Why should science be a necessary curriculum in schools?

"Science" means "to know." The language of science is math. The scientific method (problem, hypothesis, literature review, methods, materials, results, summary and analysis) is the basis for modern culture, including transportation, cooking, energy, entertainment; dissemination, storage and retrieval of knowledge - always testing, never accepting.

Science embodies critical thinking - thinking about thinking while thinking - asking the hard questions. Science curricula brings together math, English, art, language, humor, geography, sociology and other disciplines. Economics is based on measurement of the exchange of resources, goods and services. Economics uses the language of science, SI or the modern "metric" system. Medicine and health care are largely based on objective and reproducible methods - science.

Without science, so-called education is just dogma - "familiarize, memorize, regurgitate and forget." With science we are always testing, using critical thinking and moving forward.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jul 9 2007, 01:27 PM) [snapback]475588[/snapback]</div>

Without science we would be living in your perfect world :blink:

Just think, without science there would be no global warming

There would be no computers B)

There would be no internet

Algore would just be some two-bit priviledged kid who was luckily born into the right family

And, there would be no Prius

And if there was no prius, there would be no priushcat.com

And if there was no priuschat.com where would you be able to ask such silly questions like this one without feeling foolish?

But why is science necessary in schools? It is necessary to prevent fundamental Islamists from taking over the world. The taliban baned science in schools - no studies on evolution, etc... Is that what you would want??

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jul 9 2007, 12:27 PM) [snapback]475588[/snapback]</div>

Ignorance is expensive.

Basic chemistry: Home cooking. (Try substituting baking soda for baking powder)
Basic chemsitery: Cleaning. (What happens when you mix bleach and ammonia? And why shouldn't you do it?)
Basic Physics: Repairing anything. (Leverage comes immediately to mind.)
Basic Life science: Gardening. Owning a pet. Children.

Not only does Science teach critical thinking and problem solving, but it brings together English and Math in stating the problem and presenting a solution.

If you want to get rid of anything, why not Social Studies? We've obviously learned nothing from History so that's just been a waste of time. We're doomed to repeat it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 9 2007, 02:02 PM) [snapback]475617[/snapback]</div>

I would get rid of foreign language studies - make them totally optional and stress math and science.

 

Richard Dawkins puts it best:

http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2006...ond_belief.html

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Jul 9 2007, 01:20 PM) [snapback]475630[/snapback]</div>

I wonder when a discovery is published in another language how will we ever read it... oh well...

I suppose that throws linguistics out the window too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Jul 9 2007, 12:54 PM) [snapback]475611[/snapback]</div>

The terrorist bone is connected to the Prius bone...

When you're a scalpel, everything is flesh...eh, doc?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alric @ Jul 9 2007, 02:27 PM) [snapback]475636[/snapback]</div>

I dont know, everything science is published in English.

Oh, Well. And if i recall correctly, most other foreign countries teach medicine and a lot of science in English too.

And, if its Arabic you are concerned about, I cant recall the latest greatest discovery done in an arabic country after the abacus - can you tell me - i would be interested. And I would not include the homocide bomber as their latest greatest invention.

Lets see - the Israelis publish all their stuff in English too - not that many Hebrew speaking people. In fact they all speak English - which is why Intel, Microsoft, Dell, etc are there.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alric @ Jul 9 2007, 01:27 PM) [snapback]475636[/snapback]</div>

Core curriculum is: English, Math, Science, Social Studies.

Languages are an elective, as is art, music, Consumer Family Studies (formerly Home Ed) and any vocational ed involving wood, metal et al. Computers are also electives. Physical Education bounces between being required and being an elective. But it's never been a core subject.


You can rely on bilingual scientists to translate for you. They're more apt to know the jargon than just hiring anyone.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 9 2007, 02:41 PM) [snapback]475686[/snapback]</div>

Art is an elective? Music? Sounds like a great way to produce well-rounded young people, doesn't it?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jul 9 2007, 01:27 PM) [snapback]475588[/snapback]</div>

You need know basic science for everyday activities if you are going to excel in anything. If you want to be a patent lawyer, you need to at least understand what someone is talking about. If you want to become a CEO of Walmart, you probably need to know how to operate a computer, how to make a presentation etc. If you are a world class runner, your coach will tell you about aerodynamics. If you are a figure skater, your coach will tell you about momentum, spin speeds etc. You need some science education to understand these. Contrary to what you say, you don't really need to learn English (if that's your native language and you are in US). You know how to speak. That's all you need. Right?

 

Actually, there are lots of scientific articles and research published in languages other than English. French, German and Russian come to mind.

The problem with a population that is ignorant of science is that they are apt to believe whatever you tell them. If you don't know how science works, you won't know when to call bullshit.

In the high school where I teach, foreign languages are an elective. And students are electing to take them, because the universities require them as an entrance requirement. I had 161 students taking my French classes last year. This year we have about 250 signed up who want to take French - but unfortunately, I can't teach that many. 90% of them already speak Spanish, they all speak English, so they will be tri-lingual by the time they graduate IF they are attentive and desire to really learn something.

 

Just 'cause I, personally, don't believe in something, doesn't mean that I still can't take a little time to learn about it...right? 'Specially when lots of other people *do* believe.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Jul 9 2007, 02:50 PM) [snapback]475691[/snapback]</div>

It's for cost-cutting. For those years when there is no cost of living increase in the school budgets, when they're "frozen". (be careful here, we're not talking of the total budget but the per capita funding. A budget can increase and still fall short....because you have to stretch the dollar for an increase in enrollment.)

Schools have to pay utilities, paper, postage, etc and the costs go up. Just because the education budget is frozen doesn't mean expenses are frozen too. When the budget gets cut ....you cut classes. Less choice saves money. What do you do with the kids? You just raise class sizes.

Another trick is to defer maintenance. Of course you do that for 20-30 years and eventually the schools start to fall down. Then you have to pass a big bond issue to try to play catch-up.

Business replace their computers every 18 months. Schools....well, we have some that are over 6 years old. As long as they're working, we're using them. For the Mac people....fruity macs running 9.2.2.

 

i was almost offended. but i know burritos was playing devil's advocate.

seriously, people have so little trust in us "egotistic a-hole overeducated nutjobs" (yes, i've been called something like that) that if they want to be able to defend themselves against the insanity that we assail them with (chemistry! biology! physics! aahh!) they should at least arm themselves with knowledge so we can't bulls..t them, right?

same reason we learn about bones and muscles and such when we're kids. because kids tend to break things like bones. and when they go to the doctor, they can articulate that. rather than the doctor just saying something that makes no sense to the kid or his family, the family understands what bones are and why it hurts when they break.

it stimulates a positive two-way communication. and we are all responsible for understanding things that are relevant to us, or we will find ourselves in a heap of trouble for taking someone else's word that may or may not be in our best interest.

 

I think that learning how to learn, and how to think, is most important of all.

Every discipline teaches this in a different way, I think.

 

Following in this train of thought, engineers don't need history or literature. Only diplomats need a foreign language, or maybe the odd international business man. Who needs art or music?

Education is more than training. You can train for a job, but to be truly educated you need a broad background and you have to know how to learn. It's a process, not an end.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Jul 9 2007, 08:32 PM) [snapback]475679[/snapback]</div>

And many "discoveries" in science can be found in old Russian journals.