For a variety of reasons, you've chosen to be a secondary science teacher. In studies to find out why people choose a career in science teaching, interest in the subject-matter field is rated as the most important. Is this true for you? Other reasons why people choose a career in science teaching include such factors as:

• they feel their abilities are well suited to teaching;

• they like the opportunities to work with young people; and

• teaching contributes to the betterment of society

You may also have a made a choice between middle school/junior high and high school level teaching. Perhaps you are interested in working with early adolescent students in either a middle school or a junior high school. Or, you've decided that you want to work with older students, and have geared your preparation to high school science teaching. In either case, being a science teacher will require you to blend knowledge of science, pedagogy and how students learn. How can this be done so that students learn and develop an appreciation for science, and you perceive science as a rewarding career? What will this entail?

As you begin your study of science teaching, keep in mind that these conceptual themes will be helpful organizational ideas for you, but nonetheless, you should also acknowledge that having a theoretical base for these notions will not insure your success in the classroom. Teaching requires an integration of theory and practice. So you will find in this book a number of practical, laboratory oriented activities designed to help you translate some of the theoretical ideas into practice. There is a good chance that the course you are taking will also involve some practical work in a middle school/junior high or a high school. These opportunities during your teacher preparation experience are important as you develop your own professional outlook on science teaching. To gain more insight into your career choice, read what some practicing science teachers have to say about the rewards of science teaching.