Here’s what I love about the early childhood education community: the communication, sharing thoughts and wonderings!
In the November 2010 Early Years column in NSTA’s elementary school journal, Science and Children, I wrote about how children’s drawings, discussions and writings document their work. I heard additional thoughts back from two educators.
I wrote that, “A child’s drawings of a beetle with  a happy face or a tree with a round circle of leaves on top of a straight trunk are typical representations, which are more like symbols than actual observations. With repeated observation and documentation, children include more details and provide fuller dictations, even if they are not able to draw accurately. A typically developing child who spent a lot of time observing and handling Tenebrio beetles at 4 and 5 years old created wobbly drawings and offered detailed (dictated) descriptions. While drawing the larva at age 4, the child said, “It only has legs in the front,” but at age 5 drawing the beetle the child dictated, “I saw the wings come out. And they have protector wings like ladybugs and the real wings that make it fly are under the protector wings. The underwings are clear. When it was on my hand it flew.””

Early childhood teacher Marie Faust Evitt* wrote that she was “so glad you mentioned the happy face on the beetle. Saying initial drawings may be more like what they think they should see than what they actually see—is beautiful. I noticed something similar during our recent bean seed sprouting explorations. The first time children drew pictures of their seeds in their science journals, several gave the seeds smiles. Also, they dictated stories about the seeds rather than describing what the seeds actually looked like. Their drawings and observations became more accurate each day as they observed the roots and shoots sprouting and growing. The repeated experiences of recording observations in their journals made the children truly feel like scientists.”

*Author of Thinking BIG, Learning BIG: Connecting Science, Math, Literacy, and Language in Early Childhood, with T. Dobbins, and B. Weesen-Baer. 2009. Silver Spring, MD: Gryphon House. A complete curriculum with science inquiry at the forefront, many projects on a grand scale, alignment with national standards, and an extensive book list for every chapter with descriptions to take the guesswork out of which book to borrow or buy.

Ted Chittenden, assessment advisor to the Science and Nature Program for Young Children, at the American Museum of Natural History wrote to share his speculations.

Sometimes the children make drawings of what they observe in the Museum classroom, in this case, various invertebrates (alive, from classroom habitats.) Quite often, an otherwise anatomically, fairly accurate drawing will feature a happy face!!! I have seen this sort of face in previous projects over the years with Kindergarten and primary teachers.

As I think about this, I wonder if the faces are actually an indication of children’s growing awareness of the diversity of life. It’s if they are saying, “It’s a living thing too … like me.” Whether a beetle, cockroach, worm or whatever, “It has a life.” My speculation is supported by comments from parents. Every year in this program we ask parents to report observations of anything their child said or did, away from the Museum that might indicate a connection to the Museum program experiences. And every year we get anecdotes about the awareness of, and sometimes advocacy for, nature. Here are few quotes; “He told his father that a spider lives in the bath tub drain, and not to flush it.” “My daughter told me to stop killing the roaches because they are alive too.” “She found a dead butterfly on the street, asked many questions about how it died, took it home, wanted to revive it.”

In general, it seems to me that children’s drawings of animals are a blend of what is noticed, seen, with what is understood or otherwise important to say. Their drawings do indeed reveal attention to detail—perhaps the jointed legs of a beetle, or the segments of a millipede; but other features of the drawings give the animal a life … such as a leaf “for it to eat” or a rock “to hide under”—and maybe a smiley face.

I see Ted’s point that a happy face may be a symbol of children’s understanding that they are in the same group as the insect or seed—another living thing! In this light I will welcome happy faces in first drawings (and in all imaginative drawings, of course). Although I never discourage children from making their drawings of animals and plants look something like people, I do guide them to also get a close-up view of the anatomy of the living thing, and try to draw what they see. Happy faces and insect heads with antennae and palps can co-exist in early childhood classrooms.
In the interest of doing good science, I need to remember to consider alternative explanations!
Peggy

Two of the sessions I attended today were presented by classroom teachers who have found new ways to develop their leadership skills.
Lindsay Knippenberg, a science teacher from Michigan, is an Einstein Fellow with NOAA. In her presentation she shared some of the resources available to teachers (free of charge) from federal scientific agencies. Among her favorites are those that help students learn to differentiate long-term climate trends from daily weather reports, such as NOAA Climate Services, Data in the Classroom (also from NOAA with lessons to scaffold inquiry on topics related to El Nino, sea level, and water quality), Free Data,  and CLEAN (Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network)  with peer-reviewed lessons. She also introduced the NOAA Education Resources portal  which gives teachers access to materials, graphics, and lessons gleaned from the many NOAA agency sites.

Preston Lewis was a ninth-grade science teacher who turned a layoff into a new career at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia. He demonstrated NASA’s S’COOL project  which turns K-12 students (and their teachers) into cloud watchers who supplement NASA satellite data with on-the-ground observations of clouds and cloud cover timed to when the satellite is passing over their school. This authentic, citizen-science project engages classrooms from around the world. The data is available to anyone via the website.
Both of these educators feel that their own classroom experience adds a new dimension to these programs, because they understand the challenges faced by teachers. But they also see the potential of their projects in turning students on to science with real-word applications.

NSTA must be in Nature’s good graces, because this was a perfect day to arrive in Baltimore for the area conference—blue skies and warm (for November) temperatures. Some of the eateries near the Inner Harbor are still using their outdoor tables, too.
The Inner Harbor is terrific, with each end anchored by a science-related site: the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center. The Baltimore city planners had the right idea, putting a convention center, the football stadium, the baseball stadium, and mass transit stops all within a few walkable blocks of the Inner Harbor. There are lots of hotels, restaurants, and shopping in a vibrant urban setting, where a car is not a necessity (the water taxis are more scenic, anyway).
Time to grab a Chesapeake Bay crabcake and pick up the name badge holder and program at the registration desk. I hear the bookstore is open, too. Maybe I’ll avoid the rush and update my library now.
Photo:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinl8888/3453707101/

I just got back from the NSTA area conference in Kansas City, Missouri, and I’d like to try presenting. My colleagues and I have some successful ideas we’d like to share, but I’m a little nervous about submitting a proposal and actually doing a presentation. Any suggestions?—Ally, Omaha, Nebraska
It’s ironic: we spend more than 180 days a year in front of students, but we get nervous in front of our peers. Sharing your experience and expertise is an important step in your own professional development. Teachers like to hear about practical, classroom-tested activities and strategies, and I’ve found most conference participants are attentive and courteous to the presenters.
Conference proposals are typically due several months before the conference to provide the organizers with time to select and schedule the sessions. Check the sponsoring organization’s website for proposal guidelines, deadlines, and the online submission process. If you’re thinking of future NSTA conferences, see the guidelines at Presenting at NSTA Conferences.

Conferences usually receive more proposals than there are time slots, so follow the guidelines to improve your chances of getting in the program. Depending on the organization, you’ll be asked to supply a title, a brief description for the program, and perhaps a longer abstract describing the session content and activities. Choose a topic relevant to participants that relates to the conference theme and national standards. If you describe a project specific to your school, try to show how it could be adapted to other schools, grade levels, or geographic regions. Use this year’s program for ideas for your title and description. Indicate the format of the presentation and whether there will be opportunities for discussion, hands-on activities, or demonstrations. Reflect on the sessions you attended. What made them successful? What would you have done differently?
There may also be a section for you to indicate what technology you need. Many conference venues are now providing LCD projectors, but you’ll probably have to bring your own laptop and speakers (if you need them). Be sure to bring any other cables or interfaces (such as the video adapter needed for a Mac–I’ve learned from experience) and an extension cord. Put your presentation on a flash drive in case you need to use someone else’s computer.
There seems to be a trend in recent years to cut back on handouts. Many presenters share a brief outline and direct participants to a website with other resources, reducing the amount of paper used. If you do need large handouts or materials for a hands-on activity, consider shipping them to your hotel ahead of time if you’re getting to the conference by plane or train. A wheeled suitcase can be used to transport materials to and from the conference venue.
If you use photographs or videos of students or colleagues, be sure you have the appropriate release forms. Also document your sources if you cite published information or use “borrowed” materials. Allow enough time for questions or comments.
If you’re co-presenting with colleagues, determine who will do each part and how to transition between presenters. Before the conference, do a dress rehearsal to finalize the time and flow of the presentation. Perhaps you could do this at a faculty or department meeting to get feedback from other teachers (think of it as a formative assessment).
Most organizations do not compensate the presenters, and you’ll be required to register for the conference. Be sure you and your co-presenters can get release time for the conference and ask if the school can assist with expenses.
Presenting at a conference is a professional accomplishment. After your session, prepare a brief summary to share with your school administrators or for the school newsletter. Include the title of the session, the date, and the location of the conference on your vita.
Remember, don’t despair if your proposal is not accepted. (I have a folder full of “we’re sorry” notes). It’s a challenge for the program committee to review and prioritize thousands of proposals. You can revise the proposal and resubmit at a later time or to a different conference.
Last year I presented at a national conference, and it was a great experience. My colleagues and I enjoyed collaborating on the presentation, and once the initial jitters were over, we relaxed and had some good discussions with the participants. It was gratifying when several of them came up to us afterward and said, “This is exactly what we needed. Thank you.”

From beginning to end, the National Association for the Education of Young Children 2010 annual conference in collaboration with National Black Child Development Institute offered meaty sessions on early childhood science curriculum. Of course, science curriculum goes nowhere without a good foundation in the early childhood classroom environment, social-emotional development, circle time, understanding and supporting diversity and equity, collaborating with families, and professional development, to name some of the many other session topics.

The first session I attended was a treat, “Big ideas for little brains: Teaching fundamentals of physical science to 4-year-olds” presented by a highly knowledgeable, energized, and friendly group of researchers and educators who obviously enjoyed their productive collaboration: Dr. Brian Anderson, Dr. Mary Hobbs, Dr. Robert Williams, Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood,  (the latter two are also co-authors of The Preschool Scientist: Using learning centers to discover and explore science, (2010, Gryphon House), Sandy Martinez and Montserrat Garibay, Bi-lingual Pre-kindergarten teachers from the  Lucy Read Pre-kindergarten Demonstration School in the Austin Texas Independent School District, and Gail Laubenthal, Pre-kindergarten teacher researcher and “Technoscientist” from the Sanchez Elementary School,  also in the Austin ISD. Gail told us that using technology in her classroom might include using the classroom desktop computers or the computers in the computer lab, iPod Touches, iPods, digital microscopes, digital cameras, flip video cameras, a Mimio Interactive System, or the Innovation Station! Ms. Laubenthal is also known as the Ladybugs blogger, where you can see what her students are investigating.
Their project, Building BLOCKS for Science, is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Texas Center for Science and Mathematics Education. I was worried that a 4-hour session would be too long for me but time flew by as we heard about the professional development they were providing as part of their project, and experienced some exploration ourselves. The challenging opening was to get in a small group and sort a small bag of objects, list the ways each group sorted the objects, and then sort again, and again, in yet other ways. How many criteria can you sort by?—size, material, color, texture, purpose of use, weight…I think there were five or six additional categories and we could have continued. Enthusiastic and deft teaching by Ms. Martinez and Ms. Garibay led us in examining the properties of matter with ramps and various objects, wind-up toys, and other objects in motion. We didn’t have enough time to find out what Ms. Laubenthal’s role is as “technoscientist” but her blog has some details.
“Early Education Issue Forum: A Framework that Works – Implementing Successful PreK-3rd Strategies”, was a thought-provoking presentation by Lisa Guernsey, Director of New America’s Early Education Initiative and author of Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children From Birth to Age 5, (Basic Books, 2007), and Dr. Iheoma Iruka, research Investigator at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute who is working on their FirstSchool preK-3^rd initiative to move education systems toward a seamless approach for children ages 3 to 8.
What connections exist in your community between prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers? Depending on the program, the differences in pay scale and expectation of higher education can be huge but that shouldn’t stop us from meeting to better integrate our curriculums to make children’s transition to kindergarten easier and more informative for the next teacher. The presenters urged us to move our communities to establish preK-3 alignment of curriculum to sustain the gains we make in preschool.
Dr. Michaela Cole, Assistant Professor of Education, Our Lady of the Lake University held a discussion in the Learning Galleria about her evolving project, “Viewing nature through children’s eyes: Results from a photo elicitation project” in exploring children’s discovery of patterns and shadows in natural settings using photography. In one class she studied, the students’ transition to kindergarten was made easier by another photography project in which the mothers were given cameras to take pictures of their child to explain who their child is, to the upcoming kindergarten teacher. The pictures were even more important for children whose teachers and mothers did not share a language. Such a beautiful idea, one that supports the goals described by Guernsey and Iruka.
Marie Faust Evitt and Tim Dobbins, teachers from Mountain View, CA,  illustrated their session, “Thinking BIG, learning BIG: Connecting science, math, literacy, and language” with a slide show teaching us how to use inquiry-based science to bring math, literacy, and art into an early childhood day in many fun, BIG –because children like that–ways.

In her session, “STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) comes to preschool: Implementing an integrated science and mathematics curriculum in an inclusive inner-city program”, Dr. Sally Moomaw, assistant professor in Early Childhood Education and Special Education at the University of Cincinnati  showed us how STEM projects using pendulums, easy to manipulate ramps, and pattern-recognition using recorded bird calls in stuffed toy birds lead to increases in language development, reasoning, and cognitive development in the inclusive Cincinnati public school classroom of preschool special education teacher Jaumall Davis. (See their article in the September 2010 Young Children.)  Her obvious enjoyment in teaching (children and adults) and her sensitive attention to the nuances of communication by children with special needs reminds us that all children need STEM activities. (Download their session PowerPoint posted on the NAEYC Precis Abstract Management list at the bottom of the session description.)
Up to the last minute, the NAEYC annual conference sessions were communicating effective ways to bring science into early childhood classrooms. In “Creating a high-quality, low-cost mobile science museum for your program or community”, Karen Goldman-Karten and Amy Doerzbach of the The Lower Shore Child Care Resource Center in Salisbury, MD, told and showed video of how they went after funding to create a mobile science museum to take engaging activities to the day care programs, preschools, and child care in family homes. Flip-flop phone, making and comparing footprints, and bubbles of many sizes were among the materials that teachers and children freely explored, observed, wondered and collected data about. A professional development component supports providers and teachers as they implement science inquiry with their children in their programs. Karen and Amy urged us to start small but think big and don’t be afraid to approach our local banks for small grants. All children should have access to science inquiry.
Now it’s your turn to share about your session or one that was inspiring to you. The NAEYC Precis Abstract Management list will have links to session handouts up for a while—search for the session, click on the title, and scroll down to the bottom of the new session-details window that opens to see if any handouts have been posted.
My handouts will be up soon,
Peggy

To continue the theme of “what’s been brewing lately?” I recently received a message from an NSTA chapter leader who asked for guidance on what to consider before hiring staff to support their chapter.
Here are a few items to think about:

• First, consider your budget, level of activity and membership size (including the potential number of members your organization could have). These factors, with a few others, will dictate what type of management your organization will need.  Association management can vary from an executive director (with other staff members) to a part-time administrative assistant – and with that, the cost of management can vary as well!
• Connect with other education associations in your state. Do some research by contacting other organizations to do some comparison shopping.  The firms that manage these organizations may be willing to provide you with a proposal for service in the event you decide to hire staff.  You may often find a management company that specializes in working with a particular industry like educators, medical professionals, etc.  In most instances, this can be a “win-win” for everyone especially if the person (or company) that ends up managing your organization is well connected to key stakeholders in that particular state.
• Back to “level of activity”. Try to be detailed about what’s included in your Request for Proposal (RFP). This may be a time for you to not only consider what your organization offers its members and other stakeholders, but also what you should STOP doing – activities that don’t offer much to your organization’s member value proposition.

In general, your operations will fall under one of the following categories:

• Membership Services (including marketing)
• Financial Management
• Conference Planning
• Publication Development
• Web Design and/or Management
• Board and Governance Support, and
• General Administrative Support (answering phones, replying to e-mail messages, etc.)

I have uploaded an outline of management activities to the NSTA Chapters and Associated Groups Community.  If you are a chapter or associated group leader and have not joined the NSTA Chapters and Associated Groups Community, please send me a message (including your preferred e-mail address) and I will send you an invitation to join the community.
As always if you have questions, please e-mail me at tbirts@nsta.org.
Talk to you soon!
Teshia

“Different Routes to Science Teaching Lead to Common Ground,” the cover story of the November 2010 issue of NSTA Reports, looks at alternative certification and how “alt-certs” and their traditionally certified counterparts can work together successfully.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Please use the Comments form to share them.

Thank you all for your great comments on my first blog post!
This is a first for me and I wasn’t sure what the responses would be. There are some great examples of what is going on right now in classrooms. I am going to respond to some of the major points included in your thoughts rather than comment on each one.
To begin, you are right—the PCAST report (PDF) is long. I would highly suggest you read the entire document if you are really interested in policy debates and the process around developing science education policy. But please, certainly read the executive summary and the major recommendations, it is truly interesting reading if you have the time.
The need for more “inspiration” in science education seems to be a foundational issue in many of the comments. Last week during the NSTA regional Conference in Kansas City I heard Dr. Jeff Goldstein, Director of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education. What a terrific motivational speaker! Dr. Goldstein maintains that we need to instill students with a love for science and make sure they have a conceptual understanding of science at an emotional level. I could not agree more. Inspired students want to learn more. Inspired students want to pursue science (and science education) as a career. Each and every student should have an “a-ha” moment and feel the joy of science. Aren’t these “aha” moments why a lot of us went into teaching?
The Oct. 9–15, 2010, issue of the New Scientist includes a series on “Fifty Ideas That Will Change Science Forever.” This issue is focused on the coming revolution in biology, life and Earth. One of the ideas that are truly revolutionary is artificial photosynthesis. Says New Scientist “Some of the pieces of the jigsaw are already in place. Tiny light-collecting particles can be embedded on a membrane to absorb energy and split carbon dioxide and water molecules. The products are not sugars but carbon-neutral transportation fuels.” Just imagine putting these on cars or planes. How revolutionary is that? This too gives me a sense of wonder about science.

Another issue that came up in your comments was whether the recommendations in PCAST report would actually go anywhere. This remains to be seen. Will there be professional support and training to learn new and enhanced techniques? Will there be the resources to adequately teach science? I agree with your concerns, as do others. Last week Education Week reporter Erik Robelen filed an article that explores how President Obama has brought huge visibility to STEM education over the past year, but he asks whether the Administration is “matching the rhetoric with sufficient commitments in federal policy and spending.” The jury is still out on this too, but I can tell you we are working hard with a lot of key folks in Washington on these issues.
Another reader brought up the equity issue in science education. One was saying the United States needed to be focused on the top students in the sciences, while another commented on how we must include all students. I believe we can’t afford to focus on one group over the other, and we must do both.
I want to close with some thoughts on teacher education and teacher learning. One commenter said that we have to take teacher education seriously. You are absolutely right. There are very good teacher education models, yet many are expensive. Are we as a society ready for that investment? Recently the Association of Public Land Grant Universities (APLU)—the big state universities—launched an Analytical Framework for STEM Teacher Education that describes an effective teacher preparation program for science and mathematics teachers, and provides some very specific examples of effective criteria and processes that should be used in teacher preparation programs.
Teacher learning is also a concern. The National Staff Development Council just released a report about professional development trends in education and found that teachers are reporting experiencing much less in-depth professional development and are spending less time for professional development than four years ago. If we believe that the future of this nation is dependent on the education of our youth, then we have to do a much better job in getting much needed, quality professional development to teachers.
Your thoughts and ideas are welcome.
—Francis