Let me start the topic with the words of Dr Fenyman : In a field which is so complicated [as education] that true science is not yet able to get anywhere, we have to rely on a kind of old-fashioned wisdom, a kind of definite straightforwardness. I am trying to inspire the teacher at the bottom to have some hope and some self-confidence in common sense and natural intelligence. The experts who are leading you may be wrong.
We all know how science is taught these days. Many good schools have very good laboratories and they do give freedom to the students to do experiments, note down their observations n so on. But, what if the curriculum itself is on the wrong track?
Our science curriculum is planned this way- first teach the students the classical physics up to under graduate level, even up to graduate level. if the student survives this, then take him to the mystery of science or to the quantum physics or to the cosmology.
Well, classical physics deals with the formulas and definitions of gravity, mass, speed, types of matter and maths formulas for each of them. All things are divided in parts and it is assumed that it will be easy for a child to learn then the whole. There is physics, chemistry and biology.
But where is the wonder? Wonder, which is the first criteria for inquiry, learning ! And it is a proven fact that a human brain understands a concept better when it comes with a whole package. For example, it is easier to understand ' an apple' then 'a'.
This formula of divide n teach is good for teaching but not good for education.
It breaks up the human being in parts, it kills the wonder for mystery.
We r all evolved from a cell, or from a nonliving atom. And so, everything is interrelated with each other. So , why not to start Science teaching by interrelated natural mysteries ?
Though, I do not have any practical suggestion about the curriculum outline, the idea appeals me. Here is one more quote form John Gribbin(author of Schrodinger's Kittens) : There is a deep flaw in the whole way in which Science is taught, by recapitulating the work of the great scientists from Galilio to the present day. The right way to teach Science is to start out with exciting new ideas,things like Quantum Physics and Black Holes.,building on the physical principals and not worrying too much too soon about the math subtleties. Those children who don't want a career in Science will at least go away with some idea of what the excitement is all about, and those who do want a career in Science will be strongly motivated to learn Maths when it becomes necessary. One of my classmate,JG,got turned on to science in just this way,by reading books that were allegedly too advanced for him and went way beyond the school curriculum,but which gave s feel for the mystery and excitement of Quantum Physics and Cosmology even where the equations were at that time unintelligible to him.
