Whew! What do I do about this one????

[Spectre]

As many here know, I started teaching at a rural school this year. I anticipated having to make some adjustments, but didn't think of this one....


I am teaching plate tectonics right now. That deals with the movement of the plates the continents are on, and with the theory of the existence of the supercontinent, Pangea.
Today I was discussing how the continents have taken 225 million years to seperate from one continents, to where they are now.

Two of my 6th graders, a boy and a girl, looked puzzled and then concerned. Their reaction puzzled me, but I chose to speak to them "off line."

The situation was this:

Our middle school offers bible study as an elective. These two students take that elective and their bible teacher told them, only recently, that the seperation of the supercontinent of Pangea took but 10,000 years.

Ugh! I thought I had left this controversial issue behind when I left 8th grade and the teaching of evolution/earth history behind.:cry2:

[outdoortn]

I've had a similar situation. I just told the students that this is a theory(we talk about the facts that support the theory) and that the Theory of Plate Tectonics is a state standard. I also talk about how some families have different beliefs and they should talk with their families about what their beliefs are.

[MissTeach]

I agree with outdoortn on this one. Since we all have different beliefs, it would be best to refer them to their parents on this one.

[seastarmath]

I adopt the stance of my son's high school science teacher when confronted with religion versus science problems. (Yes, we even have them in math here in the Bible Belt.) I tell them that I am required by law to teach the state curriculum which gives science theory and then refer them to admin or state board. In the past, the administrator has told the parent their child is free to leave the room when the objectives that run against their beliefs are taught, but since the concept is on the state curriculum, they are still held responsible for the material. (It never is significant enough for them to fail the class altogether.)

I don't understand why parents want to shield their children from these ideas while they are still under their care. They ARE going to run into the ideas at some point. It would be better if the child could be introduced to it in school where the parent could discuss the differences and their beliefs with the child at home. Shielding could cause a lack of trust or be a point of rebellion when the child gets older.

But what do I know? I have only been in education off an on (I took a long hiatus to raise my kids) since the seventies.

[Spectre]

Thanks for your insights. :)

Parents have not been involved (at least not yet) in this; it is merely a seeming conflict or difference between what their bible teacher told them and what I am obliged to teach as part of the science curriculum.

I've confronted something like this before, last year, when I taught evolutionary theory to grade 8. No parents became involved, but I got some fierce resistance from students. Yes, I did just tell them it was a theory.

I guess this situation just took me by surprise. I have never been in a public school where bible is taught as an elective and I just don't want to go head to head with another member of our teaching staff.

It doesn't bother me that the kids question what I say. I tell them to question, to think for themselves. It's the biggest thing I want them to learn this year.:confused:

[dtrim]

This reminds me of a great article in the NYT at the end of August. It's about a science teacher who is teaching evolution for the first time in his Florida classroom.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/education/24evolution.html

[teacher5]

Follow the advice of seastarmeth and outdoorn. Lay low. This is a new job and you want to keep it!

[Mr. Larrabee]

Many people have commented already, but a key point of this topic has not yet been made the focus.

Science is based upon theory. Theory cannot be proven, merely supported. The evidence to date supports the theory that it took 225 million years for the continents to drift as far as they have, but that is all. Nothing is proven, and anyone who tries to use a theory as fact is mistaken.

Do I sound convincingly creationist by that statement?

Suprisingly, I'm not. I'm an impartial man of science, and when you remain impartial, not trying to lean on theory as fact, you can safely avoid treading on any toes. At the same time, you are maintaining the standards of your curriculum.

[kmurphey]

I also agree that in these situations where religion and science conflict, explain that there is a conflict but refer the children to their parents for in-depth discussion.

I agree with outdoortn on this one. Since we all have different beliefs, it would be best to refer them to their parents on this one.

[Spectre]

Many people have commented already, but a key point of this topic has not yet been made the focus.

Science is based upon theory. Theory cannot be proven, merely supported.

I'm an impartial man of science, and when you remain impartial, not trying to lean on theory as fact, you can safely avoid treading on any toes. At the same time, you are maintaining the standards of your curriculum.

A wise viewpoint. And this is the tact I have used. Actually, it's the same one I used the last two years, when I taught grade 8 and taught evolution.

Dealing with this controversy is not new for me. It just took me a bit by surprise this time. The notion of Bible being taught in a public school took me by surprise too, I guess. Not that I object to Bible, as I taught it myself, for 6 years, when I worked in parochial schools, eons ago, but it was just a part of the equation I had not anticipated facing.

[Liane]

This conversation reminds me of a story my Junior College Biology teacher told us once. Apparently, over the summer, he had a class of avid church-goers. When he began the topic of evolution, one girl yelled out, "what, are you gonna tell us that some monkey fell out of a tree and turned into a person?" It's not plate tectonics, but certainly comes from the same origin... He said the average grade that semester was 34%.

If I were in your situation, once I discovered the source of the conflict, I would tell the students that:
1. I acknowledge that there are different ways to see things,
2. The bible teacher and I will both offer them information that will help them figure out what's right
3. It's up to them to take all the information they get and make an informed decision.

In this way, you're taking away the conflict (you are merely giving them information), and you are teaching them to trust themselves and to research and back up their opinions.

[muinteoir]

That's kind of tricky.
You don't want to disrespect their beliefs or disrespect the other teacher either.

I would keep emphasizing the scientific evidence that points to an ancient earth & the break up of land masses.
I would not engage in a conversation about belief or faith at all.

If students question you (and I think it is a good thing when they do, and it speaks highly of your relationship with them that they are comfortable doing so in your class), I would just repeat, over and over, "The scientific community supports this idea because..."

No pros and cons, no debate, just the facts.

[Spectre]

That's kind of tricky.
You don't want to disrespect their beliefs or disrespect the other teacher either.

I would keep emphasizing the scientific evidence that points to an ancient earth & the break up of land masses.
I would not engage in a conversation about belief or faith at all.

If students question you (and I think it is a good thing when they do, and it speaks highly of your relationship with them that they are comfortable doing so in your class), I would just repeat, over and over, "The scientific community supports this idea because..."

No pros and cons, no debate, just the facts.


And That is what I have done. It seems to have worked thus far. And yes, me and my current crew of 6th graders do seem to have a very healthy and trusting relationship. LOL! Believe this or not, I had that for the most part in my former school. It was the adults and the politics there that caused me pain.:cry2: