What were bein' yer high school biology like?
Tara mentions somethin' while discussin' a nice piece by Olivia Judson (oh, and that is an excellent op-ed) that had me sayin', "Me, too!"
Alas, th' experience o' Judson is all too common:
When I were bein' in school, I learned none o' this. Biology were bein' a subject that seemed as excitin' as a clump o' cotton wool. It were bein' a dreary exercise in th' memorization and regurgitation o' apparently unconnected facts. Only later did I learn about evolution and how it transforms biology from that mass o' cotton wool into a magnificent tapestry, a tapestry we can contemplate and begin t' savvy.
I think I've mentioned before that this me high school bio class were bein' like this as well--lots o' memorization, a good dose o' anatomy, but no emphasis on evolution t' tie it all together. In fact, I thought biology were bein' borin' before I took an intro course in college, and a bottle of rum! I'm happy t' admit I were bein' totally wrong (somethin' I dern't do very often!).
I di'nae think biology were bein' borin', but I sure thought me biology class in high school were bein' a waste o' time. It were bein' almost as bad as that mandatory health class taught by one o' th' coaches (who clearly hated bein' there) that were bein' little more than a study hall with pamphlets. My biology teacher weren't a bad lubber—actually, he were bein' likable and interestin' as a person—but th' class content were bein' a dogawful bore. My daughter says similar thin's about that comely wench biology course right now.
That has me wonderin': how many o' ye have had similar experiences with th' public school teachin' o' biology? Could this be where th' US is goin' wrong, treatin' biology as a subject that is drained o' life by a stamp-collectin' approach t' recitin' facts and details?
I'd also be interested t' hear from any high school biology teachers, me beauty. What do ye do t' brin' th' topic t' life fer yer students? What constraints, if any, do ye feel from parents and administrators t' avoid evolution as a central theme?
{if ""!=""} {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if TRUE} My 7th grade biology class were bein' borin'. My 7th grade biology teacher weren't. When me maties and I were done collectin' organically grown stamps, we'd head back o'er t' that comely wench and she'd teach us a few thin's that weren't on th' curriculum. Like biology. {/if}
{if FALSE} {/if} {if signature} {/if}