Ridiculous

We had something happen at school that shows me how the administration does not think things through properly.  One of our science teachers applied for and was accepted to attend the upcoming Response to Intervention conference beginning next week.  Just yesterday morning, she discovered they'd replaced her with an English teacher because science teachers do not teach reading.

When I heard this, I realized that much of what I said yesterday, applies to science too.  In science they also clarify their thinking and understanding while learning to communicate information to others. In addition, they have to infer, predict, conclude, compare and contrast, cause and effect.

Furthermore, in science, mathematics is interwoven through the course and students need to understand and apply common mathematical formulas to various scientific situations. 

Most scientific experiments require students to analyze and interpret data before evaluating it to see if it supports their prediction or if they have to adjust the hypothesis.

Its amazing how many people have the idea that reading and writing belongs only to English thus the English teacher is the one who teaches those two subjects, yet reading and writing appear in math and science.

Reading and writing across the curriculum is especially important when working with students who are anywhere between 3 and 7 grades below grade level.  It is also important to teach students to read specialized material in context and to have them use specialized vocabulary in their writing.  As most people who have taken a regular English course, one usually reads fictional accounts and sometimes biographies or books based on actual events but they do not get the chance to apply the same techniques to non-fiction specialized material.

So the math and science classrooms are the places students get the opportunity to practice their reading and writing  skills in a different context while experiencing cross curricular applications.  I admit, I was extremely disappointed to hear that reason for switching the English teacher for the science teacher, especially as she needs the training as much as anyone else.

Yes, I get a bit upset when administration seems to fall into the same mindset that most students fall into with their "But this is not English" misunderstanding.  It reinforces the idea we do not use reading and writing in math or science. 

Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.