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Making Science Make Sense
Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey
What America Thinks About Science Education Reform:
An Analysis Of The Bayer Facts Of Science Education I-V
How interested are we in science and how comfortable
are we explaining science to our children?
Despite the acknowledgement that science is a key ingredient to our own and our
children's futures, we're not that comfortable with it. Only about half the elementary
school teachers and parents say they are "very comfortable" answering kids' science questions,
and few consider themselves science literate enough to follow science stories reported in the
popular media. Nearly half the elementary school teachers admit they are only "somewhat
qualified" to teach science, and, even more shocking, they say science is the subject they
feel least qualified to teach.
Their bosses agree - when elementary principals
were asked to rate their teacher's qualifications on
various subjects, science came in last.
"While we do not have a shortage of teachers in this country, we do have a shortage
of well-trained teachers who are teaching in their chosen field. We can't expect to
raise academic standards while lowering teacher standards just so we can put an adult
in front of every classroom."
-- Richard W. Riley, U.S. Secretary of Education
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OBSERVATION: Teaching science is no more
difficult than teaching mathematics or a foreign
language when teachers have received appropriate
education and training themselves, both in the
science subjects they teach and in the pedagogy of
science teaching. Increased confidence will come with
increased competence.
Given their discomfort with the subject, parents may be surprised to learn that simply by
encouraging their child's interest in science, they are making a significant and positive
impact. Scientists cite their own parents as the most significant positive influence on
developing their childhood interest in science.
And encouragement during childhood is critical. Scientists say overwhelmingly that
their own interest in science began at an early age. Almost all became interested in
science before they entered high school and half of the scientists say they became
fascinated during elementary school between the ages of 5 and l0.
When asked to advise today's parents about nurturing a child's interest in science,
"encouraging children to do well in school" is the number one recommendation scientists
make. They also suggest parents "encourage children to learn about science on their own
through books and other materials;" "emphasize science as an important subject for them
to be learning;" "encourage them to learn about science on their own through hands-on
science experiences;" and, "teach them about science informally at home."
"My parents were not scientists, but(they were)simply very positive about anything
I would have chosen to do. I showed some interest in science and they said, 'That's
great, let's go to the library and here's the science section - maybe you want to look
at those books.' They would steer me a little toward it, but generally the point was
that they encouraged me."
--Male research scientist, b. late 1950s
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OBSERVATION: The message to parents here is clear:
they don't have to be science experts to help their children
love the subject, or all learning, for that matter. They just
need to encourage and support their children as they pursue
their interests.
Parents may be uncomfortable with science, but happily,
students do not share their elders' hang-ups. Overall, students
are positive and enthusiastic about learning science outside
and inside the classroom. Elementary students were the most
enthusiastic- many put science at or near the top of their
list of favorite subjects. For them, science ranks second
only to math as their favorite subject. As students get older, their interest in various
subjects broadens. Even so, they remain more interested in science than in any other subject.
And, significantly, science is deemed "the coolest subject" by students of all ages.
Contrary to the common belief that most kids get turned off to science in school and
consider it a nerdy subject, both elementary and middle school/high school students
express far more positive opinions than negative ones. They report that science "is
part of everyday life in the world," "lets you be creative," "brings out your curiosity,"
"is not just for nerds" and "is not more for boys than girls." Few students put science
at or near the bottom of their favorite subject list, or dislike it entirely. And few
say it is the most difficult subject to understand. On the contrary, most feel science is
easier to understand than math or social studies.
OBSERVATION: Although our culture abounds with media myths of "science brains," and
"killer science classes," our children demonstrate a healthy ability to distinguish between
science stereotype and science reality. For them, science is, fresh, alive, and inherently
interesting. They respond most favorably to science as an open, questioning, hands-on,
inquiry-based subject that allows them the freedom to speculate and to experiment. And for
parents confronted with equally
strong myths that they must be chemists, biologists or "computer nerds" to help their children
learn science, there is a welcome truth. Just taking a child to a park, science museum or the
zoo, or simply sharing a library science book will stimulate their child's ability to understand
the myriad ways that science informs our lives.
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