Tennessee Reaps Benefits Of Engaging Science Lessons [Gordon]
By BART GORDON
Teachers are one of Tennessee's greatest resources. Often, we take for granted the sizeable contribution teachers indirectly make to our state's economy - specifically in the form of ‘human capital.’
Earlier this year the House Science Committee, of which I am ranking member, honored the nation's best math and science teachers. Among the honorees was Murfreesboro's Cynthia Cliche, who is a first grade teacher at Homer Pittard Campus School and a math methods instructor at Middle Tennessee State University.
As students head back to school this month for an exciting new year, Ms. Cliche's visit before my Committee stands as a testament to the excellence and dedication of so many of our great teachers and the outstanding education they will provide our children this school year. As parents, business professionals and government representatives, we should be doing all we can to invest in our ‘human capital’ here in Tennessee and support the important work of our eachers.
To successfully bolster the nation's stature in science and math education, we should not only engage kids in science and math, but also connect these subjects to real-world examples. Fueling our kids' imaginations through tangible experiences makes science and math fun, real and memorable. To that end, I have created a valuable new resource for Tennessee's math and science teachers.
A section on our Science Committee Democrats' website (https://sciencedems.house.gov) now exists to serve as a clearinghouse of Federal educational resources for math and science instructors from kindergarten through college. Visitors to our website will find the Science Education & You section easily navigable.
With access to science and math lesson plans, internship information, summer program opportunities and countless other resources, this site is not only a valuable resource for teachers and students, but it also offers parents exciting ideas for projects to enjoy with their kids. To make the site even more user-friendly for teachers, we've even categorized lesson plans and projects by grade and topic.
When teachers use these materials, students will benefit from engaging lessons, such as interacting directly with astronauts aboard the International Space Station, using dry ice to create comets in the classroom and learning the tangible benefits of minerals we come in contact with daily. These exciting ideas may spark the beginnings of future engineers, physicists, meteorologists or astronauts.
When we make learning science and math fun, Tennessee reaps the benefits. Our research universities like MTSU and Tennessee Tech will grow as more students are inspired to undertake advanced degrees in science and engineering. Our local businesses will attract new technical industry and our state will reap the inevitable economic benefits.
I am here to support that effort. The additions made to the House Science Democrats' website will assist teachers in easily locating tools that enhance science and math curriculums in ways that bring the subjects alive for students. When we invest in our teachers, it's not only students who reap the benefits.
Tennessee will be a leader in ‘human capital’ only when we tap every available resource. I created this online source with teachers like Ms. Cliche in mind, but the available resources can serve a much wider use. At the start of another school year, this exciting new educational tool serves to remind us all of the fun of learning and the importance of passing that on.
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