Re: New Kansas Science Stds.

From: John W Burgeson (burgytwo@juno.com)
Date: Mon Feb 19 2001 - 17:36:50 EST

  • Next message: Vandergraaf, Chuck: "RE: New Kansas Science Stds."

    George posted:

    "
            1) I don't know if we can draw a pedagogic line at the point
    where
    actual danger might result
    but there would be some truth in so doing. A student may kill him or
    herself
    if not convinced that standing under a tree in a thunderstorm is a bad
    idea,
    but is not immediately endangered by a belief that the earth is 6000
    years
    old."

    I guess my point is that the resolution, as stated, tells the teacher he
    may not teach any of the following as "dogmatic:"

    1. Standing under a tree in a thunderstorm is a bad idea.
    2. The earth is very old.
    3. The color of your classmate's skin is not an indicator of 2nd class
    citizenship.
    4. The ingestion of plutonium with your lunch will make you sick.
    5. Sticking a screwdriver into the outlet is a way to get fried.
    6. The earth is definitely a sphere.
    7. And on and on. I think we CANNOT draw a pedagogic line, even if the
    resolution referred to one.

    "
            2) I used to tell students in my introductory astronomy class
    that
    if they answered exam questions about cosmological theories &
    observations
    correctly & then add "I don't believe this: I think God created the
    universe
    in 6 24 hour days", I'd give them credit. I don't think any of them
    quite
    took me up on that, though some did express religiously based doubts."

    I am surprised. But I suspect you are a good teacher, and they recognized
    you, and the material, as such.

    Burgy (John Burgeson)

    www.burgy.50megs.com



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