I want to be a science teacher because I think science is fascinating.  I want others to share my enthusiasm and love of science.  When people ask me what I study, and I say “Science!”, most people cringe and say, “I hated Science in high school”.  I don't ever want to hear that from my students.  I want to help change people's views on learning science.  I want my students to be excited about learning.  I hope to successfully educate and empower my students  I want them to leave high school with a better understanding about basic, and complex, scientific concepts.  I would like my students to understand why it is important to learn about things that can impact their daily lives and the planet so that they can make personal health choices or make informed decisions about environmental issues that need action.  A constructivist teaching approach is the best way to help students prepare for college and to help them become mindful, critical thinkers and problem solvers.

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Constructivist teaching is based on constructivist learning theory.  In this theory, the teacher plays an interactive role as a facilitator by guiding the students to become expert learners.  From Piaget’s perspective, learning should be constructed, not forced.  Learning occurs as students are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction.   Constructivist learning is interactive, reflective, collaborative, inquiry-based and evolving, building on what the students already know and knowledge is seen as dynamic and ever growing with new experiences.  I think it is very important that students are involved as much as possible in their own learning.  This type of teaching helps students to become independent thinkers and prepare them better for success in college and in their future careers.  Students that are taught this way probably enjoy school more than if they were just passively receiving information, memorizing it, and then regurgitate it for exams.  I personally want my students to be excited about learning seeing it as a rewarding challenge instead of as a chore.

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In a constructivist curriculum, the students generally work in groups and their success is measured by their work, observations and conclusions during the learning process as wells as through quizzes and exams.  More value is placed on students’ questions and insights than a fixed curriculum.  Students can be evaluated based on the models or outcomes they produce and their supporting reasoning.  Emphasis is placed on the big picture concepts and then the students work to understand the parts that lead to the collective whole.  Based on Vygotsky’s theories of learning, a constructivist approach to learning keeps children in a zone of proximal development.  This type of learning environment promotes cognitive growth.  It helps create a web of mental understanding that helps to shape the brain network in an advanced way.  When carried out in a group setting, we foster the importance of social interactions and the co-construction of knowledge.  Students can learn from each other and learn different perspectives and ways of thinking.  It might also help them to dissolve previous misconceptions by getting feedback from their peers.  It has been shown that students in structured groups have increased academic success and also a sense of the collective good.  I think that learning these cooperative skills will help them socially for success in college, in their future careers and as citizens of the planet.

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Another important aspect of helping to create critical thinkers is developing a classroom environment that promotes participation and allows the students to develop a sense of agency.  I want students to realize that they are not in school just to learn facts and stories but that they are part of the local story and the global story.  Freire and Stroup believed in fostering critical agency in students and empowering them with the knowledge that they can leave the classroom and positively impact the world.    If we educate students in this manner, by them having learned to question things critically and work collaboratively, not only will they learn and retain more and have a sense of ownership over what they know, they will become more well-equipped and able to solve problems when they are faced with projects and challenges throughout their lives.

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I think the approach to teaching topics should be culturally relevant and situated in real-life scenarios or applications.  I spent a lot of time working with teachers and students in Hawai'i to develop place-based curricula.  I saw how much of an impact this type of approach helped to promote student engagement and interest in science.  Since being in the UTeach Natural Science program, I have learned a lot about the history of education in America and the pedagogy of science teaching.  I am currently learning about Project-Based Instruction & Learning.  Cultural relevancy and situated learning are components of PBI.  I am excited to be working towards teaching in this PBI style and to see how my teaching evolves as I continue to learn about teaching.