ON March 15th Bud passed along a troublesome note from a science teacher:
Classroom Climate Disruption. Literally.
I am very concerned about a small group of AP Environmental Science students (3) who have taken an aggressive stand opposing my teaching of climate change. I already teach it from the perspective of “here’s the data, figure it out” but they think that I made the data up. I showed them where it came from (NASA and NOAA) and they think it is a conspiracy by the left wing to infiltrate and brainwash the American public.
Normally, I would let it go but these kids are being disruptive and belligerent to the point that I have had to refer them to the administration.
1 comment:
Minor suggestion: have them survey news reports, journals, etc. to see what the "chatter" is about politically, ecologically, etc. Let them decide on a course of action to gather "data" concerning this situation -- whichever one they deem critical....as support of data, have them research the makeup of the organization supplying the data to decide if they are a reputable and academic, scientifically accurate....blah, blah, blah....to let them know there are standards in research that are part and parcel of the process. In other words, you might want to step out of the process and move toward a student-driven process....I had same situation years ago, doing an oral history project -- thought I was doing the students great good, in patriarchal fashion, having them research their own families' histories, etc. My students resented the intrusion. Teaching is always messy, according to Shoshana Felman....I think I have lived that messiness. I guess I need to send this to Bud.
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