Teaching kids is hard. At least for me. I taught four lectures
on comets to an all day Space Camp for ten-year olds a few months ago,
and it took me one lecture just to get warmed up. I may not have had the
best time in public schools growing up, but good teachers have my undying
respect. I think it takes skill to be a good teacher, one that I hope to
develop.
The following is from a brochure I got from somewhere, either
my local Space Grant Consortium office or an American Astronomical Society
meeting, entitled Sharing Science With Children: A Survival Guide
for Scientists and Engineers, published by the North Carolina
Museum of Life and Science. One particular section deals with the
psychological capabilities of children depending upon their age. I suspect
that anybody with kids will read this and say "Well, duh", but being
childless I found it rather enlightening. It certainly jibes with my
limited classroom and personal experience, but as with most generalizations
probably doesn't always match a given child's age or grade level. Furthermore,
teaching kids probably also requires a healthy sense of empathy, and
genuine interest both in the students and in what you're teaching.
I should probably add that "Non-commercial distribution
is encouraged" appears in the brochure, and that the
contact address is: Georgiana M. Searles, Director of
Education, North Carolina Museum of Life and Science,
PO Box 15190, Durham, NC 27704.
Thinking and Learning Characteristics of Young People
Early elementary (K-2, age 5-7)
As a thinker...
- Learns through manipulating objects.
- Believes what he or she sees.
- Can't trace steps back from a conclusion.
- Sees parts, not the whole.
- Does not understand that making physical changes in an object does not
change its amount.
As a learner...
- Is expansive, adventurous, curious, eager to learn, energetic,
always in motion, loud, and emotional -- has mood swings.
- Wants to please adults
- Has difficulty controlling impulses and regulating behavior.
- Is very "me" centered. Seeks attention. Loves praise.
- Likes to work in groups, but will need assistance.
- Can sit still and listen 10-15 minutes; needs frequent change of pace.
Late Elementary (Grade 3-5, age 8-10)
As a thinker...
As a learner...
Middle Grades (Grade 6-8, age 11-13)
As a thinker...
As a learner...