Why is it a bad idea? How about we just dump the entire highschool curriculum and turn it into a college curriculum? Have them take engineering, ecology, linguistics, differential equations.
Never mind that few highschool teachers have phds in ecology. Never mind that few highschool teachers have masters in ecology. Never mind that in some regions, highschool teachers may not have even take ecology! AP ecology is a real mess. We have people with M.Ed.s teaching college courses, that, had they been offered at the university proper the teacher would have been ineligible! When was the last time you got a class full of freshman and said, "gee they were well prepared by their highschool?" I can identify individuals who were well prepared, but I see no real trends with Highschools, except that some are really bad and some are adequate. Adding in more electives is not going to solve or help with this problem and could even make it worse. Some community colleges in Illinois and Missouri offered ecology as I recall, but more often they offered environmental science. Which brings me to a different point. EVS and Ecol are completely different fields! Unfortunately, most community colleges and highschools (even universities) that teach EVS teach it as a watered down ecology class. EVS should be multidisciplinary in focus. It should have biological, chemical, geological, mathematical, economic, and political components! It is not a glossed over ecology course! :) If Highschools were regularly sending me well prepared students I would not be so hard on this topic. In preparation I am not speaking of ability. These kids don't know how to take notes, they can't spell or do basic math, despite having good grades! Is this preparation for college? On Mon, September 24, 2007 5:06 am, Chris Williams wrote: > Miller is a good text and I have used it before. > > Additionally, many community colleges ARE offering ecology and > environmental > science since 1) it is required for many education majors in addition to > current teachers that are seeking re-certification (many states require an > environmental science class) and 2) ecology and environmental science are > two of a handful of courses that people who "don't like science" will > actually take and will actually get them EXCITED and EDUCATED about > science. > > And that is also why it is offered at some high schools. At some schools > it > is offered as an advanced class for those that are looking to get a head > start in college. For others, the students have not done well in science > and > would probably not take a science class at all. But if there are more > attractive sounding options such as ecology or environmental science, then > they would take these classes and they would at least get some science > that > they wouldn't have otherwise considered. It can increase their scientific > literacy - so why is that a bad idea? > > Penny Rodrick-Williams > Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology > University of Delaware > 253 Townsend Hall > Newark, DE 19716 > 302-831-1507 > >>-----Original Message----- >>From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news >>[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Malcolm McCallum >>Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2007 2:33 PM >>To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU >>Subject: Re: Ecology Text suitable for grades 9-12 >> >>Try using one of the environmental science texts like Miller. Do not use >>Molles, it is terrible. Having said this, I question why ecology is >> being >>offered in a highschool. Few community colleges offer this selection, let >>alone highschools. Many highschools these days are broadening their >>curricula. Meanwhile, students have problems reading, writing, and don't >>understand the basic biology, chemistry, or other electives. This >> doesn't >>mean you should not offer it, just something to consider. >> >> >>Something >> >>On Sun, September 23, 2007 10:52 am, Beth Callaghan wrote: >>> Anyone have any recommendations on an ecology text suitable for grades >>> 9-12? thanks. >>> >>> Beth Callaghan >>> Easthampton High School >>> Easthampton, MA >>> >> >> >>Malcolm L. McCallum >>Assistant Professor of Biology >>Editor Herpetological Conservation and Biology >>http://www.herpconbio.org >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > Malcolm L. McCallum Assistant Professor of Biology Editor Herpetological Conservation and Biology http://www.herpconbio.org [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
