Thursday, March 6, 2014

Preparing for New Science Standards




The National Science Teachers association will be holding a very important conference in April in Boston, MA.  The program is linked to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). As many of you who teach science are aware, the initiative is part of STEM program to improve student understanding of science and technology as well as encourage students to pursue career paths in these areas.
The conference, which will be held from April 3-6 will include information al program on a number of themes including- Science and Literacy, Teaching elementary Science, and Engineering and science. There are several participating hotels. More information can be obtained at the webs site www.nsta.org.
Several states are taking a critical look at their current K-12 science programs to see where they fall short. School districts may want to obtain a copy of “Translating the NGSS for Classroom Instruction” by Rodger Bybee. According to a recent article in the NJEA Review, “Implementing the NGSS will require a paradigm shift in how our students learn and how teachers assess their learning.”
In addition to the April conference, teachers should begin researching and planning for appropriate summer programs to help prepare for next year. Programs exist nationwide- some for professional development and others for graduate credit. A web search can point you in the right direction.

C.2014 J. Margolis

No comments:

Post a Comment