Science methods for teachers

After work, I drove home and just relaxed for a while until time to go to State School.

Tuesday's class is Science Methods, and this teacher, Ms. C, means business. There was no reading of the syllabus here. Instead, we were kept busy the whole two hours, 45 minutes. "Never expect to leave here before 9:45," she told us. We did a collaborative experiment with an incomplete puzzle (scientists need to observe from data and draw conclusions, but never have the whole picture); we did an experiment to see how many drops of water can fit on a penny (we got to 33; cohesion makes the water heap up surprisingly high); we drew "a scientist" (guessing that the activity was about preconceptions, I drew a woman); and we talked about the various assignments that were due. We have something big due almost every week, and there will be a quiz every class period.

Now, the activities above may sound childish, and I guess they are. But this isn't a class on scientific principles or facts, remember --- it's a class on how to teach science to elementary children. And the way that we did the penny experiment was a very good one; there was no talk of cohesion or surface tension until after the experiment, once we'd seen those things in play first hand. That's a good way to reach kids.

***

I talked to the Maddening Angel; she had seen a movie (with a guy, I have no doubt) and sounded quite tipsy. She hung up, practically asleep, after three sentences; she may even have had someone with her. I don't know. (I can't help thinking that I was with her as she dropped off tipsily when her old boyfriend called.)

I also talked to Ram. Friendly enough, though she once again asked me to call back after class and when I did, did not answer. To me, this equals "take it down a notch, Chance," though it might just mean "I like you, but I'm kind of a flake."