Misconceptions of basic science concepts, pedagogy, and learning in future elementary teachers.

By Carolyn F Chryst, PhD

This is a reflection — in the Piagetian sense — on my constructivist approach to elementary science education methods and to teaching in general. I focus on shifts in perspective that were caused by a deep disequilibrium about being a constructivist educator and my pursuit of equilibration. Fancy way of saying, “Something went wrong and I have to figure out why!”

I taught science methods for elementary education in two distinct venues for over a decade. One section of teacher candidates (TC) were traditional education majors in the first semester of their senior year on…

Hi, You are correct Medium not making contacting (or following directions) easy..LOL. I would love to be added as a writer. I've been working on education reform for decades. Looking forward to sharing with your readers. Thanks Carolyn

Hi, Enjoying the publication very much! Please consider adding me as a writer, I would love to share beautiful update New York's villages.

HI,

I would be most grateful to be added to your list of writers/contributors. I believe I would be a good fit for your publication. Thank you for the consideration. Carolyn Chryst

Got me thinking

This week’s prompt for our writer’s group was to write about something creepy. As I wrestled with this idea an odd thought occurred to me, “Do I really know what creepy means?” I still use a giant hard copy Oxford English Dictionary, full of highlighted words I’ve had to look up — creepy will join the “yellow” words in my dictionary. “Creepy: causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or unease.” “Or” I muse, that’s the operant word, “or” I wasn’t afraid when it happened, I was grateful. Yet I’ve carried a sense of unease ever since. …

Okay not quite that bad — but close!

The best part of March? It is NOT February! Spring in upstate NY is a misnomer, we have Fall, Dead of winter, Mud and Summer. The good news is that summer and fall are exquisite. Summer in upstate New York is like a gentle, warm, deep, hug. (and don’t we all miss those right now!) The Fall’s turning leaves, crisp air, and October blue skies are breath taking. But March and the mud…not my favorite.

March is also a mean name! There’s no marching going on… there is no moving forward. March…

by Carolyn F Chryst, PhD

A friend’s young daughter “needed a bad word” so my friend gifted the girl with the word “crap.” I’ve been wondering ever since how did crap gain it’s crappy reputation? As a word it was barely used from the 1800s to 1900s, then 1920 it get’s a big boost thanks to a game of dice. “Craps” the game however has been around since the crusades, 1096–1099. It was called Hazard then — prophetic. It became Craps when the squatting men rolling dice looked like toads ready to pounce on a tasty fly — the French…

By Carolyn F Chryst, PhD

I struggle meeting new people, so school was the way I thought I could make some friends. One thing I know for sure is I am good at school. It is a scripted environment. I know the rules, the expected behaviors. So, I went to school for my summer vacation. Day one, hour one- introductions, “Hi I’m so and so, from Rochester and I’m here to learn how to get the little fuckers to pay attention” I’m paraphrasing. I was jotting everyones names down, a trick I had recently adopted — because I’m getting worse…