Teaching Earth Science - Its Challenges and Rewards

Knowledge in earth science is very vital in nation building. Almost everything we do each day is connected in some way to Earth: to its land, oceans, atmosphere, plants, and animals. The food we eat, the water we drink, our homes and offices, the clothes we wear, the energy we use, and the air we breathe are all grown in, taken from, surround, or move through the planet. According to American Geological Institute (AGI) Foundation, by 2025, eight billion people will live on Earth. This number of people will undoubtedly continue extracting resources to maintain a high quality of life. As we benefit from all the resources we get from the Earth, then we, as individuals and citizens, need to know more about our planet - its processes, its resources, and its environment. And only through Earth Science education can students understand and appreciate our complex planet. In this present time, the old and the young must join hands and help one another in the serious task of nation-building, the young to learn from the wisdom and experience of the elders, the elders to recognize the impatience of the youth. In contrast, not all young students are willing to cooperate in order to acquire the needed knowledge, attitudes and skills essential for a secure future. It is then a burgeoning task for the teacher to facilitate learning so that quality education will be acquired by the students. This paper will discuss the different challenges faced by the teacher in imparting knowledge about Earth Science in public secondary school, likewise it will also discuss the positive aspects in learning the subject.
THE CHALLENGES
Motivation
My first experience in teaching earth science was on September 2005 in one of the public secondary schools in Davao Oriental, specifically in District 1. I can still remember the first day when I entered the class of more than fifty (50) students crowded in a classroom. Some of them were busy chatting with their classmates, some were busy doing different tasks in their seats, etc. The first question that popped into my mind during that moment was: how can I get the attention of the students? As I introduced myself to them as their new science teacher, I saw different emotions reflecting on their faces. There were emotions of excitement, worries, anxieties, happiness, etc. I am not really sure if they were prepared to take new lessons in earth science. What I did was to let them get a piece of paper and let them write in there: their names, favorite subject, subject they hate most and why they love/hate a certain subject, and their expectation/s of the subject. I did this just to know whether they have interest in the subject or to know what subjects they liked best and the reasons why they love the subject. From that, I learned that out of more than fifty (50) students, only four (4) said that they like science subject. When I asked them why they do not like science as a subject, the common answer was: "Science is a difficult subject". From that experience alone, I got an insight that students will have difficulty in learning a subject if they do not like the subject. Indeed, teaching Earth Science to undergraduates or high school students could be difficult "if the students are not motivated or if they are not interested in the subject". paid reviews

Home School Education Comes Full Circle

The face of schooling has changed over the years. From learning at home from one's family, to one room school houses that served as the classroom for children of many ages, to schools housed in massive buildings where students have access to resources that used to be reserved for the finest universities, schools have constantly evolved throughout contemporary history. Today we are witnessing a reversal of that trend as more and more students find themselves out of the public schools and back at home receiving a hole school education.

There are many reasons that parents may opt to provide their children with a home school education. Some parents prefer a home school education because public schools are not legally allowed to provide religious guidance and instruction. Other parents may believe that a home school education can provide higher and more stringent academic standards, or a safer learning environment than the public schools can offer. For others, a home school education is the best option because the parents travel extensively, or the child has special needs that are best met at home. For those reasons, and many more, home school education is a booming business that is gaining momentum with each passing year.

For those who are considering home school education, and those who are already engaged in that endeavor, there are several factors on which to focus. Public schools offer more than just academic instruction, and a good home school education needs to fill those gaps in order to be most effective.

Socialization is a primary concern of many parents who provide a home school education for their children. While students can learn the "Three R's" at public school or at home, they also need to learn how to share, listen, take turns, and get along with others. Students who are receiving a home school education are often enrolled in clubs, sports, and other extra curricular activities that will help develop the child's socialization skills.

Educational resources are another element of education in which home school education must strive to match the level of the public schools. Public libraries, internet, and specialized home school education publishers and curriculums can help parents provide an adequate and effective home school education for their children.

Ultimately what matters most is that our children are educated. Recent studies show that children receiving a home school education perform as well, and in many cases better, than their counterparts in public and private schools on standardized tests. That success has continued even after students leave the comfort of a home school education and move on to colleges and universities. Parents who feel that their education options are lacking might consider a home school education. It could be the best fit for their child and their family's needs.

Home Schooling Education

A home schooling education is a prized asset to anyone's background. It demonstrates independent work completed in a timely manner, often reflecting an education well above the average education level of that from a public or private school.
A home schooling education most often involves well thought out planning and instruction from a loving parent or guardian who's gently guided the child through many series of targeted lessons. The lessons have covered in-depth information on not only main topics of focus as required by the local laws by often much more advanced training with onsite visits at local industry establishments and interviews with their company workers as part of the lessons.
The more customized and in-depth lessons learned by those with home schooling education provide a much more well-rounded real-life education for after high school years. While their peers from public and private schools battle learning good independent life skills, work and study habits, their home schooling peers already excel in those areas, for example.
The child's home schooling education has included plenty of socialization within peers groups of other home schooled children and children who attend their local churches, on average. Plus home schooling education means an average of 3 children or more per household, so others to play with, plus neighborhood children, library groups, etc.

Dream World Science: We Will Need to Discard Materialism to Find a Theory of Everything

The hallmark of science is its willingness to discard outmoded theories when a better, more explanatory model comes along. But today, science practices this principle only within the paradigm of materialism. By this term I mean a model of the universe based upon the assumption that matter came before mind, that the universe and all living things are nothing but particles in motion, and that the world we see, from the tips of our fingers to the farthest galaxy, exists independently of the mind and operates beyond its control.
This materialistic model brings us the Big Bang theory, dark matter, dark energy, reductive materialism, and the search for the "God" particle in atom smashers and for the origin of life in test tubes.
Modern scientists use the model of materialism because they believe it is necessary to practice science. For example, in a classic article on quantum physics, entitled, "Can Quantum-Mechanical Description of Physical Reality Be Considered Complete?" the authors, Albert Einstein, Boris Podolsky, and Nathan Rosen, write, "Any serious consideration of a physical theory must take into account the distinction between the objective reality, which is independent of any theory, and the physical concepts with which the theory operates."
The late Ernst Mayr, one of history's leading biologists, expressed the subject this way:
"Despite the openness of science to new facts and hypotheses, it must be said that virtually all scientists-somewhat like theologians-bring a set of what we call "first principles" with them to the study of the natural world. One of these axiomatic assumptions is that there is real world independent of human perceptions. This might be called the principle of objectivity (as opposed to subjectivity) or common-sense realism. This does not mean that individual scientists are always "objective" or even that objectivity among human beings is possible in any absolute sense. What it does mean is that an objective world exists outside of the influence of subjective perception. Most scientists-though not all-believe in this axiom."
Even though the objective-world model is a popular viewpoint -- since everyone wants there to be a "real world independent of human perceptions" -- it does suffer from one notable flaw: no one has ever shown it is either true or necessary. Indeed, no one has shown that science cannot be practiced within a different conceptual model. If there is one criticism modern scientists deserve is that they have convinced the public at large that only within the materialistic model is the practice of science possible; using any other approach, they announce, veers off the road into unscientific religious dogma and new-age hocus-pocus.

Home School Education

A home school education is becoming an increasingly popular choice among a growing number of young children and their parents, and the reasons for this increased popularity are many. Among other things, the options that a child has are many, but there are mostly three reasons that stand out -- the public educational system is not providing the necessary answers, parents want to exercise greater control over the education their children receive, and lastly, an education from home schooling helps to ensure the safety of a child.
Providing a physical education while home schooling is also an essential part of the education of a child and it is actually one of the main challenges faced by parents and families that decide to use a home school program to educate their children. The good news is that it is quite simple to include a good physical education curriculum at home while adhering to an academic schedule and it can also be achieved without making use of any help from other places outside the house.
There are several myths about receiving a classical education through home school. A large part of these myths revolve around the idea that this kind of education is no longer relevant. That often comes from people who mistakenly believe that the world has advanced beyond the need for a classical education. The truth is that the foundation of a classical education is truly valuable no matter what year it is or how technologically advanced the world becomes.
While rewarding your teenagers all the time for the progress the make while schooling them at home may seem like a good strategy, an incentive program of some kind is usually a better idea. It doesn't have to be much of a big deal, but small and useful rewards for any work well done can go a long way towards motivating your children to stay focused. It is especially useful in a classroom situation in which there are no other students competing with one another.

To learn much more about a home school education visit http://homeschoolcurriculumhelp.com/home-school-education.php to find out more about home school help of all kinds, including programs and curricula.

Home School Education - Advantages and Disadvantages

Why Parents Choose a Home School Education An increasing number of children today are receiving a home school education. The reasons for making the choice to home school their kids varies from family to family but there are three main reasons why parents are removing their children from the public school system and giving them a home school education. The first reason is that the public education system in the United States is struggling to provide a proper education for the nation's children with out of date text books, run down school buildings and inadequate equipment. Provision of a home school education enables the parents to have control over the quality of the educational materials used by their children and the general conditions in which they are educated. The second reason is that parents wish to assume more control over the influences their children will be exposed to. This is often on the basis of religious grounds but, very often, it is simply because a home school education will ensure the child learns the values upheld by the family and is taught from an early age what behavior is appropriate. Unfortunately, many public schools have a poor reputation for instilling good discipline in students. This often results in badly behaved children disrupting lessons and preventing their peers from getting the full benefit of classes. Discipline and the upholding of proper standards of behavior is an important part of a home school education. The third reason many parents choose to give their children a home school education is fear for their safety. Violence is on the increase everywhere and the public school system has not escaped this trend. Violence in the public education system is getting worse and the individual acts of violence are more serious. Since the shocking events at Columbine High School there have been further tragedies involving firearms where teachers and students have been injured or killed. A home school education ensures the safety of children who would otherwise be seriously at risk of harm.

Discovering Science Fiction's Re-emergence and Re-assessment in the USA

Science fiction has emerged as acceptable in the literary cannon with the inclusion of a wide selection of science fiction writers as worthy of studying. At least this was one of the facts I learnt of a genre which I had for long associated with popular thrillers when we discussed Contemporary American Literature in the US a year or so ago.
Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction often involving speculations on current or future science or technology usually in books, art, television, films, games, theater, and other media. In the age of television, computers and other technology, the fascination of contemporary fiction writers with technology has become an extension of the sphere of social realism for the exploration of writers..
Science fiction is akin to fantasy. But it differs from it in that, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically postulated laws of nature though some elements might still be pure imaginative speculation.
Science fiction is largely then writing entertainingly and rationally about alternate possibilities in settings that are contrary to known reality including:
o A setting in the future, in alternative time lines, or in a historical past that contradicts known historical facts or archaeological records
o A setting in outer space, other worlds, or one involving aliens.
o Stories that contradict known or supposed laws of nature.
o Stories that involve discovering or applying new scientific principles, such as time travel or psionics,
o Stories that involve the discovery or application of new technology, such as nanotechnology, faster-than-light travel or robots,
o Stories that involve the discovery or application of new and different political or social systems
Science fiction also involves imaginative extrapolations of present day phenomena, such as the thoughtful projection forward of contemporary medical practices such as organ transplants, genetic engineering, and artificial insemination or the evolving social changes such as the rise of the suburb and the growing disparity between the rich and poor.
Science fiction has a widening range of possibilities in themes and form. It embraces many other subgenres and themes.

Writing Science Poetry

Science poetry or scientific poetry is a specialized poetic genre that makes use of science as its subject. Written by scientists and nonscientists, science poets are generally avid readers and appreciators of science and "science matters." Science poetry may be found in anthologies, in collections, in science fiction magazines that sometimes include poetry, in other magazines and journals. Many science fiction magazines, including online magazines, such as Strange Horizons, often publish science fiction poetry, another form of science poetry. Of course science fiction poetry is a somewhat different genre. Online there is the Science Poetry Center for those interested in science poetry, and for those interested in science fiction poetry The Science Fiction Poetry Association. In addition, there's Science Fiction Poetry Handbook and Ultimate Science Fiction Poetry Guide, all found online. Strange Horizons has published the science fiction poetry of Joanne Merriam, Gary Lehmann and Mike Allen.
As for science poetry, science or scientific poets like science fiction poets may also publish collections of poetry in almost any stylistic format. Science or scientific poets, like other poets, must know the "art and craft" of poetry, and science or scientific poetry appears in all the poetic forms: free verse, blank verse, metrical, rhymed, unrhymed, abstract and concrete, ballad, dramatic monologue, narrative, lyrical, etc. All the poetic devices are in use also, from alliteration to apostrophe to pun to irony and understatement, to every poetic diction, figures of speech and rhythm, etc. Even metaphysical scientific poetry is possible. In his anthology, The World Treasury of Physics, Astronomy, and Mathematics, editor Timothy Ferris aptly includes a section entitled "The Poetry of Science." Says Ferris in the introduction to this section, "Science (or the 'natural philosophy' from which science evolved) has long provided poets with raw material, inspiring some to praise scientific ideas and others to react against them."
Such greats as Milton, Blake, Wordsworth, Goethe either praised or "excoriated" science and/or a combination of both. This continued into the twentieth century with such poets as Marianne Moore, T. S. Eliot, Robinson Jeffers, Robert Frost and Robert Hayden (e.g. "Full Moon"--"the brilliant challenger of rocket experts") not to mention many of the lesser known poets, who nevertheless maintain a poetic response to scientific matters. Says Ferris, "This is not to say that scientists should try to emulate poets, or that poets should turn proselytes for science....But they need each other, and the world needs both." Included in his anthology along with the best scientific prose/essays are the poets Walt Whitman ("When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer"), Gerard Manley Hopkins "("I am Like a Slip of Comet..."), Emily Dickinson ("Arcturus"), Robinson Jeffers ("Star-Swirls"), Richard Ryan ("Galaxy"), James Clerk Maxwell ("Molecular Evolution"), John Updike ("Cosmic Gall"), Diane Ackerman ("Space Shuttle") and others.

Home School Education Comes Full Circle

The face of schooling has changed over the years. From learning at home from one's family, to one room school houses that served as the classroom for children of many ages, to schools housed in massive buildings where students have access to resources that used to be reserved for the finest universities, schools have constantly evolved throughout contemporary history. Today we are witnessing a reversal of that trend as more and more students find themselves out of the public schools and back at home receiving a home school education.
There are many reasons that parents may opt to provide their children with a home school education. Some parents prefer a home school education because public schools are not legally allowed to provide religious guidance and instruction. Other parents may believe that a home school education can provide higher and more stringent academic standards, or a safer learning environment than the public schools can offer. For others, a home school education is the best option because the parents travel extensively, or the child has special needs that are best met at home. For those reasons, and many more, home school education is a booming business that is gaining momentum with each passing year.
For those who are considering home school education, and those who are already engaged in that endeavor, there are several factors on which to focus. Public schools offer more than just academic instruction, and a good home school education needs to fill those gaps in order to be most effective.
Socialization is a primary concern of many parents who provide a home school education for their children. While students can learn the "Three R's" at public school or at home, they also need to learn how to share, listen, take turns, and get along with others. Students who are receiving a home school education are often enrolled in clubs, sports, and other extra curricular activities that will help develop the child's socialization skills.