Issues in Science Ed, 1/2004

Total responses so far: 600

Identify the number ONE issue or challenge that you face as a science educator:

Response
 Percent
 Count
Assessment and accountability 13.0%
 78
Other 12.0%
 72
Implementation of No Child Left Behind 10.0%
 60
Determining what to teach 7.7%
 46
Classroom size 7.5%
 45
Inquiry 6.0%
 36
Curriculum development 5.5%
 33
Teacher preparation 5.3%
 32
Professional development issues 4.2%
 25
Science for All 4.0%
 24
Literacy and science 3.3%
 20
Classroom management 3.2%
 19
Teacher quality 3.0%
 18
Science education and technology 2.7%
 16
Recruiting and retaining teachers 2.7%
 16
Integrating curriculum 2.0%
 12
Special needs 1.3%
 8
Certification 1.2%
 7
Safety in the classroom 1.0%
 6
Research 0.8%
 5
Diversity 0.8%
 5

Other:
Respect for the profession
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Teaching to ALL the standards while still reaching an understanding of concepts
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Having enough hours in the day for all of the above
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I do not get to use all of the fees collected for "Lab Fees". I can only expect to replace consumables. I cannot buy any new technology. It will be redlined.
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time - science is not tested on many state tests, so teachers and administration don't bother with it!
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Having classroom time to teach the students
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Getting students make connections between classroom information and real world context. The memorize information, but are unable to use their scientific knowledge.
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finding real life activities to apply to the classroom;getting students involved in doing actual science activities/research
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Trying to meet all of the above requirements with only 7 days each week.
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cover all material before test.
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money to implement a quality program
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Not enough time to implement Science objectives within the school year.
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elevating science (and its teaching) to the level of ELA and mathematics in the "eyes" of the administration/school system
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Requirement of too much content to teach per academic year
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Requirement of too much content to teach per academic year
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Funding to maintain a quality LAB SCIENCE program in Chemistry. I am steadily eating into stockpile of glassware and chemicals.
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Lack of Administrative Support for teachers
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how to connect "school science" with real life
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Placement of students- many are in classes where they are set up for failure due to abilility, maturity, motivation and requirements
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learning methods,standarts,acreditation
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district's lack of focus on science
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Student preparation entering the classroom
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there are several otehr issues I face.
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there are several otehr issues I face.
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we are a middle school(5-8) and elem. teachers are not teaching science due to lack of interest, knowledge, and other TX tests they feel they must teach towards. The TX legislation was wrong in putting in a 5th grade science knowledge test.
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State Standards and Testing
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material supply
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Class size
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Funding to implement our inquiry approach!!
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time
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I prefer, I think teacher quality is a function of the quality of teacher candidates and the quality of the teacher educators
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I prefer, I think teacher quality is a function of the quality of teacher candidates and the quality of the teacher educators
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Lack of a lab with proper equipment
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Time and scheduling issues
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Administration not knowing about all of the above
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No funding for lab materials to teach AP Biology
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Not enough time to cover all life science topics in depth, develop project-based learning, and conduct inquiry investigations
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Teaching evolution in a small, conservative community.
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competing with other subjects for time to teach science
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lack of materials for experiments
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Lack of time for preparation
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adequate facilities and materials to teach with such as running water in the classroom and textbooks newer that 1985 copyright and sufficient money to buy supplies
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cash for consumables
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student apathy
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funding
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Meeting needs of ALL students; motivating the unmotivated
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Funding
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Support from the public on the importance of children learning science.
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Administration
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resources
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Time to properly prepare, meet each student's needs, cover the vast curriculum objectives, keep parents informed as to how their student is performing, and complete all paperwork required for documentation, district, etc.
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Funding for informal science education
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getting more ideas for hands on labs in earth science
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Not enough time or money to teach well.
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getting more ideas for hands on labs in earth science
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HOw to get to all of the TEKS for Biology in the year. The test is the last of April and that gives me one less month to go over material. I have heard that they are thinking of moving the test to Feb. That would give me 3 less months
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professional development for low-performing teachers
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What about the NEW sciences... the timelag into texts and standards is challenging
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Time to teach it. Too much emphasis is put on Reading and Math in the Elementary classroom.
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Science is being de-emphasized in California elementary schools due to the new focus on test preparations. Some districts teach science only as an adjunct to language arts - 'Science as Worksheets.'
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encouraging elem. teachers (gr. 1-5) to teach enough science while they are being pressured to stress subject areas such as reading and math
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Science at the Community College Level for all students, not just those who elect it.
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Getting proper equipment for science labs
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the $$ necessay to implement a quality science education
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Inclusion of 20% of class w/o English language and no Bilingual Teaching Assistants
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All of the above
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Assessment/accountibility with teacher preparedness and certification in science
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addressing the nature of science
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Funding methods on the local level ti buy science supplies. Too many dollars out of teacher's pockets.Must wait to get reimbursed.Puts a drain on personal finances,dampens entusiams to buy then teach.
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Acceptance by colleagues and the community of STS courses (spec. Chem in the Community)
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Identifying & overcoming students' misconceptions
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Evolutionary Indoctrination
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Teaching all levels in the same classroom
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Purchasing materials for lab-based cirriculum
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the lack of consequences for students who do nothing in any class
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time to do everything well
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