The Good...

I received my ASCD SmartBrief e-mail today, and my attention was drawn to the item header Is science being left behind? leading an introductory paragraph contending that schools are "...placing less emphasis on science education, which is sometimes neglected because the subject's test scores are not used to gauge schools' progress under No Child Left Behind." Obviously, the concepts of teaching to the test and the need to give our students strong science (and math) skills to keep America competitive in the global marketplace are not new, but the associated Washington Post article was reassuring.

The article tells the story of Bob Nicholson, described as "the science guy," and the enthusiasm he generates in fifth-graders as he uses a domed planetarium at a high school in Alexandria, Virginia to show them what the sky will look like on their last day of fifth grade. The learning opportunity - one that is certain to be remembered by all the students long after other experiences during their fifth-grade year have faded - was a great example of creativity in educational technology. While the article describes the planetarium as "Tucked away on the top floor of the new $100 million T.C. Williams (high school) campus," the technology used to provide the experience was actually a 30-year-old projector that had been donated by the U.S. Army.

A teacher (I'm sure) saw the potential for that old projector. An administrator (Kris Clark, executive director of elementary programs in the Alexandria school system) had a vision of what could be done if he created a science coach position at the elementary level to provide this type of student opportunity. The district treasurer was willing to jump through the hoops necessary to accept this type of donation. The students had a learning experience that will stick with them for a lifetime.

I've said in an earlier post that I was fascinated by space as a child. I remember being in awe when "Astronaut" John Glenn came to our town after his 1962 "first orbit" and our Boy Scout troop met him. Astronauts then were certified heroes, so we were all in awe as he told us about his experiences in space. When he returned to space 36 years later in 1998, as 77-year-old "Senator" John Glenn, our district was just finishing a 4 1/2 million dollar technology implementation and I wanted something notable to kick off our new "technology era" in the district. I partnered with one of our creative elementary teachers (Bruce Evener, for those of you who know him) on a back to space project.

Since we now had the technology, and the Internet connectivity (remember when that was a novelty in schools?) necessary, my original plan was to have the students communicate with Senator/Astronaut Glenn while he was actually in space. I knew that was ambitious, but thought that since he lived in the Columbus area he might be willing so I should at least ask. As my grandfather always said, "The worst that can happen is you'll be told 'no'." Senator Glenn and his office were very gracious, but unfortunately even Senator Glenn's office would be unable to communicate with him during the flight. OK, I should have realized that; I was a little overenthusiastic about the capabilities of the new technology. We now had the technical capability of communicating with an astronaut in space from an elementary school classroom in Ohio, but we weren't allowed to do it.

Senator Glenn was, however, able to provide an unforgettable experience for our students by personally answering our students' questions. Bruce designed an excellent lesson plan in which students discussed everything from space, how the technology used to get there had changed over the years from a one-man "capsule" to the space shuttle, even how the experience would be different due to his age. After classroom discussion about all these factors, the students themselves decided which questions should be submitted to Senator Glenn. The curricular lessons the students needed to learn were enhanced through the use of technology; the technology was not the focus of the teaching. Student learning/achievement was increased and through student engagement; the technology was transparent. Concepts were learned; the students had a fun and memorable school experience.

And for me, the most memorable part of the experience was the reassurance that, at the core, children near the end of the 20th Century were the same as children in the mid-20th Century. The question of most concern was still...

"How do you go to the bathroom?"