standards for science teachers

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19 July 1963, Volume 141, Number 3577 American Association for the Advancement of Science BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul M. Gross, RetiringPresident,Chairman Alan T. Waterman, President Laurence M. Gould, PresidentElect Henry Eyring Mina Rees John W. Gardner Walter Orr Roberts H. Bentley Glass Alfred S. Romer Don K. Price H. Burr Steinbach Paul E. Klopsteg Dael Wolfle Treasurer ExecutiveOtftcer VICE PRESIDENTS AND SECRETARIES OF SECTIONS Mathematics (A) Magnus R. Hestenes Wallace Givens Physics (B) Elmer Hutchisson Stanley S. Ballard Chemistry (C) Milton Orchin S. L. Meisel Astronomy (D) Paul Herget Frank Bradshaw Wood Geology and Geography (E) * ' John C Reed Richard H. Mahard ZOOLOGICAL SCIENCES (F) Dietrich Bodenstein David W. Bishop BOTANICAL SCIENCES (G) Aaron J. Sharp Harriet B. Creighton Anthropology (H) David A. Baerreis Eleanor Leacock PSYCHOLOGY (I) Lloyd G. Humphreys Frank W. Finger SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SCIENCES (K) Kingsley Davis Ithiel de Sola Pool HlSTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE (L) Adolph Griinbaum N. Russell Hanson Engineering (M) Clarence E. Davies Leroy K. Wheelock Medical Sciences (N) Francis D. Moore Oscar Touster Dentistry (Nd) Paul E. Boyle S. J. Kreshover Pharmaceutical Sciences (Np) Don E. Francke Joseph P. Buckley Agriculture (O) A. H. Moseman Howard B. Sprague Industrial Science (P) Alfred T. Waidelich Allen T. Bonnell Education (Q) H. E. Wise Herbert A. Smith Information and Communication (T) Foster E. Mohrhardt Phyllis V. Parkins Statistics (U) Harold Hotelling Morris B. Ullman PACIFIC DIVISION Phil E. Church Robert C Miller President Secretary SOUTHWESTERN AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN DIVISION Edwin R. Helwig Marlowe G. Anderson President Executive Secretary ALASKA DIVISION Allan H. Mick George Dahlgren President Executive Secretary The American Association for the Advancement of Science was founded in 1848 and incorporated in 1874. Its objects are to further the work of scien? tists, to facilitate cooperation among them, to im- prove the effectiveness of science in the promotion of human welfare, and to increase public under- standing and appreciation of the importance and promise of the methods of science in human progress. Standards for Science Teachers A iiseful and satisfying chapter in the history of the Association ends this month with completion of the studies of the qualifications of science and mathematics teachers that AAAS has carried out jointly with the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification. One study analyzed the characteristics and education of secondary school teachers of science and mathematics [Science 140, 880 (1963)]. Another, to be published soon, recommends standards for the education in science and mathematics of prpspective elemen? tary school teachers. The other study is the one that started collaboration between the two associations. Several years ago, the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification became concerned about the inadequate subject-matter preparation of the new teachers they are called upon to certify, especially high school teachers of science and mathematics. With support from the Carnegie Corpora- tion of New York and with a good start provided by the AAAS Co- operative Committee on the Teaching of Science and Mathematics [Science 131, 1024 (1960)], the two associations collaborated in an extensive series of discussions, conferences, and sometimes compro- mises that resulted, in September of 1961, in the publication of a set of guidelines for the education of secondary school teachers of mathematics and science. These guidelines recommend that a prospective science or mathe? matics teacher earn an undergraduate major in the field in which he plans to teach, that his program emphasize those areas of the discip- line that are taught in high school, and that the undergraduate work be adequate in quality and quantity to permit him later to pursue honest graduate work in his field. The guidelines also recommend that a fifth year of college or university work, which increasingly is required of teachers, emphasize courses in the subject to be taught. These guidelines have been adopted, wholly or in substantial part, by Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missis- sippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah, and West Virginia, and have been "approved," without being "adopted," by Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Mary- land, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Action is pending in a number of other states; at least 170 colleges and universities have adopted the guidelines as standards for their own programs; and North Carolina used them as a basis for new standards in fields other than science and mathematics. Here, then, is a fine and useful start in the direction of better educated teachers. There is, of course, a long way to go, and for some time to come there will be real justification for criticism of inade- quacies of teacher education. At the same time, the fact that half of the states have so quickly adopted or approved the higher standards set forth in the new guidelines promises substantial improvement in the subject-matter qualifications of high school science and mathe? matics teachers. Scientists will no doubt approve this trend whole- heartedly. As they do, they can give credit to an educational organi- zation for being a prime mover in bringing about this change.?D.W.

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Page 1: Standards for Science Teachers

19 July 1963, Volume 141, Number 3577

American Association for the

Advancement of Science

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul M. Gross, Retiring President, Chairman

Alan T. Waterman, President Laurence M. Gould, President Elect

Henry Eyring Mina Rees John W. Gardner Walter Orr Roberts H. Bentley Glass Alfred S. Romer Don K. Price H. Burr Steinbach

Paul E. Klopsteg Dael Wolfle Treasurer Executive Otftcer

VICE PRESIDENTS AND SECRETARIES OF SECTIONS

Mathematics (A) Magnus R. Hestenes Wallace Givens

Physics (B) Elmer Hutchisson Stanley S. Ballard

Chemistry (C) Milton Orchin S. L. Meisel

Astronomy (D) Paul Herget Frank Bradshaw Wood

Geology and Geography (E) * '

John C Reed Richard H. Mahard ZOOLOGICAL SCIENCES (F)

Dietrich Bodenstein David W. Bishop BOTANICAL SCIENCES (G)

Aaron J. Sharp Harriet B. Creighton Anthropology (H)

David A. Baerreis Eleanor Leacock PSYCHOLOGY (I)

Lloyd G. Humphreys Frank W. Finger SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SCIENCES (K)

Kingsley Davis Ithiel de Sola Pool HlSTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE (L)

Adolph Griinbaum N. Russell Hanson Engineering (M)

Clarence E. Davies Leroy K. Wheelock Medical Sciences (N)

Francis D. Moore Oscar Touster Dentistry (Nd)

Paul E. Boyle S. J. Kreshover Pharmaceutical Sciences (Np)

Don E. Francke Joseph P. Buckley Agriculture (O)

A. H. Moseman Howard B. Sprague Industrial Science (P)

Alfred T. Waidelich Allen T. Bonnell Education (Q)

H. E. Wise Herbert A. Smith Information and Communication (T)

Foster E. Mohrhardt Phyllis V. Parkins Statistics (U)

Harold Hotelling Morris B. Ullman

PACIFIC DIVISION Phil E. Church Robert C Miller President Secretary

SOUTHWESTERN AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN DIVISION

Edwin R. Helwig Marlowe G. Anderson President Executive Secretary

ALASKA DIVISION Allan H. Mick George Dahlgren President Executive Secretary

The American Association for the Advancement of Science was founded in 1848 and incorporated in 1874. Its objects are to further the work of scien? tists, to facilitate cooperation among them, to im- prove the effectiveness of science in the promotion of human welfare, and to increase public under- standing and appreciation of the importance and promise of the methods of science in human progress.

Standards for Science Teachers

A iiseful and satisfying chapter in the history of the Association ends this month with completion of the studies of the qualifications of science and mathematics teachers that AAAS has carried out jointly with the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification. One study analyzed the characteristics and education of secondary school teachers of science and mathematics [Science 140, 880 (1963)]. Another, to be published soon, recommends standards for the education in science and mathematics of prpspective elemen?

tary school teachers. The other study is the one that started collaboration between the

two associations. Several years ago, the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification became concerned about the inadequate subject-matter preparation of the new teachers

they are called upon to certify, especially high school teachers of science and mathematics. With support from the Carnegie Corpora- tion of New York and with a good start provided by the AAAS Co-

operative Committee on the Teaching of Science and Mathematics [Science 131, 1024 (1960)], the two associations collaborated in an extensive series of discussions, conferences, and sometimes compro- mises that resulted, in September of 1961, in the publication of a set of guidelines for the education of secondary school teachers of mathematics and science.

These guidelines recommend that a prospective science or mathe? matics teacher earn an undergraduate major in the field in which he

plans to teach, that his program emphasize those areas of the discip- line that are taught in high school, and that the undergraduate work be adequate in quality and quantity to permit him later to pursue honest graduate work in his field. The guidelines also recommend that a fifth year of college or university work, which increasingly is

required of teachers, emphasize courses in the subject to be taught. These guidelines have been adopted, wholly or in substantial part,

by Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missis- sippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah, and West Virginia, and have been "approved," without being "adopted," by Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Mary- land, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Action is pending in a number of other states; at least 170 colleges and universities have adopted the guidelines as standards for their own programs; and North Carolina used them as a basis for new standards in fields other than science and mathematics.

Here, then, is a fine and useful start in the direction of better educated teachers. There is, of course, a long way to go, and for some time to come there will be real justification for criticism of inade- quacies of teacher education. At the same time, the fact that half of the states have so quickly adopted or approved the higher standards set forth in the new guidelines promises substantial improvement in the subject-matter qualifications of high school science and mathe? matics teachers. Scientists will no doubt approve this trend whole- heartedly. As they do, they can give credit to an educational organi- zation for being a prime mover in bringing about this change.?D.W.