Science on My Brain
When time between blog posts stretches out longer than usual, one of several things might be going on. I might be in a paralyzed funk of feeling overwhelmed and tired and slow-brained. Usually though it's something much more healthy--like being busy with people I love, or having most of my cognitive and creative juices flowing in other directions.
Of late, the explanation is mostly the healthy and "juicy" one. In a project that is spanning several years, the past several weeks have been heavily scheduled with meetings to work on reviewing the science part of the curriculum for Pilgrim grade school. The documents are finally ready for review by the school board.
Arlyn is leading the effort, and Harry and Melody and I are assisting him. Before this project, I've never worked closely with Arlyn and Melody, but I attended college with their two older sisters Sheryl and Jana, and taught for three years with their brother Wendell. Harry, Wendell and I taught together for three years. Suffice it to say that our committee's history didn't start yesterday, but includes years of family and school connections. That helps us get down to nitty-gritty details without first spending a great deal of time in relationship building. It also allows for some iron sharpening iron activity without the overall effort being derailed.
Hardly anything pleases me more than having interesting and challenging things to think and learn about. The other three on the committee share that addiction. Teaching has allowed us to support our habit, and this curriculum review requires that we indulge it. We probably all fit into the "word wonk" category too, which calls for pummeling each sentence till it takes on exactly the right shape.
Thinking about curriculum matters does not always restore my soul, but this committee's effort does. It's wonderful to feel free to allow into the light of day ideas that have often had to be "stuffed" because they didn't fit with what I had to do, or because I couldn't even think where to find common ground in order to start communicating with others about them. Even now, recalling some of these frustrating times is painful.
Deep inside, I knew they were not stupid ideas. People far wiser than I have fleshed them out and tested and "proven" them--and written about them. Incorporating these ideas within the confines of a classroom schooling approach is a major undertaking which requires tugging and stretching the typical boundaries into some strange and unfamiliar shapes. If it actually can be accomplished, I believe something hopeful might emerge in that system .
In formulating the Philosophy and Purpose parts of our documents, what other committee members bring to the table expands and deepens my understanding of God as creator. I learn more about how man must relate to the creator and to the creation--humbly, yet confidently, always with a heart for serving others. I see how vast is the number of people who have invested deeply in discovering and documenting and sharing what they've learned, so that others might benefit. Bringing the students alongside us in these understandings requires also bringing alongside the adults involved--parents, teachers, board members, etc.
If none of it mattered, all of us could certainly find better things to do with our time than ponder things related to science. We have homes to keep and jobs to perform, and relationships to establish and maintain. But a right relationship with the creator and the creation does matter, so the effort to consider how to "do science" well is worthwhile.
More work needs to happen on science curriculum matters before school starts. For now, however, a little breathing space has opened up, while others evaluate what has been done so far. I'm glad for the break, but will be glad to pick up the task again when it's needed.
Of late, the explanation is mostly the healthy and "juicy" one. In a project that is spanning several years, the past several weeks have been heavily scheduled with meetings to work on reviewing the science part of the curriculum for Pilgrim grade school. The documents are finally ready for review by the school board.
Arlyn is leading the effort, and Harry and Melody and I are assisting him. Before this project, I've never worked closely with Arlyn and Melody, but I attended college with their two older sisters Sheryl and Jana, and taught for three years with their brother Wendell. Harry, Wendell and I taught together for three years. Suffice it to say that our committee's history didn't start yesterday, but includes years of family and school connections. That helps us get down to nitty-gritty details without first spending a great deal of time in relationship building. It also allows for some iron sharpening iron activity without the overall effort being derailed.
Hardly anything pleases me more than having interesting and challenging things to think and learn about. The other three on the committee share that addiction. Teaching has allowed us to support our habit, and this curriculum review requires that we indulge it. We probably all fit into the "word wonk" category too, which calls for pummeling each sentence till it takes on exactly the right shape.
Thinking about curriculum matters does not always restore my soul, but this committee's effort does. It's wonderful to feel free to allow into the light of day ideas that have often had to be "stuffed" because they didn't fit with what I had to do, or because I couldn't even think where to find common ground in order to start communicating with others about them. Even now, recalling some of these frustrating times is painful.
Deep inside, I knew they were not stupid ideas. People far wiser than I have fleshed them out and tested and "proven" them--and written about them. Incorporating these ideas within the confines of a classroom schooling approach is a major undertaking which requires tugging and stretching the typical boundaries into some strange and unfamiliar shapes. If it actually can be accomplished, I believe something hopeful might emerge in that system .
In formulating the Philosophy and Purpose parts of our documents, what other committee members bring to the table expands and deepens my understanding of God as creator. I learn more about how man must relate to the creator and to the creation--humbly, yet confidently, always with a heart for serving others. I see how vast is the number of people who have invested deeply in discovering and documenting and sharing what they've learned, so that others might benefit. Bringing the students alongside us in these understandings requires also bringing alongside the adults involved--parents, teachers, board members, etc.
If none of it mattered, all of us could certainly find better things to do with our time than ponder things related to science. We have homes to keep and jobs to perform, and relationships to establish and maintain. But a right relationship with the creator and the creation does matter, so the effort to consider how to "do science" well is worthwhile.
More work needs to happen on science curriculum matters before school starts. For now, however, a little breathing space has opened up, while others evaluate what has been done so far. I'm glad for the break, but will be glad to pick up the task again when it's needed.
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
9:02 PM
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