Makiguchian Pedagogy and Middle School Science Learning

What is a global citizen? A global citizen is one that converts h/er knowledge into understanding of the community, the world and his or her fellow human beings. Subjects such as stem cell research, cloning and evolution continue to arouse profound, seemingly unanswerable questions. We will need people of wisdom to provide clear guidelines on how we should answer these questions. Therefore, a philosophy that can facilitate and nurture student understanding is vital. This book focuses on Tsunesaburo Makiguchi's (1871-1944) educational philosophy as a basis for developing understanding through science teaching. Makiguchi's philosophy lays the groundwork for the development of wisdom that leads to living a contributive life. Moreover, Makiguchi's standards encourages teachers to have a strong character and demonstrate through authentic behavior, the joys of living a life dedicated to benefiting others. Having an educational philosophy strengthens teaching. This book is meant to be a window into how the author applied this educational philosophy to the classroom and the outcomes derived from teaching science using this approach.

Autorentext

Dr. Iris Pagan began teaching in 1984. She has taught science in a variety of schools. She received her Masters degree in Science Teaching in 1988 and her doctorate in Science Education in 2001 both from Columbia University Teachers College. She is New York State certified in Biology, Chemistry and General Chemistry.