Scientific method was physical pendulums/ an opportunity

[Cliff Parker <cparker@EMPOWERING.COM>]

>  I find the silly
> "scientific method" that is taught in the schools to be of
> little value. Why does one need a hypothesis? The student
> often expects that Nature's opinion is of secondary
> importance because she doesn't assign the grade.
>
> Leigh

Right on Leigh!  With your permission this statement will find its way to
the quotes adorning my walls tomorrow.  I have been trying to instill in my
students the idea that the silly "scientific method" that they have been
exposed to each year for as long as they can remember should be discarded.
My explanation stated among other things that the scientific method is not
confined to any rigid operating procedure.  Instead various combinations of
activities can be considered scientific as long as they have three basic
ingredients not necessarily in any certain order.  1) Someone must wonder
about something.  2)They must physically try out an idea and see what
happens.  3) The facts are king.  These ideas are fleshed out in more
specific and descriptive terms in class but I try to keep it simple.

My trouble is that many of my less intellectually advanced students simply
memorize and spit back the new set of ingredients on demand.  On my last
test I told my students about going to my son's 6th grade open house and
seeing a large poster with the typical list of 5 or 6 steps outlining the
scientific method.  I said that I was disappointed to see such a poster and
asked my students to explain why this would disappoint me.  Some understood
and responded appropriately many however said, "Because those are the wrong
steps they should be the ones you taught us."  They had just replace one set
of mindless rules with another set of mindless rules.  They don't expect
rules to make sense (and for good reason) and therefore they stop looking
for meaning.  I believe that our system has taught students not to think.
Expressing real ideas is not practiced or rewarded, spitting back the words
the grader wants to hear is what gets the rewards.  On the other hand, when
a student finally begins to understand how to produce and communicate real
thoughts both teacher and student are in for a rare thrill.

Cliff Parker