"The most important discovery made by scientists was science itself," said Jacob Bronowski, a mathematician, philosopher of science, and teacher. What about science teaching? Is there a comparable discovery made by science educators about science teaching? Perhaps the discovery approach to learning itself is one candidate? Or perhaps the discovery that students don't learn science through direct instruction, rather they construct their own knowledge from formal and informal experiences on their own. Or perhaps that all students are cabable of learning.

There are many candidates for important "discoveries" that have been made by science educators. If you are interested in finding out about the world of science teaching, and fascinating discoveries made by science teachers and researchers about learning, curriculum, instruction, then Minds on Science is for you.

We'll start our exploration of science teaching with a reconnaissance of the field. Just as a scout goes out ahead and looks around to get a view of the scene, so it is with this chapter. You'll look ahead by examining and comparing some of your ideas about science teaching with those of other science teachers. Before you know it, you'll be teaching and participating in science lessons prepared by and taught to your peers. Then you'll investigate some conceptions about the nature and philosophy of science, and relate this to approaches to science science teaching such as inquiry and cooperative learning.

We'll then introduce you to some students via brief vynettes designed to capture the intensity, personal dimensions, and wholistic character of the students you'll teach. Finally the chapter will close with some insights and wisdom about teaching by hearing from a high school teacher who has been involved with secondary school students for over twenty years.

PREVIEW QUESTIONS

• What are your current views about science teaching? How do these compare with the views of professional science teachers?
• What are some major conceptual ideas about science teaching?
• Why do you want to be a science teacher?
• What do science teachers like most about teaching?
• What are some of the important characteristics of science?
• Is inquiry teaching a valid method in secondary science classroom? Are there other valid approaches? What fosters inquiry?
• Do scientists and students represent two cultures? If so, how can these cultures be bridged?
• Who are the students we teach? What are they like?
• What characterizes an effective science teacher?