<p>I have an interesting viewpoint on this subject, because my H is a HS science teacher. I don’t think he’s doing that because he wasn’t smart enough to do anything real with science–After graduating with Honors from a top school with a double major in bio and philosophy, he went to med school and was an award winning student (member of AOA, the medical school honor society) wooed by top residencies but opted to be an inner city pediatrician, award-winning there, too (featured in several news shows, etc, also).</p>
<p>He left medicine to teach high school. But he didn’t leave his smarts there. He’s taught physical science, bio, Honors bio, and, in his first tenured year, AP Bio. This was supposed to be a reward (more on that later.)</p>
<p>So that’s first off. Secondly, and I hope I’m getting his thoughts right here, but I believe he would agree with Donna. In his mind, there are two main problems with the present science situation–</p>
<p>first, a curriculum not geared toward instilling a wonder toward and global understanding of science, but rather one bent on producing more biochemical researchers to make money (our state specifically acts on recommendations from the pharmaceutical industry of what they want.) This tends to create mind-numbingly boring science–all at the micro level–no time for actual encounters with the observable world. It does not create scientists.</p>
<p>Second, forcing kids into a challenging curriculum dictated by outside forces which they feel compelled to take for reasons of college acceptance. AP Bio has become a forced death march. The class is mandated to cover everything any first year college class might cover, mile high/inch deep. It’s a march with no time for depth or rumination. Most students don’t want to be there, but are afraid not to be in an AP. Bio AP teachers across the country think the program is deeply flawed, but are mandated to follow it. What should be a joy has become an endurance test for instructor and teacher.</p>
<p>H would adore to teach a science class that focused on real, thoughtful encounters with the natural world. A class that emphasized critical thinking. Not a biochemical slog through pharmaceutical training. </p>
<p>And I can guarantee something–the science class he would like to teach, is one both Donna and her son would enjoy. But it’s not the class that the state, nor country, wants.</p>