.
Science and technology are all around us and impact on many aspects of our lives: from switching on the kettle for an early morning cup of coffee, checking the weather on the TV, riding on the school bus, crossing the road when the light is green and using cell phones – these are all examples of the marvels of science and technology.
Critical Thinking Solves Problems
Teaching students how to use scientific thought and inquiry to solve problems and create incredible inventions is what contributes to technological innovations, breakthroughs and inventions. Critical thinking hinges on three important questions:
- What is the problem?
- How do I solve it?
- Did the solution work?
Using critical thinking and evidence to create solutions and make decisions is what problem-solving is all about and these skills are two of the most important that students learn. They are essential for making decisions that lead to success not only in high school but beyond. While governmental guidelines focus on middle- and high school science, technology and math, many educators believe science education should begin much earlier, engaging young children from as early as possible.
Interesting Educational Material and Good Labs
Also important is preventing students from forming a negative opinion about the sciences by engaging them with exciting and motivating material and experiences. Students at high school have many things to distract them and, very often, the teacher is hard pressed to keep learners focused and interested. Providing interesting reference materials and good lab equipment is essential to a quality science class.
If a student is struggling to understand math, it could affect their performance in chemistry and physics so it is important for these departments to work together and identify problem areas to ensure the progress of the students. Math practice builds confidence and this will spill over into the other subjects. By the time students get to high school, their critical thinking skills should be honed and they need to be challenged and stimulated. Finding interesting ways to connect the students to science will make them feel that it is an exciting pursuit.
A good quality lab can make all the difference and can boost a student’s sense of wonder. Peering at cells under a microscope or looking at stars through a telescope makes the lesson intriguing and will encourage students to want to know more. Putting students into groups and asking them to answer a prepared worksheet encourages collective thinking, healthy arguing, consultation and agreement.
Spurring New Interests
Field trips, hands-on experiments and conversations with others will help students to decide which areas of science interest them. Trips to aquariums, planetariums, space centers, museums and observatories can spark new interests. Try to encourage independent exploration of topics that the students choose and incorporate other subjects into science lessons. For example, the students can make art works using resin or epoxy which combines art and science while the teachers bide their time at ZARCasino.
An excellent science teacher will encourage communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. Getting students to engage with each other about real-life problems broadens their knowledge about the world they live in. Students who have an aptitude and love for science should be encouraged to pursue it because they will not only make more sense of the world we live in, but will hopefully strive to improve it.