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Revise and establish a new elementary science program.
#Response DateAdditional comments on goal
1.2/5/2008 1:56:00 AMThis is only our second year of spelling and next year new social studies. We have a lot on our plates!
2.2/5/2008 3:48:00 AMI believe the program we have is well written and still relevent. It needs to be taught!
3.2/5/2008 2:08:00 PMFinish the other programs first.
4.2/5/2008 3:30:00 PMThis does need work. I think sooner rather than later due to science being tagged to the AYP requirement for the WKCE. If its done just like Social Studies, the work done there could easily be formatted to fit Science and work the same way. I think this should be addressed for the 2009-2010 school year.
5.2/5/2008 4:08:00 PMWe have a lot on our plate right now!
6.2/5/2008 4:58:00 PMLet's be sure the new Social Studies curriculum will be well-received and an effective means of instruction before we follow the same model for Science. Teachers are already feeling overwhelmed with the demands of our curriculum and the time restraints we face...and weren't we taught that integration of material is the best way to teach. Suddenly, we are isolating each subject area again?!?
7.2/5/2008 7:20:00 PMTime needed must be reasonable and should not always state to cover concepts in different subject areas (students that are pulled out then miss these concepts) Pacing should not set the pacing of another concept area, How many high school or middle school classes teach concepts from other subject areas that can not be fit in to that class?
8.2/5/2008 7:53:00 PMWe are not ready for this. Please listen. We are overwhelmed by all the other new things we're trying to accomplish. We know you don't want to settle for being good when we could be great, and neither do we. But seriously, we are overwhelmed. We need time to adjust. A hiatus from new things would be really helpful in becoming better at what you already want us to do. Please hear us on this.
9.2/5/2008 9:28:00 PMIt is important to make sure our students are participating in an inquiry based science program - the current research stresses this key fact! When the time comes to discuss a new program (a while after the social studies program has been in place) we need to consider if there is ample time to do science justice. We should have time for inquiry based experiments and projects! It should have, as should social studies, just as much priority as reading, writing, and math! Thematic based instruction would be wonderful. If we want to produce inventors and explorers...children who make a difference, we need to put more stress on our content areas. They are getting put on the back burner in place of the three R's!
10.2/5/2008 9:58:00 PMIn time...
11.2/5/2008 11:03:00 PMI'm swamped and I'm not a first year teacher! I don't know how first year teachers are able to survive in our district.
12.2/6/2008 3:05:00 AMLet's not push this too soon. Let us get to know what we're doing now (reading, math, writing, and upcoming social studies) well. New isn't always good...especially if we're not ready.
13.2/7/2008 3:08:00 PMWith the new social studies curriculum, I think it would be nice to be able to really understand and learn the new curriculum before something else brand new is thrown at us.
14.2/7/2008 5:36:00 PMYes, it is important, but not yet. Please give us time to absorb all the new curriculum that has come our way and let us improve on the little areas that need to be tweeked. When when we have all the little kinks worked out, then move on to the Science curriculum and take a few years to improve there. Then take a look at any other curriculum needs that we may have. It takes time to make sure the curriculum is what we invisioned it to be.
15.2/12/2008 10:07:00 PMI have heard that science curr is good...if it's not broke, don't fix it.
16.2/14/2008 9:52:00 PMI don't teach science?!
17.3/4/2008 3:01:00 AMImportant to wait on this until Social Studies has been implemented and teachers are comfortable. The addition of new social studies and science programs also means more report card lines and more time for teachers. I think the report card lines need to be revisited to determine if they are all still necessary. It already takes a great deal of time to complete one report card, and the additions of science and social studies lines will add even more.
18.3/4/2008 3:01:00 PMBe patient!
19.3/5/2008 1:23:00 PMThe one I am currently using is very new. I supplement with activities when I need to.
20.3/5/2008 4:13:00 PMI think there are enough new curriculum demands at this time. One more new thing may jeopardize the mental health of the elementary teachers.
21.3/5/2008 7:40:00 PMIt will take at least three years to get the new social studies up and running. Due to some of the huge changes at grades 1, 4 and 5, teachers wiil be sensative to introducing new curriculumn any sooner.
22.3/5/2008 8:57:00 PMPlease look into how long it has been since reading materials have been looked at. The present K-2 materials were purchased in the late 90's I believe. I could be wrong.
23.3/6/2008 4:52:00 PMThis may be important at some point, but the Health/Guidance requirements were just changed, and the Social Studies will be new next year. Once again, there is more and more added to the plates of teachers and nothing is taken away. Elementary students are like sponges; but they need time to absorb material and to learn the love of learning. Right now there is so much being crammed into their heads and then the kids are tested – the kids know that the real importance is being placed on the tests. An elementary science program will result in important science tests, whether to see what the kids have learned or to check what the teachers have taught. It will not try to be a basis for young children to learn to ask questions and find answers. That doesn’t test well. I don’t believe that is the real lesson that we should be teaching our 5-11 year olds.
24.3/6/2008 5:00:00 PMToo many new curriculums at once.
25.3/6/2008 6:40:00 PMOur curriculum is working well at this time. We are glad to wait until social studies is implemented before we tackle this one.
26.3/6/2008 7:02:00 PMWe need to grasp our new Health and Social Studies curriculum before moving on to another subject
27.3/6/2008 8:05:00 PMTeachers need time and support to implement and develop the new initiatives currently in place. Next year both Social Studies and Health roll out to the elementary. I would recommend two years before Science is in the works.
28.3/6/2008 8:47:00 PMComplete and implement Social Studies then move on to Science.
29.3/6/2008 10:37:00 PMThe curriculum was aligned in 1999 and a new book was purchased. I find the science program to be working great! We have a great book with awesome science kits at each of the elementary buildings.
30.3/6/2008 10:51:00 PMHold the horses... one piece at a time please!
31.3/18/2008 1:31:00 PMwhy?
32.3/18/2008 2:10:00 PMThe only reason I would put this as a low priority is there is way to much going on right now in the district. Solve one problem carefully and correctly, and then implement another.
33.3/18/2008 4:44:00 PMSeems we are always starting and implimenting &quot;new&quot; progarms for one area or another. Often times changing the program after 2-3 years for some other &quot;new&quot; program.
34.3/19/2008 1:22:00 PMWow! With all the curricular changes being worked on now, I hope you'll slow down with this.
35.3/19/2008 5:20:00 PMI do not have enough information to answer this...
36.3/19/2008 5:41:00 PMYou already told us that's out the window for now!
37.3/19/2008 8:23:00 PMTime -- Adding another thing onto what they already are doing and newly implementing.
38.4/8/2008 12:10:00 PMI am unaware of this need because I work in another department.
39.4/8/2008 12:26:00 PMI have no ideas what the needs are in this area.
40.4/8/2008 4:21:00 PMthe testing is coming; but instead of reacting we should look at the big picture.
41.4/8/2008 5:08:00 PMBeing at the high school, I am not aware of the current program.
42.4/8/2008 4:59:00 PMDoes this really mean &quot;Buy a new elementary science textbook series?&quot; how can the elementary teachers do an exemplary job of teaching hands-on and discovery type science lessons when they don't have the time our science background for this. Ideally there would be an elementary science coordinator to help facilitate this.
43.4/9/2008 5:14:00 PMIs there going to be input in the curriculum from trained science educators from the middle school or even high school?
44.4/10/2008 1:16:00 PMOut of my realm of knowledge.
45.4/10/2008 6:13:00 PMElementary has been pounded with so many changes, I feel for them on another part that needs revision. I realize it's important, and a core area. I just feel for them. It would be nice to make sure that the other areas they've been working on are established before forcing another upon them, as well as an opportunity to review how things are working already.