What Successful Science Teachers Do

Neal A. Glasgow′s experience includes serving as a secondary school science and art teacher both in California and New York, as a university biotechnology teaching laboratory director and laboratory technician, and as an educational consultant and frequent speaker on many educational topics. He is the author or coauthor of ten books on educational topics: What Successful Schools Do to Involve Families: Fifty Research-Based Strategies for Teachers and Administrators (2008), What Successful Literacy Teachers Do: 70 Research-Based Strategies for Teachers, Reading Coaches, and Instructional Planners (2007), What Successful Teachers Do in Diverse Classrooms: 71 Research-Based Strategies for New and Veteran Teachers (2006); What Successful Teachers Do in Inclusive Classrooms: 60 Research-Based Strategies That Help Special Learners (2005); What Successful Mentors Do: 81 Researched-Based Strategies for New Teacher Induction, Training, and Support (2004); What Successful Teachers Do: 91 Research-Based Strategies for New and Veteran Teachers (2003); Tips for Science Teachers: Research-Based Strategies to Help Students Learn (2001); New Curriculum for New Times: A Guide to Student-Centered, Problem-Based Learning (1997); Doing Science: Innovative Curriculum Beyond the Textbook for the Life Sciences (1997); and Taking the Classroom to the Community: A Guidebook (1996). Michele C. Cheyne is a clinical faculty member in science education at the University of Pittsburgh where she teaches a variety of courses in the secondary science teacher preparation program. She also supervises pre-service teachers during their clinical experiences. Cheyne has worked with Pittsburgh Public Schools on several projects and provides professional development for professional laboratory training programs. She has also worked with the Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium in Washington, DC as a member of the committee that wrote the 2001 document Model Standards for Licensing General and Special Education Teachers of Students With Disabilities: A Resource for State Dialogue. A former high school biology and chemistry teacher in Milwaukee Public Schools, she also served as a department chair and taught science methods courses at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Randy K. Yerrick is professor of science education and associate dean of educational technology at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He began his career as a chemistry, physics, and math teacher in Michigan schools before becoming a full-time researcher in science education. Yerrick′s research focuses on implementing contemporary visions of science inquiry in lower track classrooms where students share a strong history of failure and antisocial school behaviors. He has conducted ethnographies and critical autoethnographies in a variety of diverse teaching contexts as he continues to examine unresolved school issues of equity and diversity promoted by the continuous practice of tracking in science. He has also received recognition as an Apple Distinguished Educator. Examples of his work can be found at http://edcommunity.apple.com/.

"This book encompasses an extensive collection of strategies supported by research and enhanced with practical classroom applications. I recommend it a must-have for novice teachers, mentoring struggling teachers, and refreshing, enhancing experienced teachers in their practice of the art and craft of teaching today’s and tomorrow’s learners."

• Foreword by Page KeeleyPrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorsIntroduction1. General Science InstructionEncourage Students to Become More Involved and Interested in ScienceGuide Students to Engage in Science-Appropriate DiscourseUtilize Graphic Organizers in Your ClassroomIncrease Depth of Coverage to Improve Student LearningFoster Self-Efficacy and Motivation in Your StudentsChallenge Your Students With Different Levels of QuestioningTry Using the 5E Instructional ModelSupport Your Students to Engage Effectively in Disciplinary ArgumentationUtilize Mind Mapping to Improve Student AchievementTest Students′ Ideas to Facilitate Reasoning SkillsCreate an Emotionally Positive Science Classroom EnvironmentEngage Students Who Have a History of Poor School AchievementInclude Students With Special Needs in Student-Centered Instruction2. Scientific Inquiry and Laboratory ExperienceEngage Your Students in Inquiry-Based ScienceTeach Model-Based Inquiry Over the Scientific MethodUse Problem-Based Learning to Introduce Students to Inquiry-Based ScienceImplement Inquiry-Based Instruction in Low-Track ClassesAttain Educational Goals Through Laboratory ExperiencesConvert Traditional Labs to Inquiry-Based ActivitiesAlign the Goals of Dissection to the Curriculum3. Collaborative Teaching and LearningFine-Tune Collaborative Student Relationships With the Socratic SeminarTeach Your Students Collaborative Strategies and SkillsUtilize Formal Cooperative Learning Methods in the ClassroomIntroduce Students to Constructive, Cooperative, and Academic ControversyCommunicate Beyond the Classroom by Using Electronic Pen Pals4. Utilizing Technology for the Classroom and Professional DevelopmentAdd Technological Tools to Your Students′ LearningPut Your Students′ Internet Skills to Use in the ClassroomUse Technology to Accommodate Students′ Different Learning StylesGive Students Opportunities to Use Media Production for ClassworkIncorporate Mobile Technology into Student AssignmentsModel Inquiry With Students Using Limited ResourcesUpdate Your Approach to Literacy-Related Content ActivitiesFoster Literacy Development Through Visual Texts and MediaUtilize Portable Media Players to Bring Exemplary Resources Into TeachingFind Opportunities to Record Yourself Teaching to Share With Peers5. Science AssessmentLook at Formative Assessment in a Coherent and Cohesive WayUse Standards-Based Inquiry to Prepare Students for Standards-Based TestsAlign Instruction and Assessment Tools to State Curriculum StandardsUtilize Formative Assessment to Better Engage Students in Content and InstructionAdd a Classroom Response System for Instant Formative AssessmentDesign Formative Assessment for Data to Inform InstructionEncourage Assigned Textbook Reading by Giving Open-Book TestsFocus on Students′ Writing Strengths6. Culturally Responsive Teaching and LearningAvoid Culturally Stereotyping Science StudentsMake Academic Success Your First Priority for All StudentsReach Out to Students From Unfamiliar Cultural and Linguistic BackgroundsStructure Homework for Success for Students From Nondominant BackgroundsDevelop Science Standards With a Multicultural PerspectiveBroaden Discourse Opportunities to Invite a Diverse Range of ContributionsProvide Diverse Learning Opportunities for Student DiscourseManage and Change Your Students′ MisconceptionsGuide Students to Choose Authentic Problems to SolveUtilize Meaningful Cues With Your English Language LearnersProvide ELLs With Opportunities for Extended Interactions in Group Work7. The Complex Nature of the Gender Gap in ScienceExamine the Evolving Nature of Gender Issues in Science ClassroomsChange the Opportunities and Experiences of Girls in the Science ClassroomRepresent Science in Ways That Encourage Girls to Stay InterestedImprove Attitudes Toward Science Through STS Approaches8. Science and LiteracyAddress the Three Key Elements of Reading Fluency in Science InstructionUse Scaffolding to Improve Science Reading ComprehensionConsider Reading as Inquiry With Primary LiteratureFocus on Developing Scientific Literacy and Student ReasoningUse Paraphrasing to Promote Reading Comprehension in Science TextbooksUtilize Think-Alouds to Reveal Students′ Thought Processes While ReadingSelect Commercial Reading Programs That Can Improve Scientific LiteracyUse a Variety of Print Materials to Inspire Student Reading and WritingExpand Vocabulary Instruction to Improve Comprehension and MotivationUse Students′ Native Languages in Science Literacy Instruction9. Families and Science InstructionAvoid the "Blame Game" MindsetInvolve Low-Income Parents in Their Children′s Academic LearningUnderstand How Homework Can Present Problems for Students and FamiliesChange Parents′ Attitudes Toward Science to Change Students′ AttitudesInvolve Community Members in Learning to Explore Home-Based DiscourseRecognize the Diverse Needs of Language-Minority Students and FamiliesConsider Parental Responses to a Child′s Learning DisabilityIndex