Crystal+Miller

=Crystal Miller's Reflection for The Ensworth School Math Science Committee=

Date:
===My Position at The Ensworth School: Briefly describe your role at The Ensworth school here. For example: High School Science Teacher, 9th grade Level 1 Science (Biology, Chemistry), 10th grade Level 2 Science (Chemistry)===

__Self study and assessment__ Jessica, Edd, Mary - observation of our curriculum - interview students, parents, administration, faculty

__Non-self study__ Bruce, James, Crystal Start with a list from Missy Wallace - JQ - which are the top math and science schools? - JQ - what kind of training does the faculty at the top schools have? - JQ - what defines a "top/strong" math/science program? - How do we assess that? - JQ -

__Reflection__ A school that is best in math and science must graduate students with strength in several areas of skill. The skills-based learning must compliment but also extend beyond a knowledge based curriculum. Yes, there must be a basic foundation of knowledge that each student must master but it is how we teach them to use that knowledge that is key.

We should stress application and critical thinking. A school that is best in math and science must teach their students to apply knowledge to new situations. In this ever-changing world, a world where we are preparing our students for jobs that do not even exist yet, it is imperative that the students that leave Ensworth be adaptable. They need to be able to take a look at the world around them, consider a task that they have been asked to complete, and set about completing it in such a way that they draw on the skills they have while utilizing the resources around them to complete the task. Our students also need to be able to be able to be critical of the information they have as a resource. They should ask questions such as "are things actually as they appear?" "what does the data or information i have in front of me actually mean? can i add a new perspective?"

A school that is "best in class" in math and science must also help students learn to communicate. When I interviewed at Ensworth a former faculty member and our current head of high school asked me a question. They said that yes, my passion was science but that would be the passion of every student that I taught. But that is not the passion of every student.

Faculty that understand what we are doing and how to help students learn this way

A method of assessment that goes beyond testing knowledge.

Does this hurt our knowledge based curriculum? Are students getting enough of the foundation or knowledge?

This skill may not just be how we teach or what we expect students to do. It may be a skill that we must help them learn to do. We must not only teach it, we must help them learn how to do this. This also suggests that we need teachers who are knowledgeable in their field and who have attempted to master these same skills. One difficulty I have as a science teacher

It must also teach them Above else, it must stress the importance

These are the qualities that it seems necessary to have. Whether or not Ensworth is meeting out own potential with regard to these qualities I don't know and I don't have the means to assess them in this small amount of time. However, I do think we have the beginnings of success.